KOŠICE CATHEDRAL · VADE MECUM by Portfólio Vydavateľstva JSL

The seven most important exterior heritage items e 1 Reliefs above the Main Doorway 2 South (Matthias’) Tower 3 Sun-dial 4 South Doorway and Porch 5 Memorial to Ferenc Rákóczi II, dated 1938 6 North Doorway and Façade 7 North Tower and Bells Main sponsor:

T H E F O U R G O S P E L S A N D T H R E E S E R I E S O F A LTA R P I C T U R E S

T HE HI GH A LTA R – L AYO UT A N D L I S T OF TH E 48 P I C TURES

The seven most precious interior heritage items i 1 High Altar to St.Elizabeth – 48 pictures 2 Altar to the Visitation of the Virgin Mary, dated 1516 3 Bronze Font, dated 13/14th C 4 Royal Stairs and Gothic Calvary, dated early 15th C 5 “Mettercia” Chapel – Painting dated 1516 6 Four Gothic Sculptures, dated around 1470 7 Stone Sacrament-house, dated 1477

B R I E F H I S T O R Y O F K O Š I C E A N D T H E C AT H E D R A L ( 1 2 3 0 – 2 0 1 0 )

KOŠICE CATHEDRAL · VADE MECUM

HISTORY OF KOŠICE & ST. ELIZABETH’S CATHEDRAL up to 1900, in reverse order 1896 (*1) Grand reconsecration of the Cathedral. 1877–96 Comprehensive puristic reconstruction. 1804 (*2) Establishment of the Košice Diocese by separation from the Diocese of Eger. The parish church officially became a cathedral church, the seat of the bishop. 1685 ? The Cathedral becomes definitively the property of the Catholics. 1660–1777 The university of Košice, with three faculties: philosophy, theology and (from 1709) law; founded and administered by the Jesuits. 16–17th C Reformation and Counter-reformation. 1597 Arrival of the Eger Chapter, escaping bondage to the Turks. 1556 Catastrophic fire in the town damages the Cathedral.

Seal of the medieval town parish 1508 Completion of the presbytery /beyond the Altar/. 1474–77 The High Altar – 48 pictures. 1380 ? Start of building work on the Cathedral. 1369 (*3) Košice takes its place in European history as the first town to be granted its own coat of arms by a monarch. The original armorial warrant is kept in the Košice City Archives. The fourth and ultimate warrant, dated 1502, is still used today. 1342 Košice gains the same rights as Budín (capital of Hungary), granted by king Ludovicus the Great, son of Charles Robert of Anjou. Košice thus becomes the second most important town in the country (until 1712) and the principal town in Upper Hungary (Lat. Superioris Hungariae Civitas Primaria). 1312 (*4) The Battle of Rozhanovce. As a reward for fighting on the side of king Charles Robert (1278-1343) Košice is granted the status of free royal town (regia ac libera civitas). 1230 First mention in a document, where Košice is referred to as “Villa Cassa” (Lat. villa = village). The document comes from the powerful Bárczay family’s archive. The original is kept in the Slovakian National Archives in Bratislava. Notes: (*1) 6th Sept.; (*2) 9th Aug.; (*3) 7th May – known since 1994 as Košice City Day in celebration of that honour; (*4) 15th June

