he Artistic Values of the Csongrád Saint Roch Church

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Вага Júlia

he Artistic Values of the Csongrád Saint Roch Church

The in terio r and exteriőr construction an d decoration o f the church in the Belsőváros (Inner Town) d istrict o f C songrád have undergone con- siderable changes over the centuries.

Im portant inform ation regardin g the origi- n al design can be found in the p rotoco l o f the 1726 v isitatio n .1 The san ctuary an d the sacristy, sim ilarly to th eir current State, were vau lted and the nave ceilin g w as Hat. The earlier furn ish in g presum ably consisted o f a w ooden gallery, pew s an d a p u lp it p ain te d green and other colors. The altars, the m ain altar o f the church an d the two side altars - w ith o u t the p ain tin g and the g ild in g - w ere alread y there by th at tinié. The altarpiece on the m ain altar structure th at is still stan d in g

depicted the A ssum ption o f M ary, the patron o f the church. The layo u t was, apart front sonte ntinor differences, ntosdy the sante as its current State. The G ospel side altar w as ded icated to the H u n gárián k in g Saint Stephen an d its structure was sintilar to th at o f the m ain altar. In the centre o f the low er area stood a statue o f S ain t Stephen, w ith the statues o f Saint T adislaus an d S ain t Ent- nterich on eith er side. Above thent, p robably on top o f the volutes on eith er side o f the p edim ent, w ere statues o f Saint C ath erin e an d S ain t B ar

bara, an d in the p ed im en t betw een thern stood statues o f the H o ly T rin ity an d V irg in M ary. The side-altar on the Epistle side h ad n ő t been finished by then, how ever its titu la r saint, S ain t Ent- m erich h ad alread y been chosen.

The altars were p ro b ab ly provided by Sándor K árolyi, as one o f the sources m entions th at his b a iliff p aid the last in stalm en t o f the artist’s fees in N ovem ber 1723.2

The planned Saint Emm erich side-altar was never built. Instead, M ih ály Linkner, Sándor K áro

ly it overseer and the n o tary o f Szatm ár C o un ty ordered the construction o f a votive altar d ed i

cated to the Im m aculate C onception o f the V irgin M ary. The altar is first m entioned in the church inventory o f the year 1735.3 The coat o f arrns o f the benefactor placed on the altar pedim ent can be o f help in determ ining the date o f construction. Since L in kn er attained the ránk o f n o b ility and his coat o f arrns only in 17324, the altar could only be b uilt altér that, betw een 1732 and 1735.

The external appearance o f the church, the design o f its facades alsó differed sligh tly front th eir current co n d itio n . The b u ild in g h ad two 74

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entrances. The stone-fram ed m ain entrance, ju st like today, opened on the w est side, and, in the absence o f a tower, it was attach ed d irecd y to the w a ll o f the nave. The other entrance, o f sim ilar design, opened in the axis o f the Southern w all, bút it w as w alled up d urin g the construction o f the Tourdes Cave. D ue to the absence o f a tower, and the w ooden b elfry th at stood beside it as a substitute, the church h ad a com pletely different appearance front th at o f today.

F ollow ing the construction o f the C h urch o f O ur T ady in the d istrict know n as Külsőváros (O u ter Town), as ntentioned above, the K árolyi fantily stopped supporting the ntaintenance o f the Belsőváros church, w h ich was thus out o f use fór a p erio d o f tinié. The altars rem ain ed in piacé, bút m ost p ro b ab ly the co n ditio n o f the build- in g suffered serious deterioration, because by the tinié o f the bishop’s can o n ical visitatio n in 1778,

it h ad beconie unsuitable fór celebrating niasses.5 Eventually, it was the m u n icip ality th at took up the cause o f the Belsőváros church. O n M ay 2 8 th, 1781, the c ity co un cil presented a proposal to the D iocese o f Vác, asking it to allo w m onastic priests (w ho often visited C songrád) to celebrate niasses at least on feast days, as neith er the old nor the ill could regu larly visit the d istan t n ew church, w h ile n iu d d y roads in tinies o f b ad w eather conditions alsó kept other people from atten d in g church Services/' D etails o f the outcom e are unknow n, b ú t it can be assum ed th at the b u ild in g was p ú t intő perm anent service o n ly after the d em olition o f the S ain t Roch C h ap el in 1784, w h en it was given the title o f the form er chapel an d its form er altarpiece dep ictin g Saint R och.

This change affected the generál layo u t o f the church as w ell. The Saint Roch altarp iece re- p laced the p ain tin g o f the A ssum ption o f M a ry

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on the m ain altar and stood there u n til 1869, w h en it w as ag ain changed, th is tim e to G yörgy K örrey’s w ork, w h ich is there to this day.7 O ne year later, in 1870, K örrey rnade another p ain t- in g o f S ain t A n ne fór the G ospel side altar.8 The present altar structure, w h ich , at the tim e o f the 1745 can o n ical visitation, still conserved its o rigin al design, was first rem odelled p ro b ab ly in the m iddle o f the 18th century, on the occasion o f the first change o f tid e.9 B oth statues o f royal saints stan d in g on eith er side o f the altarpiece, alo n g w ith the representation o f the H o ly Trin- ity com pleted w ith a tow er-carving allu d in g to the V irg in M a ry could have com e front the altar th at w as rnade sh o rdy altér the church was finished. H owever, the flanting urns decorated w ith laté Baroque (C o p f) festoons and an gled handles d ecorating the ped in ten t w ere p ro b ab ly added at the end o f the 19th cen tu ry - eith er at the sante tim e as the altarpiece or w hen it was renovated.

