Across Hungary and the Carpathian Basin, Pentecost weekend brought together religious traditions, folk culture, and community celebrations, from the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathering in Csíksomlyó (Șumuleu, Romania) to the traditional folk programs held at the Sóstó Open-Air Museum in Nyíregyháza (northeastern Hungary).
The organizers of this year’s Pentecost pilgrimage in Csíksomlyó emphasized the power of community and the importance of caring for one another at a press conference ahead of the gathering.
Attila Korodi, mayor of Csíkszereda, and Franciscan friar Father Asztrik Sándor Timár, director of the Csíksomlyó shrine, attend a press conference ahead of the Pentecost pilgrimage in Csíkszereda on May 20, 2026. Photo: MTI/Veres Nándor
Father Sándor Timár Asztrik, director of the shrine, and Attila Korodi, mayor of Csíkszereda, presented the liturgical program and other details. The director of the shrine said: “We warmly welcome the pilgrims, whether they arrive on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, by train, or by car.” “Our Lady of Csíksomlyó always welcomes her children home, especially now, in this (…) troubled world. Here they find peace and receive graces from which they can continue to draw strength,” said Father Asztrik Sándor Timár.
This year, approximately 330,000 pilgrims attended the festive Holy Mass held on Saturday in the saddle between Kis- and Nagysomlyó Hills.
The Pentecost pilgrimage program began on Friday; at noon, a Mass was celebrated in the pilgrimage church for those arriving on the Boldogasszony pilgrimage train, presided over by Zsolt Marton, Bishop of Vác.
Zsolt Marton, Bishop of Vác and spiritual leader of the pilgrimage train, blesses the Boldogasszony pilgrimage train before its departure for the Pentecost pilgrimage in Csíksomlyó at Budapest’s Keleti Railway Station on May 21, 2026. Photo: MTI/Noémi Bruzák
An opening Mass was held at 6:00 p.m., followed by a night vigil at the same location. On Pentecost Saturday, Holy Mass was held in the pilgrimage church at 7:30 a.m., followed by another at 6:00 p.m. The festive Mass began at 12:30 p.m. in the Csíksomlyó mountain pass, at the Hármashalom Altar. The main celebrant and homilist was János Székely, Bishop of Szombathely and President of the Hungarian Bishops’ Conference.
On Pentecost Sunday, Masses were held at 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 6 p.m. at the pilgrimage church. Today, on Pentecost Monday, the faithful are gathering at the same location at 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 6 p.m.
Among Hungarian dignitaries, President Tamás Sulyok was present at the celebration.
The two-day Pentecost Festival, taking place over the long weekend at the Sóstó Museum Village in Nyíregyháza, welcomed visitors with folk music performances, traditional games, food tastings, and a showcase of the county’s cultural treasures and Pentecost traditions.
The first day of the event series opened on Sunday morning with a performance by the Burattino Puppet Theater, followed by a presentation by members of the saber fencing school. At noon, the chamber group of the Guba Folk Dance Association invited the audience to a folk dance performance and dance party. This was followed by the Cantemus boys’ choir and then various age groups from the Nyíregyháza Dance School took the stage.
In keeping with tradition, “Heritage Day” was held on this day, and offered visitors a close-up look at the county. This year, the treasures of the Nyíregyháza region were highlighted: renowned artists and creators from the Szabolcs county seat shared their fascinating stories with the audience.
On Pentecost Monday, the “mavagyonolás” is an unmissable event: this regional Pentecost folk custom originates from the folk song that begins with the line “Ma vagyon, ma vagyon piros pünkösd napja” (Today is, today is the red day of Pentecost). In the Upper Tisza region, groups of young women would walk through the village singing this song after the Pentecost Mass, collecting donations from villagers in exchange for their good wishes and songs to fund the subsequent communal Pentecost celebration, thereby wishing for a bountiful hemp harvest.
Via MTI; Feature photo: MTI/Kátai Edit
