Danube Day Celebration 2003

Danube Day Celebration

July 22, Tuesday, 2003

Budapest

The occasion is to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Nándorfehérvár (Beograd) in 1456, which was successfully fought by Europe’s all Christians. For over six hundred years the bells toll at noon in commemoration of the successful battle all over the world. This is one of the most unique historic events remembered with honor not only in the countries alongside the River Danube but in other countries in Europe as well.

To commemorate the battle victory Pope Calixtus III. ordered August 6 be a day of official celebration in 1457. Since then the '...' of the Lord is officially celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church each year. One of the heroes of the Battle, St. Johns de Kapistran is honored a hero outside Europe as well.

Program Schedule

from 9:30:	Meet at the Március 15 Square and the Eötvös Sqaure, under the banner flags of Hunyadi and Kapisztrán
10:00	Proceed to Vigadó Rakpart (on the Pest side of the Danube river)
	Guests to attend the Commemoration and the Ecumenical Service include: -Hilarion, the Orthodox Bishop of Vienna and Austria -Csaba Rázmány, Unitarian Bishop Chairman -Károly Hafenscher, Evangelical Right Reverend of Hungary
11:00	Commemoration A remodeled medieval ship is planned to be placed on the river, which will fire a gun salute during the wreath-laying ceremony
	Other guests invited include: Ambassadors of the countries alongside the Danube: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Serbia-Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova, as well as representatives of the allied countries involved in the battle: the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Holy See, Italy and the former enemy, Turkey. We pay tribute to the participants of the battle by presenting the national flags of these countries.
12:00	While the bells are tolling we float the wreaths of honor and flowers on the River Danube
13:00	Ecumenical Service in the "Budapest Belvárosi Plébánia" Church
	In 1541 the Turkish Sultan, Suliman proclaimed in this church that the city of Pest become part of the Turkish Empire. The church later was transformed into a Turkish mosque. The church has been later restored and it features elements from the Roman, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque time architecture. It also operates a special, original Islam prayer room with a Turkish insignia.
	Part of the program is planned to be the concert of the Kecskés Ensemble, which plays medieval music and 15^th century armored panzer knights will also join the celebration
20:00	Presentation of the "Nándorfehérvár" Oratorio, which was first premiered on October 22, in 1956.

Please join our commemoration and the events of the celebration

Let’s celebrate and remember together, irrespective of where you are in the world, at noon while the bells toll, with a piece of flower, a joint prayer and with the lines of our national poem, the "Szózat"

Everybody is warmly welcome!

July 09, 2003, Budapest

ÓMT