O f the tw o B aroque altarpieces replaced by the pictures o f G yörgy Körrey, we k n o w o n ly the fornter m ain altarpiece. This was restored and re-

p ain te d - although nőt v ery professionally - at the end o f the 19th century. A t present, it hangs beside the entrance to the sacristy. A n inventory front 1885 lists a large p ain tin g dep ictin g Saint Stephen h an g in g on the w a ll.10 There is no data available front later years about th at p ain tin g or about the statues o f S ain t Peter an d S ain t Paul ntentioned in the protocols o f 18th cen tu ry parish visitations. The latter statues stood on eith er side o f the m ain altar, w here the statues o f the fentale saints are to be found now.

A ltér the change o f tid e o f the church, both its in tern ál an d external appearance w as trans- form ed. The m ost im p o rtan t change w as caused by the construction o f the tow er (1 8 1 8 ), w hich presum ably cam e w ith the renovation o f the fa

ia d é an d rnaking thern coherent in design. The first íu ll renovation to o k piacé thanks to the do- natio n o f a süni o f m ore than 3,000 llorins front the curator Jó zsef G ulyás in 1884. The church was given a n ew sh in gled roof, its tow er a n ew tin steeple, the w alls w ere rep ain ted inside and the altars w ere renovated, too. A cco rd in g to the H istó ria Dontus, the alread y ntentioned Baroque altarpieces o f S ain t Stephen an d the V irg in M ary w ere alsó “p ain te d over”.11 In 1885, a cross was in stalled solenm ly on the n ew tow er steeple.12 In the sante year, thanks to the churchgoers’ contrí butions the ‘w h eezin g ’ organ w as renovated and enlarged, and, fór it to be p ro p erly installed, an organ ló it w ith iron colunm s w as b u ilt, too.13 The construction o f the p u lp it was ordered in 1891 by István G yöngyösi Szabó an d A n n a Tari on the occasion o f th eir 50th w e d d in g anniversary.14 In 1894, the structure o f the m ain altar w as re

p a in te d 15, then, in 1896 alsó th at o f the tw o side altars.16 The church w as renovated again in 1895, this tim e n ew pew s were in stalled and the plasterin g on the faiad é w as alsó restored.17 In 1915, the tow n’s representative b o d y p aid somé 20,0 0 0 krones fór the fu ll renovation o f the b u ild in g. As p art o f the construction w orks, the church was given slate roofing, the fu ll surface o f the w alls was plastered, an d the ceilin g o f the nave was alsó 76

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rebuilt. The artists Ferenc L ohr an d Lajos Тагу, w ho h ad then ju st finished th eir m urals in the C hurch o f O ur Lady, w ere com m issioned w ith the w o rk o f p ain tin g the ceiling. The present organ o f the church w as alsó purchased at that tin ié front the A n gster organ facto ry in Pécs.18 By 1946, as a result o fle a k in g on the ceilin g, the frescoes were irreparable, therefore, follow ing the renovation o f the ceilin g an d the plasterin g, in 1947, artists A n tal Borsa an d G yörgy E ndrédy decorated the ceilin g w ith tw o large p ain tin gs and the w alls w ith B aroque-style ornam entation and n tarb lin g.19

In conclusion, we can say th at the nave, the san ctuary an d the sacristy o f the church were b u ilt in 1723, an d the construction o f the tow er began in 1818. The structure o f the m ain altar was finished by 1726 at the latest, w h ile the votive altar donated by M ih á ly L in k n er was com- p leted betw een 1732 an d 1735. The predecessor o f the G ospel side altar could have been b u ilt at the sarne tin ié as the m ain altar, w h ile, according to contem porary records, follow ed the structure o f the latter. The first reb u ild in g o f the church can probably be lin k e d to the change o f its tid e in the m iddle o f the 18th century. In 1870, the church received a n ew altarpiece, and, presum ably it was at th at tin ié or at the end o f the cen tu ry th at the urn decorations and volutes n o w lo c ate d over the m ain cornice w ere added. The earlier p ain tin g o f the m ain altar th at depicted the A ssum ption o f

the V irg in M a ry has been replaced w ith a picture firom the 19th century. The structure o f the altar, however, has rem ained m ostly unaltered, w hile, ju st like the side altars, it has been repainted m u ltip le tim es. A t the end o f the 19th cen tu ry a n ew p u lp it and an organ ló it w ere added to the furniture o f the church. A t the b eg in n in g o f the last century, the ceilin g o f the nave w as replaced by one m ade o f concrete, w h ich , along w ith the w alls, was decorated w ith m urals and decorative p ain tin g m ost recen d y in 1947.

The floorplan and the tagadé design of the church

The Saint Roch C h urch has rectan gular undi- vided nave w h ich is connected to the len gth en ed san ctuary closing w ith the three sides o f an oc- tagon, the tow er w ith a square base, ju ttin g out o f the faiad é in front o f the m ain entrance an d a sacristy on the north ern side o f the sanctuary. The lo n g itu d in a l axis has an o rientation o f northeast- southw est (the axis o f the nave has a deviation o f 32 degrees to the n orth from the w est-east direc- tion). It is b u ilt o f brick, has a p itch ed ro o f half-

h ip p ed over the sanctuary. A footing an d a one- p iece cornice runs around the b u ild in g.