2010 Appointment of Bernard Bober as the new Archbishop of Košice. 2008 500th anniversary of completion of the Cathedral. 2007 Jubilee year of St.Elizabeth (1207-1231). 2004 200th anniversary of establishment of the Košice Diocese. 1995, 2. 7. Pope John Paul II visits Košice. Canonization of the three Košice Martyrs in a mass at Košice-Barca airport. They were Marek Križin and Jesuit priests Melicher Grodecký and Štefan Pongrác († 6th–7th Sept. 1619). 1995 Pope John Paul II elevates the Košice Diocese to Archdiocese (Archidioecesis Cassoviensis). Bishop Alojz Tkáč becomes Archbishop. 1990 After 28 years without a bishop and 65 years of temporary arrangements, Košice gets a new diocesan bishop, Mons. Alojz Tkáč. Memorial plaque dated 2008 to the priests of the Archdiocese of Košice who gave up their lives for their faith in the 20th century. It is on the interior wall to the right of the main doorway. 1989 Fall of the totalitarian Communist regime. 1977 Establishment of today’s boundaries of the Košice Diocese by Pope Paul VI. 1962 Death of Bishop Jozef Čársky. 1948 Accession of Communism in Czechoslovakia. 1946 Return of Bishop Jozef Čársky to Košice. 1945, 19. 1. Liberation of Košice. 1939 Exchange of bishops in Košice; Jozef Čársky goes to Prešov, and Štefan Madarász comes to Košice (†1948). 1938 Vienna Arbitration gives Košice to Hungary. 1925 Death of Bishop Augustín Fischer-Colbrie. Jozef Čársky becomes Apostolic Administrator of Košice. 1918 Dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, establishment of the First Czechoslovak Republic. 1907 Bishop Žigmund Bubics dies. Augustín FischerColbrie assumes administration of the diocese. 1906 Transfer of the remains of Ferenc Rákóczi II, his mother, son and companions from Turkey back to Košice. (*) Source: Peter Zubko: The Košice Vernicle, publ. by Michal Vaško, Prešov, 2008, pp.8-9, abridged

B R I E F H I S T O R Y O F K O Š I C E A N D T H E C AT H E D R A L ( 1 2 3 0 – 2 0 1 0 )

KEY EVENTS OF THE 20th CENTURY and the years 2000-2010 – in reverse order (*)

St. E l i z ab e t h of Hungar y

The Ma donna and Inf ant Je sus

The Bibl i c a l St.E l i zab e t h

THE HIGH ALTAR

THE ELIZABETHAN SERIES

THE ADVENT SERIES

(formed by closing the wings of the Elizabethan and the Passion series)

T H E PAS SION SE R I E S

(formed by closing the wings of the Elizabethan series)

THE PICTURES OF THE PASSION SERIES 25 The Glorious Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem 26 The Expulsion of the Merchants from the Temple 27 The Last Supper 28 The Washing of the Feet 29 Jesus Predicts Peter’s Betrayal 30 Up on the Mount of Olives 31 Judas’ Betrayal 32 Jesus before Annas 33 Jesus before Caiaphas 34 Jesus’ Humiliation 35 Jesus’ First Appearance before Pilate 36 Jesus’ Second Appearance before Pilate 37 Jesus before Herod 38 The Scourging 39 The Crowning with Thorns 40 Ecce Homo! 41 Pilate Washes his Hands 42 Bearing the Cross 43 The Nailing to the Cross 44 The Crucifixion 45 The Removal from the Cross 46 Christ at the Entrance to Hell 47 Laying the Body in the Tomb 48 The Resurrection

T HE HI GH A LTA R – L AYO UT A N D L I S T OF TH E 48 P I C TURES

THE PICTURES OF THE ELIZABETHAN SERIES 1 Elizabeth’s Birth 2 Elizabeth’s Betrothal to Ludwig 3 Elizabeth’s Vision 4 The Miracle of the Cross and Roses 5 The Miracle of the Ceremonial Robe 6 Parting with her Husband 7 Elizabeth’s Expulsion from Wartburg Castle 8 The Ungrateful Woman 9 Elizabeth Bathes a Sick Man 10 Elizabeth Cuts a Sick Man’s Hair 11 Elizabeth’s Death 12 The Raising of Elizabeth’s Remains THE PICTURES OF THE ADVENT SERIES 13 The Presentation of the Virgin Mary 14 The Betrothal with Joseph 15 The Annunciation 16 The Visitation of the Virgin Mary 17 The Birth of Jesus Christ 18 The Circumcision of Jesus 19 The Adoration of the Magi 20 The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple 21 The Slaughter of the Innocents in Bethlehem 22 The Flight into Egypt 23 The Twelve-year-old Jesus among the Scholars 24 The Death of the Virgin Mary

