Organized by the Ecumenical Council of Hungarian Churches (MEÖT), an ecumenical service was held in the Lutheran church in Budavár on August 19, 2024 at 6:00 p.m., before the feast of St. Stephen. The leaders of the Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist and Israelite churches took part in the service. In addition, representatives of the Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Church also appeared. Reformed bishop József Steinbach preached, who spoke about the miracles of Jesus Christ, through which we can experience the Lord's omnipotence. Lutheran bishop Péter Kondor highlighted the importance of helping the fallen and the sense of belonging in his speech. In his sermon, Béla Kató, the bishop of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, remembered King St. Stephen, who laid the foundations of the Christian faith in our country during his reign.
The service was attended by Imre Vejkey, leader of the Hungarian Parliamentary Prayer Group, Dr. Katalin Ilona Tóth, Chair of the Hungarian Parliamentary Prayer Group Foundation, and Róbert Szendrei, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Hungarian Parliamentary Prayer Group Foundation.
An article about the service published by the Magyar Kurír Catholic news portal is available via the following link: https://www.magyarkurir.hu/hirek/okumenikus-istentiszteletet-tartottak-szent-istvan-unnepenek-eloestejen-budapesten.