In the axis o f the m ain faiad é o f the church, there is a tow er w h ich includes the m ain en trance, an d on e ith er side there is a side entrance:

the one on the side o f the T isza leads to the or

gan ló it an d the other is w alled firom the inside.

In spite o f b ein g a later ad d itio n , the tow er fits o rgan ically intő the nave, its design and structure is adapted to th at o f the facades. The tow er has

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three floors. The low er section, reaching up to the lin e o f the cornice o f the church b u ild in g , is divid ed by the m ain entrance and, above, by the sem icircle w in d o w w ith louvers at the level o f the organ loft. The m id d le section decorated w ith stripes in the p lasterin g has a sm all circular w in dow, w h ile the upper section m ounted above the ro o f and eq u ip p ed w ith a clock an d closed by a clock cornice has four arched b eli Windows. The tow er is topped by a broached spire o f w ooden structure, elad in copper w ith a tow er ball. O n its tw o sides, the tow er is connected to the nave by a trian g u lar ped im en t, an d the statues o f S ain t Jo- seph an d Saint R och stand on its edges.25

The stripes on the p lasterin g o f the late ra l facades o f the nave create three axes. The Tisza-side is divid ed o n ly by a single w in d o w w ith sem i-circular closing in the Central axis. The side facing K erekárok Street is rnuch m ore segm ented. A t each axis, a w in d o w breaks the w all, u n d er thern, there are circular W indows on the tw o side axes, w h ile on the m iddle axis a stone fram ed entrance was rnade. The latter w as w alled d u rin g the construction o f the Tourdes Cave.

The san ctuary gets the lig h t front three Win

dows w ith sem icircular closing. The sacristy at- tached to it has a m o n o -p itch ed roof, and its en

trance opens front the side o f the river T isza.

Interior and furnishing

C orning through the m ain entrance, the visitor en- ters a lobby, front w here th ey can enter the church through a carved stone doorway. There is a Hat ceiling above the nave and a ribbed quarter-donte above the sanctuary. O n the entrance side stands the organ loft on cast iron colunm s w ith gracious, C o rin th ian capitals w ith the organ rnade at Jó zsef

A ngster and Sons O rgan and H arntoniunt Facto- ry in Pécs. The m ost valuable itents o f furniture in Saint Roch church are the m ain altar in the sanc

tu ary and the tw o side altars standing in front o f the chancel arch on either side o f the nave.

The structure o f the main altar takes up the whole space between the two Windows o f the

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san ctuary w alls. The altar structure rises above a fitted table (stipes). O n the m ensa, there is a tabernacle w ith an adoring p a ir o f angels and articu lated on eith er side by tin y colum ns w ith g ild ed capitals. Its door is decorated w ith repre- sentations o f the chalice an d the H őst referring to the Eucharist. The arched retable is bordered w ith spirál consoles, on w h ich , fram ing the altarpiece, there are the statues o f S ain t Stephen and Saint Tadislaus. S ain t Stephen is w earin g a H u n gárián garm ent w ith H u n g árián knots an d above it a royal cloak and on his h ead the H o ly C row n.

In h is le it hand, he is h o ld in g the orb an d in the righ t h an d the sceptre. Facing hint, in a sim ilarly bent posture, w e can see S ain t T adislaus w earing arm our an d a royal cloak above it, w ith a crown decorated w ith crosses on h is head. H e is h o ld in g a b atd e axe and the sceptre. A cco rd in g to the protocols o f the visitations o f the 18th century, statues o f the A postles S ain t Peter an d S ain t Paul once stood beside the statues o f kings. T hey were replaced by tw o statues o f crow ned fernale saints w ith o u t attributes.

The retable o f the altar is divid ed by tw o marble-p ain ted and g ild ed colum ns an d four sim ilar

ly decorated lisenes, w h ich enclose a broken arch- shaped p icture fram e an d h o ld an em phasized an d articu lated cornice. The altarp iece represents the patro n o f the church, Saint R och, one o f the m ost im p o rtáru patro n saints offering pro tectio n against the plague. The sain t can be seen w earing a p ilg rim ’s robe, in front o f a n atu ral background, k n eelin g , raisin g his eyes to the sky, w h ile lean in g on a p ilg rim ’s staff. O n his chest, he has a crucifix an d a shell o f S ain t Jam es. H is b ro ad -b rim m ed h at is ly in g on the ground, an d in front o f hin t a dog appears w ith a p iece o f bread in its m outh. The pictu re w as p ain te d by G yörgy K örrey in 186 9.21

Above the cornice o f the altar is a p edim ent w ith a volute on either side. Its field is fiiled w ith a H o ly T rin ity com position arranged around a globe sym bolizing the w hole o f the universe together w ith clouds, angel heads and beam s o f ligh t. O n top o f the volutes connected to the m ain cornice, on the leit, there is a statue o f Saint B ar

bara h o ld in g a chalice, on the right a sm aller statue

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o f Saint C atherin e h o ld in g a p alm le a f and a book.

O n the m ain cornice and on the top edges o f the ped im en t a p air o f puttos can be seen. The top o f the gable is decorated w ith a figure o f the archan- gel Saint M ich ael trium phant over the devil.

