An in-depth interview with Rt. Rev. Dr. Csaba Krasznai, Hungarian Reformed Bishop of the Calvin Synod Conference of the United Church of Christ and Honorary Consul of Hungary; and his wife, Beáta Krasznai, a teacher, psychologist, principal of the church’s Sunday school and the Nebuló Hungarian Language School, who have been living and serving in Cleveland for more than 20 years.
Christmas and the winter holiday have always had special significance in Hungary, even in Socialist times. We have collected some fun facts for you related to Hungarian Christmases through time—enjoy!
Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the second century after it was liberated. This year’s Hanukkah will start on 25 December and end on 2 January 2025.
‘That night in New York, I too felt the thrill of hope. There in the purity of the snow-frosted park, there was not enough evil in the world to extinguish the good in the hearts of men who love, and who hope in defiance of despair. As the Gospel of John says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”’
An extraordinary life blessed with unshakeable faith, dedicated to selflessly serving the community: meet Dr. István Horváth, a pillar of the New Brunswick Hungarian American community, and his family.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in his year-end interview with M1 News, expressed cautious optimism about peace in the Ukraine war, reflecting on three challenging years marked by conflict, economic upheaval, and diplomatic struggles. He shared his vision for a resilient Hungary ready to seize opportunities in 2025.
‘I know that if I ask God for something, I will eventually get it. But that doesn’t mean my prayers are only for asking. There are some who feel that being Catholic is only about asking and they are disappointed when they don’t receive what they prayed for. But it doesn’t work that way. I say a long prayer every night to give thanks for all that I have,’ says István Horváth in a profound and moving conversation with our Diaspora correspondent.
‘As Christmas approaches, even the most steadfast conservative is faced with a profound seasonal dilemma: should one opt for an artificial tree or remain loyal to the natural variety? The question is more than a practical matter—it is imbued with philosophical, aesthetic, and cultural significance.’
After publishing a fake news report, alleging that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had fled to Hungary, critical-of-the-government media outlet Magyar Hang became the subject of a national security investigation. Rather than taking responsibility for its actions, the outlet has responded with accusations of dictatorship and inflammatory attacks against the government in a public statement.
In the 1960s, the Communist Secret Service launched an undercover operation targeting rabbis and Jewish youth who were engaging in Zionist activities. The investigation ended in some young people being handed suspended prison sentences and a 15-year ban on rabbinic activity for Szeged Rabbi Tamás Raj.
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.