The heritage of stone crosses
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area : Vasi Hegyhát |
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category : social practices |
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Stone crosses are usual in Transdanubia (western part of Hungary) and are parts of every day life and feast days, too. They give us a warning or a sign and it is a sacral monument at the same time.
Pilgrimage is a tool of spiritual purification and recharging with energy which is being rediscovered by today's people.
Vasvár is famous for its Pilgrimage since the Middle Ages. Thousands of people visit Vasvár on Mary's day even from 50-100 km distance.
The ‘Mary Route’ and the ‘Saint Martin pilgrimage route’ cross several settlements of Hegyhát, connecting our region to the international pilgrimage routes.
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In the Vasi Hegyhát region, there are numerous stone crosses next to the roads. In Hungary this tradition started in the medieval times mainly at crossroads, in order to 'chase the devil away'. Most of the people let made these crosses as a thanksgiving in front of their house or at a crossroad. These crosses were usually named after the one who crafted it. Some of them are in connection with former national misfortunes, so in many cases the names are about the same happening. It was the establishing families’ duty to carry the statues, and after their death, the locals took over the task. The respect of the crosses on the roads is common in the Hungarian culture. Men passing by were pulling off their hat, women next to them were making the sign of the cross. If a cross was on a road of a pilgrimage trace, the pilgrims respected it with pray and songs, so they became natural stations of pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage traces
Religious tourism might be a cornerstone for safeguarding traditions in the future. There are two major pilgrim routes crossing the region which are very well-known around Europe.
The ‘Mary's Route’ is a more than 1400 km long spiritual and cultural footpath which can be walked along by anyone. Next to the Mary's Pilgrimage Route there are about 60 important pilgrim stations. With connecting most important pilgrimage sites of the Hungarian history - Mariazell, Sümeg, Esztergom, Máriapócs, Csíksomlyó - the community spirit can be strenghtened.
The Mary's Pilgrimage Route Program is a pilgrimage and tourism network crossing Central-Europe. Its East-West axis leads from the Austrian Mariazell to the Transylvanian Csíksomlyó. It is 1400 km long and can be finished on foot in 60 days.
In the West Transdanubian Region, between Celldömölk and Mariazell, in Kőszeg there is a main road on which with two other roads pilgrim traces are assigned. The southern one is passing through Vasvár and Körmend, the northern one starts from Fertőzug, passes through Fertő landscape and Sopron-mountain and continues toward Mariazell. The Vasvár section goes on the route Celldömölk – Csehimindszent – Vasvár – Mariazell.
The route or parts of it can be visited personally or by a group, mainly on foot, but it is also possible on a bike. The track is marked with road signs. In the same time with the East-West axis, a North-South axis is also planned. This can be the opportunity to mark alternative pilgrim traces reaching more pilgrim stations, cultural and spiritual traditions. This is how Vasvár can be a part of the program.
The main goal is the mediation of true values filled with spiritual content. The community feeling experienced during the pilgrimage, the closeness to the nature, breaking away from everyday life, the pleasant tiredness from the physical performance provide a totally new point of view on the world. We can learn about the world and about ourselves, and by recognizing this, our approach might change as well.
Link: www.mariaut.hu
The other important pilgrim passage connected to Hegyhát is called the Saint Martin Pilgrimage Route.
The Saint Martin European Cultural Route was established in 2005. The creators' main goal was to protect the tradition of the best-known Saint in Europe with a pilgrimage route. The initiative came from France and Hungary in the same time independently from each other.
It has two bases: The first one is Szombathely, the ancient Savaria, where Martin was born. The other is Tours, where he became bishop and where his grave can be found. The countries that are connected to the route are Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Italy and France, but it has junctions to Croatia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Netherlands and Germany as well.
There is an alternative route connected to this called “Via Sopianae” which goes through Nagytilaj village, where a Saint Martin Church is located.
Link: http://www.viasanctimartini.eu |
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