The form er altarpiece that represents the As- sum ption o f the V irg in M ary, is to be fotmd beside the entrance to the sacristy. M ary can be seen standing on clouds w ith a w reath o f stars above her head, and above her figure we can see C hrist, G od the Father and the dove o f the H o ly Spirit shed- d in g lig h t over the w hole com position. M ary turns h er gazé to Heaven, rests h er right h an d in her son’s hand, w ho carries the w ounds front the cru- cifixion on his feet and his side. Angels and puttos surround thent, one o f w hont is bearing the cross o f C hrist w hile the others h old lilies and roses that refer to the im m aculateness o f M ary. In 1885, the picture was repainted by a pain ter nanted H egedűs thanks to a donation front Jó zsef Gulyás, as the text at the bottont reads

(The first altarpiece o f the old church. Jó z sef Gulyás. Hegedűs 1885).

There is a side altar on eith er side o f the chancel arch. The side altar at the n reetin g p o in t o fth e san ctuary and the nave was pro b ab ly ntade in the sante w orkshop as the m ain altar. It is d edicated to the Inm iaculate V irg in M ary. The altar is erect ed on a h igh , p lastered and w h itew ash ed brick base, over a sligh tly arched retable. It is decorated w ith ntarbled p ain tw o rk, g ild in g in certain places and its edges w ith decorative carved le a f orna- ntents. The Central section is taken up by a carved re lie f representing the V irg in M a ry enclosed by a narrow franre-like rint, w h ich inritates th at o f an altarpiece. The V irg in M o th er can be seen under a canopy, k n eelin g on a cloud, slig h d y tu rn in g to the side. H er h ands are clasped in prayer an d she is w earin g a crown. H er figure is franted by loose folds o f d rap ery h an g in g front the canopy and tied up on the sides. The arrangentent o f the contpo sitio n entphasizes M a ry s role as intercessor and protector. There are statues o f Saint B arbara and another, unknow n fentale sain t on eith er side. O n the cornice o f the altar th at rests on two

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pairs o f lisenes an d colunm s, the coat o f arm s o f the donor can be seen w ith a b án d b elo w w ith the text: “Ex voto M ich aelis L in k n e r”.

The altar ends in an arched p edim ent enclosed by volutes turn in g inward. O n the edges, above the volutes and the cornice, a seated puttó and an urn w ith fiamé and garlands can be seen on either side.

The figure o f the Father, represented as an eldedy m án sittin g on a throne o f clouds w ith a triangu- lar haló above his head and resting his h an d on the globe, fills the whole space o f the pedim ent. Above his head, on the cornice o f the gable the H o ly Spin it alsó appears in the lórin o f a dove surrounded by a haló sim ilarly to the Father. The craftsman carving the altar did nőt depict G od the Són. This was nőt necessary, since according to the C hristian concept, as the invocation o f the Foretto litan y (“Véssél o f honour”) puts it, M ary was the carrier o f C h rist’s body, h erself a livin g tabernacle.

The patron o f the G ospel side altar is Saint A nne. The present altarp iece representing her was p ain te d by G yörgy K örrey an d w as in stalled on the B aroque structure in 1870. O n the p a in t ing, S ain t A n ne can be seen as she is teach in g the ch ild M a ry to read front the O ld Testantent. In the b ackground o f the genre-like scene a d etail o f the landscape unfolds front b eh in d the coluntned porch, w h ile, in the sky, tw o puttos can be seen.

O n the low er p art, there is an etch ed inscription w ith the nante o f the p ain te r an d the date. Its id yllic, sonrewhat ntaw kish ntanner and contpo- sitio n al arrangentent is rentiniscent o f another one o f K örrey’s S ain t A n n e altarpieces, ntade a few years earlier fór the Jo h n the B aptist C hurch o f K iskundorozsnta.

The p ain tin g is enclosed by a Baroque frante decorated w ith dynantically tw in in g tendrils. The frante served fornterly as a frante fór another, unknow n altarpiece. The w ooden retable is decorated w ith ntarbling and, at certain places, gilding. O n either side o f the altarpiece is a colunrn w ith a cont- posite Capital, and beside thent, on the leit, is the statue o f Saint Fadislaus and, on the right, that o f Saint Stephen, both standing on spirally tw isted

consoles. The structure o f the altar ends in a wide, slighdy overhanging cornice. O n the pedim ent, there is a cloud-w reathed representation o f the H o ly Trinity, where a dove sym bolising the H o ly Spirit appears above the figures o f the Father and the Són sitting on clouds. O n the low er section o f the pedim ent, there is a tow er referring to M ary w ho alsó appears on the altarpiece. This alludes to the invocations o f the “Tower o f D ávid” and the

“Tower o f Ivory” o f the Foreto F itany.22 The cont- position is enclosed on either side by volutes w ith urns in front o f thern in line w ith the colunms.

