Bishopric of Vác
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The Bishopric of Vác, or be its historical German name Waitzen, in Hungary, was created in 1008 by St. Stephen, the first King of Hungary. It was a suffragan of the archbishopric of Gran (present Esztergom).
Its first bishops were Clement, Lazarus, and Aaron. It is said that Lazarus was bishop from 1075-77. In 1102 lived Bishop Stephen, and beginning with Marcellus (1105-19) the series of bishops is uninterrupted. Among the bishops of Waitzen in earlier times are particularly notable: Johannes de Surdis (1363-73), ambassador of King Louis I to Italy in 1369, later on Archbishop of Gran; Vincent Szilassy (1450-73), a member of the embassy which brought the newly-elected King Matthias Corvinus from Prague to Waitzen; Wladislaw Szalkai (1514-23), chancellor of King Louis II and afterwards Archbishop of Gran; Martinus Pethe (1582-86), transferred to Kalocsa.
Among the late bishops are mentioned: Sigismund Kolonits (1709-16), transferred to Vienna, and first Archbishop of Vienna; Count Michael Althann (1718-34), sent as viceroy to Sicily by Emperor Charles VI, and afterwards cardinal; Count Christopher Migazzi, cardinal and Archbishop of Vienna, twice Bishop of Waitzen (1756-57); 1762-82); Augustinus Roskoványi (1851-59), an eminent theological writer, transferred to Neutra in 1859. He was succeeded by Anthony Peitler, 1859-85, who founded the library at Waitzen. In 1900 Count Charles Csaky became bishop.
In 1514, when the Ottoman Turks conquered Waitzen, the cathedral chapter ceased to exist, but was re-established in 1700.
In the early 20th century, the diocese included parts of the counties of Nograd, Pesth, Csongrád and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, divided into three archdeaconries and nineteen vice-archdeaconries. Within the diocese were five titular abbeys, four provostships and six titular provostships. The chapter had twelve canons and six titular canons. The number of parishes iwas 123; that of the clergy, 266. The right of patronage was exercised by 44 patrons. The diocese included 7 monasteries and 12 nunneries, with altogether 232 inmates. The Catholic population was 757,827.
[edit] Source
- Waitzen - Catholic Encyclopedia article
- This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.
