04. October 2004.

The Pope has beatified Charles IV, the last Hungarian king.

The Alexander Hussars of Nemesvámos attending the ceremony in Rome presented His Holiness with yet another piece of Herend porcelain.

In a festive mass held in Saint Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II beatified Hungarian King Charles IV (1887-1922), also known as Austrian Emperor Charles I.

Beatification is a solemn declaration made by the Pope on behalf of the Catholic Church following a special investigation, an act that usually precedes canonization at a later date. By virtue of beatification a "servant of God" will rank among the "blessed in heaven", upon which public adoration is permitted albeit with limitations imposed on local communities.

Charles became heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy on 28th June 1914, following the tragic death of Franz Ferdinand, and ascended the throne of Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph on 21st November 1916. He was crowned apostolic king of Hungary in Buda on 30th December.

Following the death of Charles IV, a number of miracles took place which have been put down to the "good offices" of the late monarch. It has been confirmed that a gravely ill nun was cured of her illness while she was praying for the beatification of Charles. Charles was the object of prayers of a small religious community since his young days. This community later became known as the "Emperor Charles League of Prayer for Peace among Nations" and began collecting proofs and evidence in 1925.

The beatification process of Charles IV was announced in 1949, over 50 years ago. It was on 12th April last year that the Vatican confirmed its recognition of the miracle needed for beatification. Pope John Paul II, who has beatified some 1500 people in the course of his 26 years as pope, sanctioned this with his signature on 20th December 2003.

Traditionalist Hungarian hussars, among them Alexander Hussars from Nemesvámos who had already visited the Vatican this spring, clad in their full dress uniform, carried the banners of 19 counties to Saint Peter's Square. Taking advantage of this opportunity, they presented Pope John Paul II with a huge Herend platter bearing an inscription to commemorate the historic occasion.

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