The structure o f the altar could have been b u ilt in the second h a lf o f the 18th century, bút it is possible that somé parts o f it come front its predecessor already com pleted by 1726, w h ich was dedicated to Saint Stephen and was larger in size and richer in ornam entation. Therefore, the statues o f Saint F adislaus and Saint Stephen ntight be the sante as those that w ere placed on the low er section o f the altar along w ith the statue o f Saint Entmerich. The com position o f the H o ly Spirit on the ped im en t was alsó a p art o f the form er altar structure. The tow er m igh t alsó be a fragm ent o f the p o rtrayal o f the V irg in M a ry m entioned in the visitations at the b egin n in g o f the 18th century.2-

A t present, the statues o f the altar are p ain ted w ith a th ick layer o f oil p ain t, the colunm s and the cornices have brow nish ntarbling, w h ile the different carved ornam ents are decorated w ith gold-coloured p ain t. In sonte o f the openings ntade d u rin g the recent restoration fór the pur- pose o f revealing the older layers o f p ain tin g , a nruch softer, n tain ly red, green and golden layer o f o rigin al p ain t can be seen.

The altars could have been rep ain ted in the last decade o f the 19th century. The p u lp it, b u ilt in the sante period, is covered in characteristic, brow nish-red ntarbling, ju st like the postantents o f the statues o f the H eart o f Jesus an d Saint A n- thony. The nrodest, b ú t attractively carved, brown pew s w ere ntade in 1895, around the tinte w hen the w ardrobes o f the sacristy used fór storing vest m ents an d ecclesiastical itents were purchased.

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Decorative painting in the church

The m urals decorating the c eilin g and the p ain te d ornam ents on the w alls o f the nave an d the sanc- tu a ry contribute gread y to the overall im pression o f the church interior.

The decorative p ain tin g o f the church was done in 1947 as p art o f the preparations fór the T isza M arian Days and the related church renova- tio n by A n tal Borsa [Schutzbach] (1 9 0 2 - 1 9 7 4 ) an d G yörgy E ndrédy (1 9 1 0 - 1 9 8 8 ).

Probably, it was the ap p lied artist A n tal Borsa w ho d id the decorative p ain tin g s.24 B orsa p ain ted

sanctuary side represents the V irg in M other as she appears to the n a w y and fisherm en o f Csongrád.

The scene takes piacé by one o f the banks o f the H olt-T isza (a backw ater o f the river). In the background, the river T isza can be seen w ith the C hurch o f O ur Tady on the far bank. M ary, w ith the infant Jesus on her lap, appears arnong dark clouds. They are standing in glow ing lig h t and reach out their hands in blessing. Beside thern, turn in g its back to the spectator, an angel can be seen, and two curi- ous puttos p eeking Írom under the drapery o fh e r

the w alls an d the ceilin g sand-colored. H e d ivided up the w alls o f the chancel arch an d the san ctuary ap p lyin g brow nish-p ink, m arb lin g interspersed w ith w h ite ten d ril an d le a f m otives th at are a good m atch fór the B aroque fu rn ish in g and ar- rangem ent.25 A s a signature, he p ain te d somé key instrum ents o f h is w ork, a p ain t can, a p ain tb rush an d his glasses, beside the balustrade o f the organ ló it, above the cornice.

D ecorative borders have been p ain ted around the m urals on the ceiling, too. The m urai on the

dress. O ne o f thern is w earing glasses. D ow n below, by the riverside, a group o f workers is gathering.

M ost o f thern have already noticed the m iracle and stopped w orking to raise their gazes to the V irgin M ary. O ne m án, seem ingly tired, is lean in g on his shovel. The picture gives the im pression o f sponta- neity, w hich is further enhanced by a figure in the foreground, who is still moving, pushing the fully packed w heelbarrow w ith tense muscles, w hile a litd e further on other fisherm en are go ing on w ith their job uninterrupted.

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Close to the scene, on the north an d south side o f the chancel arch, the first lines o f the w ell know n M arian H ynm can be seen: “H o ly M other, our patro n o f old. In the m idst o f need, our co u n try calls to yo u : / Do n ő t forget H ungary, our dear honié, do nőt forget the poor people o f H ungary.” In fact, the prayer can be read along w ith the scene next to it, thus the prayer together w ith the p ain tin g expresses the w ish fór the grace experienced in C songrád to be extended to the entire country.

A p icture, corresponding to th is one, is to be found on the organ side o f the ceiling. It represents Jesus as he appears am ong the people gath- ered in front o f the entrance o f the Saint Roch C hurch. The audience, m én and w om en, o ld and yo u n g liste n carefully to the Saviour, w ho turns to

The fittings of the church

Front its early history, C songrád’s fornter parish church was alw ays eq u ip p ed properly w ith the essential litu rg ic a l accessories, vestntents, various litu rg ic a l textiles, treasures an d bells. It had, according to visitatio n accounts, a signifícant antount o f ecclesiastical itents righ t altér the b u ild in g w as finished. However, nőne o f these have conte dow n to us. M ost o f the present eccle

siastical itents were purchased front the donations o f the churchgoers in the second h a lf o f the 19th cen tury an d at the b eg in n in g o f the 2 0 th century.

Its set o f litu rg ic a l fittin gs was probably based on the assets o f the o ld Saint Stephen C h urch ac

cording to a record front 1716. A p art front the various, easily d eterio ratin g litu rg ic a l textiles, the record includes in its list a g ild ed silver chalice, a silver paten, a g ild ed m onstrance an d ciborium niade o f copper, tw o sm aller an d one bigger beli and litu rg ic a l books.27 The sanie types o f itents are m en tio n ed in the first know n inventory o f the present church (1 7 2 6 ).28 A lth o u gh the com posi- tio n o f the tw o inventories could have changed d urin g those ten years, n ian y o f the m atching itents suggest th at the n ew church m ay have re-

thent w ith outspread am is. The group o f m én on the lelt n iig h t have ju st arrived front the harvest, one o f theni h o ld in g a sh eaf o f w h eat on one o f h is shoulders, an d the other one a th reshing llail.

