Áron Márton
Romania | |
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Buried | Saint Michael's Cathedral, Alba Iulia, Romania |
Nationality | Hungarian Romanian |
Previous post(s) |
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Motto | Non Recuso Laborem ("I am not reluctant to work") |
Coat of arms | |
Sainthood | |
Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
Title as Saint | Servant of God |
Attributes | Episcopal attire |
Righteous Among the Nations |
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By country |
Áron Márton (28 August 1896 – 29 September 1980) was an ethnic
The organization Yad Vashem honored him on 27 December 1999 as a "Righteous Among the Nations" for his efforts to stop the deportation of Romanian and Hungarian Jews during the course of World War II.[3]
Márton's cause for canonization opened on 17 November 1992 under Pope John Paul II and he is titled as a Servant of God.
Life
Education and conscription
Áron Márton was born to
His initial studies were overseen in his village from 1903 to 1906 before moving to a Roman Catholic school at Csíksomlyó from 1907 until 1911. He was at another school from 1911 to 1914 before moving to a high school at Gyulafehérvár (now Alba Iulia, Romania). He graduated from high school in 1915 and was soon after drafted into the Austro-Hungarian armed forces that 15 June. He was involved in battles of World War I as a lieutenant (in the 82nd Infantry Regiment) in different conflict zones and was injured several times (first at Doberdo and then at Oituz and Asiago). The conclusion of the war saw him find work as a farmer and was also a metal worker in Brassó (now Brașov, Romania) from 1918 to 1920.[1]
Priesthood
In 1920 he commenced his
Episcopate
During fascist rule
On 24 December 1938 he was appointed as the
During communist rule
In 1945 – after the death of Cardinal Jusztinián Serédi – Pope Pius XII wanted Márton to become the next cardinal for the Hungarian nation, therefore leading Serédi's vacant see. But the opposition of the Hungarian Communists saw another prelate chosen for the position.
Márton continued to be a strong advocate for
Márton decided to revisit his bishopric after his release where he received a grand welcome on the part of an enthusiastic crowd. This proved embarrassing for the authorities and he was confined to house arrest following this. Márton was not allowed to leave the bishopric building for the decade and was permitted to emerge later in 1967. He was released as a result of negotiations that Cardinal Franz König had conducted in Bucharest. But Márton was still cautious of possible harassment from the authorities and volunteers often accompanied him on his pastoral visitations to ensure he was safe and left alone. He served as the President of the Romanian Episcopal Conference from 1970 to 1980. In 1972 he was diagnosed with cancer. He travelled several times to Rome where he met with Pope Paul VI.[1]
Death
Márton submitted his resignation from his diocese to Pope John Paul II and the resignation was later accepted on 2 April 1980. He died not long after this on 29 September and was interred in the diocesan cathedral. During his battle with cancer he had never taken painkillers and continued with his work with great resilience.[1] He was granted the posthumous title "Righteous Among the Nations" from Yad Vashem in Israel on 27 December 1999 for his activities in defending the Jews during the war.[3]
Cardinalate nomination
On 22 February 1969 a private audience was held between Pope Paul VI and Monsignor Hieronymus Menges. The latter asked the pope to do something that would encourage the Romanian faithful and the pope asked: "what"? in response to what he could do. Menges recommended that the pope create both Márton and Iuliu Hossu as cardinals as well as name several priests as monsignors.
Paul VI agreed and tasked the then-Archbishop Agostino Casaroli with seeing whether it would be acceptable to the Romanian government. Casaroli dispatched his aide to meet with the Minister for Culture in Bucharest to ask if the double appointment would be welcomed. The Minister assured the aide that Márton's appointment would be acceptable to them but that Hossu was an unacceptable choice. Márton himself learnt that he was to be made a cardinal but refused upon learning that the government had denied Hossu.[2] But the pope circumvented the government: he named Hossu a cardinal "in pectore" and never made Márton a cardinal. Hossu's secret appointment was not made public until the pope did so on 5 March 1973 after Hossu's 1970 death.
Beatification process
The beatification cause commenced on 17 November 1992 under Pope John Paul II after the
The Positio was delivered for evaluation to the C.C.S. in 2003 and theologians approved the cause on 25 June 2010.
The second and current (since 2012) postulator for this cause is Monsignor Kovács Gergely.
See also
- Holocaust in Hungary
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Servant of God Áron Márton". Mindszenty Alapítvány. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Consistory of April 28, 1969 (III)". Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Márton, Áron". Yad Vashem. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
External links
- Media related to Áron Márton at Wikimedia Commons
- Áron Márton official site (in Hungarian)
- Statue (in Hungarian)
- Hagiography Circle
- Catholic Hierarchy