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| King Stephen's statue in his hometown of Esztergom. |
Hungarian monarch Saint Stephen I (Szent István) was crowned as Hungary's first king. The coronation occurred on Christmas Day in 1,000 AD. According to Hungarian tradition, Pope Silvester II sent a jeweled crown and an apostolic cross to Stephen as well as a letter of blessing. The letter officially recognized Stephen as the Christian king of Hungary. All of the Pope Silvester's actions were done with the consent of Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor. This was interpreted as the papal recognition of the independence of Hungary from the Holy Roman Empire. Hungary is extremely proud of its Christian history and tradition. It has been a Christian nation for over 1,100 years!
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| The crown jewels on display in the Hungarian Parliament. |
István
