László Lékai

László Cardinal Lékai ( born March 12, 1910 in Zalalövő, Hungary, † 30 June 1986 in Budapest) was Archbishop of Esztergom and Primate of Hungary.

Life

László Lékai studied in Veszprém and Rome, the subjects philosophy and Catholic theology. He received on 28 September 1934, the sacrament of Holy Orders, and then worked as a parish pastor and teacher in the diocese of Veszprém. In the years 1943 and 1944 he was a consultant and secretary of Cardinal József Mindszenty. From November 1944 to February 1945 he was sitting in a prison of the Nazi regime.

After the Second World War, László Lékai took on various duties in the administration of the Archdiocese of Veszprém and worked as a pastor. Pope Paul VI. appointed him in February 1972 Apostolic Administrator of Veszprém and titular bishop of Girus Tarasii. On 10 February 1976 he was appointed Archbishop of Esztergom- Budapest.

A few months later, on 24 May 1976 László Lékai was taken as cardinal priest with the titular church of Santa Teresa al Corso d' Italia in the College of Cardinals. He participated in the following years at several synods of bishops. László Cardinal Lékai died on 30 June 1986 in Budapest and was buried in the cathedral of Esztergom.

For interaction of Cardinal Lékai

Through the work of Lekai and through long negotiations between Hungary and the Vatican bishops could get from 1974 some of the long vacant dioceses again. However, Free appointments were of the church until the political changes in 1989 - the Lekai did not live - failed.

The relatively good contacts Lekais the CCP regime, however, were also criticized. The tabloid " Blikk " even said that he had temporarily collaborated with the communist secret police. The reason for this report was Lekais critical attitude towards some Catholic base communities that had eluded to the possibility of persecution in the underground - in particular the base community Bokor, a foundation of the Piarist Father György Bulányi of 1948.

As the successor of pursued by the CCP regime Cardinal Mindszenty succeeded Lékai, 20 years after the Hungarian national uprising to relax the atmosphere between Catholics and Communists and the Church to secure freedom.

Literature and links

• Gabriel Adriányi: The Ostpolitik of the Vatican 1958-1978 against Hungary. The case of Cardinal Mindszenty. Shepherd, Herne 2003
• Bishops of Hungary since 1944 (with a picture of Cardinal Lékai and Paskai )
• Entry to László Lékai on catholic - hierarchy.org (English)

• Cardinal ( 20th century)
• Roman Catholic Bishop ( 20th Century)
• Roman Catholic theologian ( 20th century)
• Archbishop of Esztergom
• Carrier of Merit of the Republic of Poland ( Grand Cross )
• Hungarian
• Born 1910
• Died in 1986
• Man