The tw o pictures represent the lőve o f the p e o ple o f C so n grád fór the V irg in M a ry an d the Sav

iour. This devoted lőve never ceases despite the hardships o f th eir everyday life spent in toil. The churches in the background, w h ich w ere b u ilt w ith h ard effort an d u n d er the protective support o f M a ry an d Jesus, are the result o f this religious fervour.

The pain ted decoration o f the church gives so- len m ity to the space that is lit by the lig h t filtered through the coloured glass Windows and by the chandelier ntade in 1897 in the workshop o f H en rik G iergl purchased front public donations.26

. Beils, treasures, textiles

ceived several objects front the old b u ild in g . Fór instance, the volunte co n tain in g Péter P ázm ány’s serntons (C o n cio n esP azn ran iD o n rin icalis) nten- tio n ed in the later inventory, too, can be the sante as the itent listed in the earlier record.29 The chasuble th at the inventory described as old’ ntight have alsó conte front the fornter church.

G radually, the church acquired m ore an d m ore assets. In 1735, antong its fixtures, there w ere two g ild ed silver chalices w ith paten, one g ild ed co p p er ciboriunt w ith a top an d a m onstrance o f the sante kind. There was no shortage o f vestntents an d litu rg ic a l textiles either. The inventory o f the church lists, antong other things, three n ew and tw o old chasubles w ith m atch in g stole an d nta- niple, four albs, six hunreral veils, three surplices (superpelliceunt), tw o pluvials, three veils, six kerchiefs, fourteen altar cloths an d eigh t banners o f different colours: one green, dep ictin g M a ry ’s A ssuntption an d S ain t Joseph, one red w ith the figures o f Saint Jo h n the B aptist an d bishop Saint A d alb ert, tw o red ones w ith Saint Tadislaus, S ain t R och, S ain t Sebastian and Saint R osalia, tw o sntaller green pieces w ith the V irg in M o th er

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an d Saint Joseph, a sm aller green one w ith Saint Francis Seraphic and a b lack banner. The inven- to ry describes somé o f the textiles as old. A n o th er fact o f interest is th at in the church there w as an em b ro idery representing the V irg in M a ry seated on h er throne. A t th at tinié the church alsó h ad an organ o f six m utations and a baptism al font.

There is a p o ssib ility that the three bells listed in the inventory w ere front the old church, w h ich w as alsó rep o rted to have h ad the sante nuntber.

A cco rd in g to the docum ent, the bigger one was ded icated to the A ssuntption o f M a ry an d one o f the sm aller ones to Saint Stephen. The th ird one is described as o ld and its tid e is nőt kn o w n .30

In 1761, three silver chalices were taken intő account, an d it seents th at by th at tin ié the copper ciborium was replaced by one niade o f silver. The nuntber o f litu rg ic a l textiles increased as w ell:

six chasubles w ere reported, one o f w h ich was lab elled ex ceptionally valuable. The nuntber o f bells had reached five, an d an organ o f four nruta- tions is listed instead o f the one o f six.31

A ltér the ded icatio n o f the Külsőváros church (1 7 6 9 ), the Belsőváros church becante alm ost entpty. The 1778 visitatio n ntentions o n ly the

three altars, an d rentarks th at there are no ecclesiastical itents there. By contrast, the n ew church is provided rem arkably w ell w ith parantents: fór instance, it h ad three silver chalices an d another tw o, an d there w ere seven bells in the tentporary b elfry b u ilt next to the church.® It is nőt possible to deduce front the item ised ye t com pletely un- d etailed accounts exactly w hat itents w ere taken front the old church to the n ew one. Therefore, it is alsó im possible to assess w h eth er the collection o f the C hurch o f O u r T ady has any itents C o r n

in g front there. A t m ost, o n ly the precious m etál itents could have survived the p ást m ore than two centuries, the textiles m ay have w orn out.

Som é p articu lar itents were p robably returned to th eir o rigin al piacé altér the Belsőváros church canie intő use again, th at is, altér 1785. Thus it happened th at in 1827 fewer treasures w ere listed than in 1778, w h ile in the Saint Roch C hurch, w here there were no itents o f precious nretal, in 1827 a silver an d a copper chalice, tw o silver p á t

ens, a silver ciboriunt, a g ild ed copper nronstrance, a p ew ter cru ciíix an d a silver pyx w ere reported to be in use. These itents w ere alsó found in an inventory front 1875, w h at happened to thent af-

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tér th at is u n k n o w n ." The collection o f treasures o f the Belsőváros church was enriched later, too.

