The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Budapest

 
HUNGARY, 2009 postal card for the centenary of the Independent Jesuit Province of Hungary

The postal card above shows the main altar of the Jesuit Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Budapest, in typical neo-romantic Gothic style. It also features Fr. Jakab Bús, SJ, the first provincial of the Hungarian Province, the Rose Window of the Church, an outside view, and the organ. At the bottom the logo of the Centenary Celebration. The church in the VIII district of Budapest, Mária utca 25, is still in the possession of the Society and is the locale for a weekly Mass for the English-speaking community.

  
HUNGARY, 2009, the image of the Madonna della Strada painted by Festy Mesa which is kept in this church
is displayed on the imprinted stamp of the above postal card, on a personalized label, and on Hungary's Christmas stamp, Scott 4139

Three Other Jesuit Churches in Budapest

HUNGARY, 1961, Stamp Day, Scott B220-3
in this panoramic view eastward from Buda to Pest, three Jesuit churches may be seen:

on stamp 1 the Church of St. Anne	on stamp 3 Coronation Church	on stamp 4 Parish of Pest-Belvaros

HUNGARY, 1970, Scott 2018
in this panoramic view westward from Pest to Buda the same three churches may be seen:

above POSTA the Church of St. Anne	above POSTA Coronation Church	below 1970 Parish of Pest-Belvaros

The Church of St. Anne, Budapest

  

HUNGARY, 1982, souvenir sheet perf & imperf with image of St. Anne on the river's edge at the right, Scott B328

Church of St. Anne (Szent Anna Templom) was first founded in 1390, destroyed by the Turks in 1540, and re-founded in 1686. It was located in Batthyány Square, the center of Budapest's old suburban area—called Watertown because of frequent flooding—just across the Danube from the Parliament Building. This church was under the care of the Jesuits at first from 1686 to 1693, and then from 1723 until the Suppression. During their tenure it was rebuilt (between 1740-1762) based on the designs of Matthias Nepauer and the Hamon brothers, the graceful, two-towered building is one of the finest Baroque structures in Budapest. The last of its Jesuit pastors, Joseph Richard, SJ remained pastor of the church even after the Suppression until October 1, 1803. In the course of the succeeding 200 years the church endured wars, floods and earthquakes. It was even suggested that it be demolished to make way for the construction of the metro; but happily this plan was never realized, and the church was restored between 1970 and 1984.

Coronation Church, Budapest

HUNGARY, 1993, Coronation Church and the Trinity Column (82 x 62 mm stamp), Scott 3416

  
HUNGARY, 1982, the 55th Stamp Day, Fisherman's Bastion and Coronation Church, Scott B326
HUNGARY, 1958, church is seen beneath the plane's right wing, Scott C200
POLAND, 2005, European Capitals series, Coronation Church & statue of St. Stephen, Scott 3801

Coronation Church in Trinity Square, seen in the landscapes above (also called the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church of the Assumption, and Matthias Cathedral or Church), is the oldest building in Buda. After the city was founded by King Béla IV the construction of Our Lady's Church was completed in two stages between 1250 and 1270. Louis the Great (1342-82) reconstructed the church in Gothic style. In 1526 Buda was occupied by the Turks, who transformed the church into a mosque so that Sultan Suleiman could celebrate his victory there. The Church of Our Lady became the central mosque of Buda for 145 years. When Buda was recaptured in 1686, the king ordered the church to be given to the Jesuits. The Jesuits built a college on the north side (which is now part of the Budapest Hilton Hotel) and a three-story tall seminary to the south side of the church. When Pope Clement XIV dissolved the Jesuit Order in 1773, the flourishing parish came to an end, the college was closed, and the Buda Castle church was handed over to the city of Buda. Until 1945, the city magistrates elected parish priests and provided for the maintenance of the church. The Jesuits played no further role in the life of the parish church, even after the Order had been reinstated in 1814.

  
  
HUNGARY, 1926-30, Scott 409-12, 434-436
1931, overprints, Scott 452, 455-456

   
HUNGARY, 1942-43, Scott 587, 596
HUNGARY, 1970 (but bearing the date of '71) a century of Hungarian stamps, Scott B276
1966, the 8th European Athletic Championships, Scott 1787

 
FRANCE, 2011, European Capitals series, St. Matthias Church or Coronation Church is in the lower right corner, Scott 3986

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