THE ELIZABETHAN SERIES This depicts the most important events in the life of St.Elizabeth of Hungary and Thuringia (1207-1231). The probable reasons for the consecration of Košice Cathedral to St.Elizabeth as patron saint are as follows: →She was a Hungarian princess. →The Hungarian crown was always oriented to the West. St. Eliza beth’s popularity spread with great rapidity throughout Europe. →German colonists were invited by the Hungarian monarchs to resettle the lands laid waste in the Tartar incursions (1240– –41). St.Elizabeth would have linked them spiritually with their old homeland. The story of her life is presented overleaf. REFERENCES FOR THE ADVENT SERIES 13 CHURCH TRADITION Tolle, lege 14 Mt (1, 18) “Pick up and read” 15 Mt (1, 18, 20), Lk (1, 26-38) St.Augustin (354-430), 16 Lk (1, 39-56); (46-55) – Magnificat Confessions (8,12) 17 Mt (1, 18-25), Lk (2, 1-7) 18 Lk (2, 21-40) 19 Mt (2, 1-12) 20 Lk (2, 21-24, 27) 21 Mt (2, 16-18) 22 Mt (2, 13-23) 23 Lk (2, 41-52) 24 CHURCH TRADITION REFERENCES FOR THE PASSION SERIES 25 Mk (11, 1-10), Mt (21, 1-9), Lk (19, 29-40), Jn (12, 12-19) 26 Mk (11, 15-19), Mt (21, 12-13), Lk (19, 45-48), Jn (2, 13-16) 27 Mk (14, 22-25), Mt (26, 26-29), Lk (22, 15-20), 1 Cor. (11, 23-25) 28 Jn (13, 1-20) 29 Mk (14, 26-31), Mt (26, 30-35), Lk (22, 33-39), Jn (13, 36-38; 18, 1a) 30 Mk (14, 32-42), Mt (26, 36-46), Lk (22, 40-46), Jn (18,1b) 31 Mk (14, 10-11), Mt (26, 14-16), Lk (22, 3-6) 32 Lk (22, 54), Jn (18, 12-24) 33 Mk (14, 53-64), Mt (26, 55-66), Jn (18, 12-24) 34 Mk (15, 16-20), Mt (27, 27-31), Jn (19, 1-8) 35 Mk (15, 1), Mt (27, 1-2), Lk (23, 1), Jn (18, 28a) 36 Lk (23, 13-16) 37 Lk (23, 6-12) 38 Mk (15, 15b), Mt (27, 26), Jn (19, 1) 39 Mk (15, 16-20a), Mt (27, 27-31a), Jn (19, 2-3) 40 Jn (19, 5) 41 Mt (27, 24) 42 Mk (15, 20b-21), Mt (27, 31b-32), Lk (23, 26-32), Jn (19, 16b-17a) 43 Mk (15, 24a), Mt (27, 35a), Lk (23, 33b), Jn (19, 18) 44 Jn (19, 17-30) 45 Mk (15, 44-46), Mt (27, 57-59), Lk (23, 50-53), Jn (19, 38-39) 46 Mt (12, 40), Jn (5, 25), Eph. (4, 9-10) → Apostolic Creed 47 Mk (15, 46-47), Mt (27, 59-61), Lk (23, 52-53), Jn (19, 40-42) 48 Mk (16, 1-8), Mt (28, 1-10), Lk (24, 1-12), Jn (20, 15-18)

ELIZABETHAN SERIES

ADVENT SERIES

PASSION SERIES The High Altar was created between 1474–77. Altar dimensions: width: 8.1 m; height: 12.6 m (incl. 19th C neo-Gothic Calvary woodcarvings → title page).

Košice Cathedral and St. Michael’s Chapel e6 e7

e5 F.R.

Prague

Košice Bratislava

i2 i4

i5 e3

Dimensions of the Cathedral (interior): length: 54.2 m; width: 35.5 m; height of central nave: 24 m. Number of stairs: north tower: 160; choir gallery: 32; Royal Stairs to the Gothic Calvary: 52; Rákóczi’s crypt: 17. His crypt dates from 1905 (→ F.R. ). i 1 – 7 The seven most precious interior heritage items e 1 – 7 The seven most important exterior heritage items We are very grateful to the principal sponsor and to the following companies, whose financial support has made this brochure possible: © Jozef Soročin, Anna Soročinová © Photographs: Béla Remák Peter Olekšák (The North Doorway, Košice Cathedral and St.Michael’s Chapel) peter.oleksak@centrum.sk © Design & Layout: Jozef Soročin, Jr., www.sorocin.carbonmade.com © Translation: Andy Billingham, ajbilingual@gmail.com © Digital Imaging Milan Bobula © Published by: Jozef Soročin, Martina Rázusa 1848/6, 071 01 Michalovce, Slovak Republic, sorocin23@gmail.com © Printed by: Rotaprint, s. r. o., Barčianska 68, 040 17 Košice, 2011

