An Unforgettable Memory

One of the highest programs of the International Eucharistic Congress is the first communion, during which thousands of children have the opportunity to partake in the Eucharist for the first time.

This special and intimate moment is part of the Congress from the very beginning, so it was not omitted in the International Eucharistic Congress held in Hungary in 1938, either. Back then the first communion took place in the Mass of the feast of the Ascension of our Lord celebrated on the Heroes’ Square. Approximately one hundred and fifty thousand children participated, with their entourages there were more than three hundred thousand people present.

According to the memory album of the Congress there was no communion this big in Hungary before. Instead of the registered 114 thousand children there were 150 thousand children and the number of their entourages was almost the same. During the “big demonstration of the Hungarian youth” tens of thousands Belgian, Italian, French and English children communed in the same moment. Among the participants there were young girls from the villages, young nuns, boys from elementary and high schools and boy scouts.

One of the most beautiful events was the procession. It was recorded in the memory book that the groups of youngsters marched along the Andrássy boulevard like disciplined soldiers and they arrived to their designated posts. The benches were filled with boys and girls wearing Bocskai coats. Not only the seats and the standing places were full, tens of thousands were standing outside the reserved area. Luckily there were a lot of loudspeakers all around and they broadcasted the homilies and the songs everywhere.

According to the records, celebrating groups from all over the country in their own traditional, colourful clothing were at the Heroes’ Square and behind the altar in the area of the lake from very early in the morning. In the sunny weather of May it was spectacular to see, how the youth greeted the arriving priests and during the mass they took the Eucharist kneeling adoringly. The mass was celebrated by Cardinal Verdier, archbishop of Paris, the second reading was the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, about the Ascension of Christ.

The most important message of the mass in 1938 was that each and every generation starts again and continues the history of the Church. The communion was handed by three hundred priests, who moved among the communicants in their white surplices and stoles. The white and gold tabernacles with tulle curtains were carried around by Premonstratensian monks. There were sixty chalices filled with consecrated hosts in every tabernacle. The consecration was done by the members of the Congregation of the Mission, and they distributed the one hundred and fifty thousand hosts into the chalices.

The first communion in 1938 was a lifelong memory for many people. Ilona Matusz, Mrs. Faluhelyi was one of the first communicants, who took the Eucharist for the first time during the mass of the Congress. She remembers that the participants’ preparation to this great event started one year before the Congress. Prayers and songs were taught to them, and no day could pass without talking about the coming conference in the schools. As she said: one’s whole soul was filled with expectations, and after the first communion with unforgettable memories.

Photo: Fortepan