The H istó ria D om us records th at in 1885 Jó zsef G ulyás h ad b rought a n ew ornate m onstrance and a w h ite silk veik

O f the item s front the 18th cen tury collection o f the church, o nly one b eli is know n, the one that is still in the tow er today. A ccording to the inscription, the tow n o f C songrád had it ntade in B uda by the b eli founder Jó zsefB run n er in 1793. ^ O n its w aist, a representation o f Saint Roch can be seen, on the h ead the inscription:

GOSS MICH IOSEPHBRUNNER IN OFEN1793

(B runner Jó zsef cast nte in B uda in 1793) and, below the fig- u r e o f Saint R och:

INHONOREM STROCHI

COMUNITAS CSŐNGRADIENSIS CURAV- IT 1793

(O rdered by the parish o f Csongrád, dedicated to Saint Roch in 1793).3á

The other three bells w ere taken in account by the 1885 inventory o f the church, then again, in 1917 at the occasion o f th eir requisito n fór n tilitary purposes by the priest, K ároly T h uryA A ll three bells w ere m elted dow n. O ne o f thent was ntade in 1825 by H en rik E berhardt in B u

dapest. Its shoulder w as decorated w ith reliefs o f Sain t A nne, bishop S ain t N icholas, Saint Se- bastian an d S ain t F lórian. The inscription reads:

FUDITHENRICUS EBERHARDT, PESTINI 1825Á

The other, sntaller beli, according to its inscription, w as ordered by the people o f C so n grád in 1874:

CSONGRÁD VAROS KÖZÖN

SÉGE NEVÉBEN CSONGRÁD VÁROS REN

DEZETT TANÁCSÚ HATÓSÁGA 1874

[In the nante o f the people o f the C ity o f C songrád, the C o u n cil A u th o rity o f the C ity o f C songrád 1874]

Á

P opular b e lie f h eld th at the th ird beli was p u lle d out o f the river Körös by fishernten.40 It w as cast by G yörgy W eird in Eperjes [Presov, Slovakia] in 1632. The inscription reads: M A R IH S G O SSE M I C H A N N O M D C X X X II

GEORG WIERD INEPPERIESA

It was recast in 1913 in A n tal N ovotny’s w orkshop, in Temes

vár [T im iso ara, R o n tan ia].42 The 1825 sources m ention a large b eli (5 quin tals and 16 pounds,

th at is approx. 370 k g ) th at h ad recen d y been ded icated to Saint R och.43

Front the 19th cen tu ry on, the collection o f the church was en rich ed due to the contributions o f the parish ntentbers. The m ajo rity o f the itents becante the p ro p erty o f the church in the last two centuries. In m ost o f the cases, vestntents, different litu rg ic a l textiles, banners w ere offered, w h ile the other fixtures were purchased front donations received at co llection events.

The banners were used at processions and funerals. They could have been ordered by priváté individuals, religious societies an d gu ild s as w ell.

These itents w ere u su ally purchased through spe- cialised firnts in B udapest (Szűcs an d С о ; K riszta an d L eitn er).

The sources front 1827 m ention four banners, w h ile those front 1875 report eight. Two o f thent, w ith the cross o f the Saviour an d the representa

tio n o f the A ssuntption o f M ary, w ere ordered by the So ciety o f the R o sary in 1875.44 The society called ‘The Shepherd and the H erdsnten alsó h ad a green church banner since 1881.45 The collec

tio n box attach ed to one o f the rear pew s, w ith a circular re lie f representing Saint W en d elin m ust alsó be associated w ith this society.40

A n tong priváté individuals, the so-called ‘ro sary banners’, dep ictin g the V irg in M a ry w ith a rosary m ust have been p articu larly popular. In 1 8 9 4 -1 8 9 5 the sources record a donation o ffo u r blue banners o f this kin d . Two o f thent w ere given to the church by Belsőváros lad ie s.17

The b lack banners w ere used at funerals and th ey w ore out quickly. In 1896, parish priest A n tal H e g y i collected donations, an d then p u r

chased a canrelhair-danrask banner front the ntoney he received.4á

The textiles, vestntents an d ornate altar covers w ere taken care o f by the parish ntentbers as w ell as the A ltar Society. The 1875 church inventory lists five chasubles, the sante nuntber o f stoles and cin g u la (belts fór priests), 3 b lack an d one golden pluvials, one velunt, 9 albs, 14 hunterals, 5 surplices (superpelliceunt), 12 corporales, 5 palls, 40

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purificators, 5 m anutergia, 8 altar covers, 3 altar covers (m appa) and 4 vestm ents fór m inisrranrs.49 In 1884, three vestm ents were bought front the donations, ntade o f w h ite and red brocade fabric an d violet-coloured adas fabric.5®

D onations co n tin ued to be ntade in the last cen tu ry too. In 1946, the church received statues

o f the H o ly Sepulchre and Saint A n th o n y as a con trib utio n front the churchgoers.51 The proces- sion cross ntay have alsó been purchased in the first h a lf o f the century. M ost o f the covers and cloths o f different sizes an d entbroideries were ntade by skilfu l lo cal wonten.

Endnotes

1 This entry in the record and the unified arrangement of the building disprove the views that the current church is the result of the reconstruction of a previous building.

* MNL OL, P 398.709773.70878.

* VPLAPar.Cs. 1735.

» Áldásy 1939.139.

5 VPL LVis. Liber 7.1778.

« MNL O L,P 398,11538.

7 The altarpiece was paid fór front a donation of 100 Hungárián florins by Mrs. Márton Gulyás (née: Rozália Kállai). See: NPI História Domus Volume I, 108; NPI Inventory ofthe Saint Roch Church, 1885.

8 Mrs. János Tari (née: Veronika Forgó) had it painted.

She alsó had the whole church whitewashed and donated a black chasuble. See: NPI Inventory of the Saint Roch Church, 1885; NPI História Domus Volume I, 110

.

