THE PROGRAMMES OF THE GREEK CATHOLIC CLERGY OF NORTHEASTERN HUNGARY (1860–1867)

Abstract

The article addresses the problem of religious and political activity of the Greek Catholic clergy of Northeastern Hungary between 1860 and 1867. Considerable attention is paid to analyze the role of the local Rusyn leaders. Among the nationalities of the Hungarian Kingdom in the ХІХ century, the Rusyns were considered to be the poorest people, both materially and culturally. Their society was truncated, in other words, incompletely structured, consisting of the vast majority of peasants. The author highlights that in the absence of nobility and citizenry, their Greek Catholic clergy served as elites. Their ecclesiastical organization provided an appropriate framework and base for the development of their national culture and literature. The most significant ecclesiastical structure of the Rusyns in Northeastern Hungary was the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevo, which had jurisdiction over seven Hungarian counties (Zemplén, Ung, Bereg, Ugocsa, Máramaros, Szabolcs and Szatmár). The current bishop of the diocese resided in Uzhhorod was the number one leader of the Rusyns. It is alleged that the so-called October Diploma, enacted by Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph on October 20, 1860, proclaimed a return to constitutional principles. On the basis of analysis of the various programmes of the Greek Catholic priests of the Eparchy of Mukachevo, it is established that the October Diploma had a great impact on the Rusyns of Hungary. This time, Adolf Dobriansky, a councillor of Hungary’s Lieutenancy Council claims the federal transformation of Hungary, the establishment of an independent Rusyn congress and a Greek Catholic archbishopric. As noted, his ideas also influenced many Rusyn priests. The traditionally pro-Hungarian Bishop of Mukachevo, Vasyl Popovych and his followers rejected Dobriansky’s ideas because of their «radical» nature. Instead, the Consistory of Uzhhorod wanted to accept nationality demands exclusively in cooperation with the Hungarian Parliament. The author comes to the conclusion that after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, the pro-Hungarian Greek Catholic clergy of the Eparchy of Mukachevo was satisfied with the rights enshrined in the Nationalities Law of 1868. In the end it is revealed that the clergy believed: the state subsidies of the Diocese of Mukachevo would have been at risk by claiming nationality rights. The article summarizes the new material on the topic under study, introduces it into scientific circulation.