Cardinal Péter Erdő, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, noted that the motto of Pope Francis’ trip to Hungary is “Christ is our future” and that the pontiff’s visit means the presence of Christ is the hope by which Christians live, especially in Central and Eastern Europe.
Pope Francis visits Budapest today Friday. And his agenda for the trip includes meetings with authorities and bishops, an encounter with Hungarian culture, and meetings with refugees and members of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Other Christian and religious representatives are also invited to the final Mass in Kossuth Square, the site of Francis’ 2021 Mass during the Eucharistic Congress in Budapest.
The Cardinal underlined the importance of the experience of the Churches of Central-Eastern Europe for understanding the current situation of the Church and the marginalization of religion in the world. He also highlighted the new challenges that have arisen because of secularization.
The cardinal also described Hungary as a “bridge country” due to its historical position between East and West, thanks in large part to the bond that the country’s patron saint, the beloved King St. Stephen of Hungary forged with the Holy See.