9 The altar, which had the title of Saint Stephen at the time of the 1745 visitation, appears to have the title of Saint Francis in the record of the 1761 visitation. The exact date and the circumstances of the change of title are unknown. Cf. descriptions of the altar set-up in the years 1745 [VPL LVis. Liber 4.] and 1761 [VPL LVis.

Liber 6].

86

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10 NPI Inventory of the Saint Roch Church, 1885.

11 NPI História Domus Volume I, 117.

и NPI História Domus Volume I, 118.

14 NPI Inventory of the Saint Roch Church, 1885.Thereis alsó a reference on the inscription of the memóriái tablet placed on the pulpit.

15 The painter who did the work was paid 100 Hungárián florins. Csongrádi Közlöny, 19August 1894, Vol. l,N o.

23, p. 3.

16 The “cleaning” costs of the two side altars were donated by István Gyöngyösi Szabó and his wife Anna Tari.

Csongrádi Közlöny, 31 May 1896, Vol. III, No. 22, p. 3.

17 Csongrádi Közlöny, 30 July 1895 Vol. II, No. 30, p. 2-3.

18 NPI História Domus Volume II, 23.

19 Dudás 2000b. 106; NPI História Domus Volume II, 125.

20 According to Lajos Dudás, the northern stone statue is that of Saint Roch, while the Southern one is that of Saint Christopher. Dudás 2000b. 69.

21 György Körrey was born in 1818 in Palarikovo, Nitra County, Slovakia. István Károlyi paid fór his studies first in Pest with József Pesky and later in the Academy of Vienna. After he finished his studies in Vienna, he lived in Budapest, and worked mainly fór churches in the countryside first from Pesky’s workshop, then inde- pendently. Lyka 1981. 131; 137; 150. In Csongrád, he painted the pictures ofthe Saint Roch main altar (1869) and the Saint Anne side altar of the Belsőváros church as well as the previous picture of the main altar depicting the Assumption of the Virgin Mary of the Church of Our Lady (1872) and the current picture of the Saint Anne side altar (1867). Regarding the altarpieces of the Church of Our Lady, see: NPI História Domus Volume 1 ,107; VPL APar. Cs. 1872. The current main altarpiece of the parish church was painted by local art teacher Fer

enc Vannay in 1894 along the lines of the main altar

piece ofthe Esztergom Basilica. See: Csongrádi Közlöny, 1 July 1894, Vol. I, No. 16, p. 1-2.

22 Bálint 1998.199.

ш VPL LVis. Liber 3; VPL LVis. Liber 4. 1745.

24 Antal Borsa was born as Antal Schutzbach in 1902 in Győr. After secondary school, he studied at the College of Applied Árts in Budapest and graduated in 1925.

He started out as the co-owner of a decorative painting and interior design company, then he got commissions mainly in the territory of the Diocese of Győr. His name is linked to the painting, decoration and renovation of many churches. Biczó-Grászli 2012. 5-9.

2* He used a similar marble-effect wall painting in the church of Kunsziget in 1957.

20 Csongrádi Közlöny, 17 Januaryl 897 Vol. IV, No. 3. p. 3.

27 VPL LVis. Liber 3. 92-94.

28 VPL LVis. Liber 3.400-401.1726.

29 It might be identical to Péter Pázmány’s work titled

“Sermons on the Gospels ordered by the Holy Román Mother Church fór each Sunday and somé Feast Days”, which was first published in 1636 in Bratislava.

20 VPL APar. Cs. 1735.

u VPL LVis. Liber 6. 26-29 June 1761. 37-38.

22 VPL LVis. Liber 7.1778.

s VPL APar. Cs. 1875.

я The beli is mentioned in the record of the 1842 church visitation as well as the 1885 church inventory. Both sources indicate 1723 as the year the beli was made. Cf.

VPL LVis. Liber 17.154.

The beli is listed in the 1885 archives of the Saint Roch Church. See: NPI Inventory of the Saint Roch Church, 1885; Patay 1977. 19.

ö NPI Inventory of the Saint Roch Church, 1885; NPI História Domus Volume II, 26-27.

® Weight 286 kg, diameter 84 cm, height 72.5 cm. NPI História Domus Volume II, 26. In: Dudás-Kőhegyi 2000. 390.

59 Weight 24 kg, diameter 35 cm, height 30 cm. NPI His

tória Domus Volume II, 27. In: Dudás-Kőhegyi 2000.

390.

40 Patay considers this a főik legend. Patay 1963. 34-35.

41 According to Pál Patay. See: Patay 1989. 60; The 1842 church visitation mentions only the second half of the inscription: MDCXXXII GEORG WIERD IN EP- ERIES; It is inaccurately entered in the 1885 inventory;

VPL LVis. Liber 17.154.

42 Weight 53 kg, diameter 47 cm, height 40 cm. NPI His

tória Domus Volume II, 26-27.

45 Gyöngyössy 2014. 38.

* Fór more details, see: Gyöngyössy 2011.

* Csongrádi Közlöny, 1 July 1894, Vol I, No. 16, p. 1-2;

Csongrádi Közlöny, 6 October 1895, Vol. II, No.40,p. 4.

48 Csongrádi Közlöny, 20 September 1896, Vol. III, No. 38, p.4.

50 NPI História Domus Volume I, 117, 51 NPI História Domus Volume II, 124.

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