HUNGARIAN DISTINCTION FOR ARCHBISHOP ANDRZEJ DZIĘGA
FR. SŁAWOMIR ZYGA
The ambassador of the Hungarian Republic Orsolya Zsuzanna Kovacs handed archbishop Andrzej Dzięga, the metropolitan of Szczecin-Kamieńsko the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merits of the Hungarian Republic awarded by president of the Hungarian Republic Janos Ader
It was emphasized in a justification that the Archbishop had been undertaken a lot of actions for years, whose aim is to build friendship and cooperation as well as mutual closeness between Poland and Hungary. Thanks to his engagement, a lot of institutions have started cooperation. This distinction is, among the others, for his contribution in the work of teaching Hungarian language, popularizing Hungarian culture, strengthening contacts between the Church in Poland and in Hungary, particularly for cooperation and support in canonization of Janos Esterhaz. Archbishop Dzięga began his activity for the sake of deepening friendship and cooperation between the nations, when still being a bishop of Sandomierz. 13 years ago he established the Centre of Polish-Hungarian Cooperation in Sandomierz, aimed at academic, cultural and pastoral exchange trips. He is also a PhD honoris cause at the Department of Theology of the Catholic University of Peter Pazmany in Budapest. He received the distinction three years ago. The ceremony of handing the Cross of the Order of Merits of the Hungarian Republic took place on 22 June 2017 in the Knights’ Hall of the West Pomeranian Provincial Office in Szczecin. A laudation was given by a counselor of the embassy Pal Attila Illes. The ceremony was also attended by the Hungarian bishop Laszlo Kiss-Rigo from szegedsko-csanadzka diocese. Then guests laid flowers in front of a monument of St. John Paul II and a monument of ‘A Hungarian boy’ on Jasne Błonie in Szczecin.
The Order of Merits of the Hungarian Republic is the supreme distinction of Hungary awarded to foreigners.
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„Niedziela” 28/2017