To praise God in good fortune is silver. To praise Him in hardship is pure gold. Elizabeth of Hungary and Thuringia Elizabeth lived like someone who sees God in people. Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) 1207, 7. 7. born the daughter of Hungarian king Andreas II, sister of future king Adalbert IV, at Sárospatak Castle (north-east Hungary, 90 km south-east of Košice), though some sources mention Bratislava. 1208 betrothed to son of Hermann I, future Landgraf of Thuringia Hermann II. 1211 four-year-old Elizabeth taken to Wartburg Castle for “upbringing in German environment.” 1216 Herrmann II dies, and Elizabeth is betrothed to his brother Ludwig (*28th Oct. 1200), from 1217 Ludwig IV, Landgraf of Thuringia. They grow up in the same household. 1221 wedding in St.George’s Church, Eisenach. Visit to Hungary. 1225/6 floods, famine and plague. Elizabeth distributes food and grain from the castle granaries among the poor. 1227, 24. 6. Ludwig sets out with Emperor Friedrich II on the Sixth Crusade, but dies of cholera near Otranto, Italy, on 11th Sep. 1227. His brother Heinrich Raspe IV then takes power as regent. With no husband, Elizabeth is expelled from Wartburg, and deprived of her children for a time. 1228 on Good Friday Elizabeth takes vows in the Franciscan chapel in Eisenach. In the summer she sets up the Franciscan hospice in Marburg, where she devotes herself to exhaustion to caring for the sick. 1231, † 17. 11. Elizabeth dies in Marburg, www.marburg.de. Her remains are kept in the local St.Elizabeth’s Church. 1235, 27. 5. Elizabeth is canonized in Perugia, Italy. Elizabeth together with St.Francis of Assisi (1182–1226), St.Vincent de Paul, founder of modern-day charity (1581–1660) and Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910–1997) are shining stars and examples of Christian love for one’s neighbour, the sick and people on the margins of society → Mt 25 (35-36). Saint’s day: 17. 11. in Cath., 19. 11. in Protestant and Anglican calendars. The Order of St.Elizabeth, the “Little Elizabeths,” OSE (Ordo Sanctae Elisabeth) was established in 1842. These nuns devote themselves to caring for the seriously ill. In Slovakia they work at St.Elizabeth’s Hospital in Bratislava. Another contemporary of St.Elizabeth was Saint Agnes of Bohemia (1211-1282), also a princess, daughter of Czech king Přemysl Otakar I and Constance of Hungary. Both women devoted themselves to the poor, following St.Francis’ ideal, and they were cousins. Agnes founded a hospice and a convent in Prague. She had great influence at the royal court, and lived to the age of 71. Saint’s day: 2nd March. At the time of her canonization in Rome on 12th Nov. 1989, and the subsequent great celebration in St.Vitus’ Cathedral in Prague on 25th Nov., history was being made, for this was the “miracle year”– – Annus mirabilis – in Central Europe. To mark the 800th anniversary of her birth, this year (2011) has been declared the Year of St.Agnes in the Czech Republic.

THE CATHEDRAL ORGAN

This instrument was made by the firm of Angster in Pécs, Hungary, in 1896. It was officially brought into use on 18th Oct. 1897. Over half a century later, in 1960, it was rebuilt by the Moravian firm RiegerKloss in Krnov, Opus 3374. The ORGAN (Gr. órganon, Lat. organum – instrument) has 3 manuals, 65 registers, 4500 pipes and a carillon. This dates from 1972, but its cover (tech.: prospect) is in fact from 1896, thus original. Virtuoso Ivan Sokol (1937–2005) founded the International Organ Festival in 1971, which now bears his name. The main concerts of the Festival are played here, in the Cathedral. This specifically Christian instrument, which accompanies the celebration of the liturgy in such unmistakable form, is also an attribute of St.Cecilia, patron saint of music. She also gives her name to the Cathedral choir, which was revived in 1994. The Gregoriana vocal ensemble (www.gregoriana.sk) was also formed in 1994. It performs at celebrations of the Latin holy mass. The question remains unanswered whether Pope Gregory I the Great (590–604) really introduced the eponymous choral style, or whether this Latin song of praise was so named in his honour, as was the custom of that time. The first historically known organ in St.Elizabeth’s Cathedral was built in 1634 by Jakub Koffenberg in the Polish town of Novy Sącz.

