Sara Salkahazi
Encyclopedia
Blessed
Sára Salkaházi, S.S.S. (Kassa
, May 11, 1899 - Budapest
, December 27, 1944), born as Sára Schalkház, was a Hungarian Roman Catholic religious sister who saved the lives of approximately one hundred Jews during World War II
. Denounced and summarily executed by the Pro-Nazi Arrow Cross Party
, Salkaházi was beatified
in 2006.
on May 11, 1899, in a bourgeois family of German
origin. As a young woman, she worked at various jobs including those of a bookbinder, a reporter and newspaper editor. At this time, she was far from devout, and at times, even flirted with atheism
. Before becoming a religious sister, she was once engaged to be married, but she soon broke off the engagement.
in 1930. Her dream was to be sent to the missions in Brazil
, but this was not fulfilled, in the early years, because she was reputed to have a "difficult" character, and later, because of the outbreak of World War II.
During the final months of World War II, she helped shelter hundreds of Jews in a building belonging to the Sisters of Social Service in Hungary
's capital, Budapest
. As the sister responsible for the house, she secretly made a formal pledge to God
in presence of her superior to be prepared to sacrifice herself if only the other sisters were not harmed during the war. The fact and text of the pledge have been preserved in her journals.
. Salkaházi was not in the house when the arrests took place and could have fled, yet she chose to return. The prisoners were taken to the bank of the Danube River on December 27, 1944 and shot, together with four Jewish women and a Christian co-worker who was not a member of her order. Her body was never recovered. The killings came to light in 1967, during the trial of some Arrow Cross members.
In 1972, her deeds on behalf of Hungarian Jews were recognized by Yad Vashem
after she was nominated by the daughter of one of the Jewish women she was hiding, who was killed alongside her.
, read by Cardinal
Péter Erdő during a Mass
outside St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, which said in part, "She was willing to assume risks for the persecuted ... in days of great fear. Her martyrdom is still topical ... and presents the foundations of our humanity." This is the first beatification to take place in Hungary since that of King Stephen in 1083 along with his son Imre
and the Italian Bishop
Gerard Sagredo
, who were instrumental in converting Hungary to Christianity. If Salkaházi is canonized
, she will be the first non-royal Hungarian saint
.
Speaking at the Mass, Rabbi
József Schweitzer said of Sister Sára, "I know from personal experience ... how dangerous and heroic it was in those times to help Jews and save them from death. Originating in her faith, she kept the commandment of love until death."
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Sára Salkaházi, S.S.S. (Kassa
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
, May 11, 1899 - Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, December 27, 1944), born as Sára Schalkház, was a Hungarian Roman Catholic religious sister who saved the lives of approximately one hundred Jews during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Denounced and summarily executed by the Pro-Nazi Arrow Cross Party
Arrow Cross Party
The Arrow Cross Party was a national socialist party led by Ferenc Szálasi, which led in Hungary a government known as the Government of National Unity from October 15, 1944 to 28 March 1945...
, Salkaházi was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
in 2006.
Early life
Salkaházi was born in KassaKošice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
on May 11, 1899, in a bourgeois family of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
origin. As a young woman, she worked at various jobs including those of a bookbinder, a reporter and newspaper editor. At this time, she was far from devout, and at times, even flirted with atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
. Before becoming a religious sister, she was once engaged to be married, but she soon broke off the engagement.
Religious life
She took her religious vows with the Sisters of Social ServiceSisters of Social Service
The Sisters of Social Service are a Roman Catholic order of women founded in Hungary in 1923 by Margaret Slachta. The sisters adopted the social mission of the Catholic Church and Benedictine spirituality with a special devotion to the Holy Spirit.- Founder :...
in 1930. Her dream was to be sent to the missions in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, but this was not fulfilled, in the early years, because she was reputed to have a "difficult" character, and later, because of the outbreak of World War II.
During the final months of World War II, she helped shelter hundreds of Jews in a building belonging to the Sisters of Social Service in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
's capital, Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. As the sister responsible for the house, she secretly made a formal pledge to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
in presence of her superior to be prepared to sacrifice herself if only the other sisters were not harmed during the war. The fact and text of the pledge have been preserved in her journals.
Martyrdom
Betrayed to the authorities by a woman working in the house, the Jews she had sheltered were taken prisoner by members of the Hungarian pro-Nazi Arrow Cross PartyArrow Cross Party
The Arrow Cross Party was a national socialist party led by Ferenc Szálasi, which led in Hungary a government known as the Government of National Unity from October 15, 1944 to 28 March 1945...
. Salkaházi was not in the house when the arrests took place and could have fled, yet she chose to return. The prisoners were taken to the bank of the Danube River on December 27, 1944 and shot, together with four Jewish women and a Christian co-worker who was not a member of her order. Her body was never recovered. The killings came to light in 1967, during the trial of some Arrow Cross members.
In 1972, her deeds on behalf of Hungarian Jews were recognized by Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
after she was nominated by the daughter of one of the Jewish women she was hiding, who was killed alongside her.
Beatification
On September 17, 2006, Sister Sára was beatified in a proclamation by Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, read by Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Péter Erdő during a Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
outside St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, which said in part, "She was willing to assume risks for the persecuted ... in days of great fear. Her martyrdom is still topical ... and presents the foundations of our humanity." This is the first beatification to take place in Hungary since that of King Stephen in 1083 along with his son Imre
Saint Emeric of Hungary
Prince St. Imre, also Henricus, Emeric, Emerick, Emmerich, Emericus or Americus was the son of King St. Stephen I of Hungary and Giselle of Bavaria. He is assumed to be the second son of Stephen, he was named after his uncle, St...
and the Italian Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Gerard Sagredo
Gerard Sagredo
Saint Gerard Sagredo , also called Gerhard or Gellert, was an Italian bishop from Venice who operated in the Kingdom of Hungary , and educated Saint Emeric of Hungary, the son of Saint Stephen of Hungary). He played a major role in converting Hungary to Christianity...
, who were instrumental in converting Hungary to Christianity. If Salkaházi is canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
, she will be the first non-royal Hungarian saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
.
Speaking at the Mass, Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
József Schweitzer said of Sister Sára, "I know from personal experience ... how dangerous and heroic it was in those times to help Jews and save them from death. Originating in her faith, she kept the commandment of love until death."