THE NORTH DOORWAY The Last Judgement The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned in the New Testament in these places: Mt (24,30ff); (25,31-46), Jn (5,19ff), and the Last Judgement in the Revelation of St.John (20, 11ff). In the Old Testament there are references in the prophets Daniel (7, 10) and Ezekiel (37, 1ff). In his Gospel, Matthew gives his account of the Last Judgement: “31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then he will sit on the throne of His glory.” (see Mt 25, 31-46).

Detail: Christ on His throne, and the Last Judgement There is a famous series of mosaics (5–6th C) depicting the Last Judgement and the separation of the sheep from the goats in the Basilica San Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy.

Above the Cathedral’s north entrance there is a large relief panel. The upper half shows Christ on His throne. He is flanked by the Virgin Mary, St.Joseph and the Apostles (→ Mt 19,28). Above them are two angels with the instruments of torture from Golgotha (in medieval times this was the typical way of portraying the Last Judgement). On the lower level, on the left as we see it, an angel welcomes the elect at the heavenly gates. It says in the book of Revelation (the Apocalypse) ch. 20, 1–2 that an angel has bound the Devil in heavy chains for a thousand years. This scene appears on the right of the panel. Here are the accursed, among them representatives of the church (!) as well as worldly powers. The five framed reliefs present the following scenes (clockwise): 1. St.Elizabeth bathes a beggar 2. Virgin Mary with women below the Cross 3. The crucified Christ 4. John the Apostle with soldiers below the Cross 5. St.Elizabeth feeds a hungry man The five statues (left to right): St.Emericus, St.Stephen of Hungary, St.Elizabeth, St.Henricus, St.Ladislaus. The north doorway was restored in 2009.

THE GOTHIC LUX Nobile claret opus, sed opus quod nobile claret  Clarificet mentes, ut eant per lumina vera Ad verum lumen, ubi Christus ianua vera. LIGHT

This noble work shines, but a work which shines nobly Should clarify the minds, that they might pass through the real lights To the one true light, where Christ is the true gateway. (Inscription above the doorway to Saint-Denis, 12th C)

The Gothic is the most highly-developed style in medieval constructional art. It was born around the year 1140, when on the initiative of Abbot Suger (1081-1151) the foundation stone was laid at Saint-Denis. This, now a northern suburb of Paris, is where the building of the sanctuary for a new Benedictine church began. From here the style spread throughout Europe. The famous Master-builder Štefan, also called Stephan Steynmetz (stonemason) in German, oversaw the building of our Cathedral between 1464-90. The superb sacramenthouse (→ ground-plan, i 7) is also his work. The Cathedral, the culmination of this master-builder’s art, represents the synthesis of two worlds: rationality and mysticism. The massive bulk of the building is reduced to a skeleton. The fundamental principle: to raise people up towards God. For, as St. Augustin asks: „Dic, oro te, num possumus amare nisi pulchra“ (Pray tell me, can we possibly love anything, unless it is beautiful?) (De musica 6, 38) The new building style was also symbolic of the new-found power and influence of the towns and the burgesses (merchants) living in them. Building construction in the Middle Ages

9th – 12th C Monastery workshop

(Gothic)

Made up of: monks living all their life in the same order, subordinate to the abbot Architect Priest or monk Monks Education Own monastery school

Peasants

12th – 15th C Construction works Made up of: Builders – no longer monks; works secrets must be kept

Joint leadership Master-builders Master of the Works (magister operis) Surveyors, masons, carpenters, carvers, painters

Free craftsmen (Master-craftsmen and journeymen)

Education Apprenticeship: 2 – 3 years Journeying – journeyman, master-craftsman, Master-builder Manual workers Townsmen and peasants employed by the Master-builder

Source: So bunt ist unser Glaube (So colourful is our belief),   St.Benno Verlag, Leipzig, 3rd ed. 1985, p.208, adapted