Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Hungary Foundation Day
St. Stephen's Day in Hungary
Reading Comprehension for August 20
There's a day in Hungary that celebrates many different things. In one day, the people of Hungary celebrate one of the country's greatest holidays - a holiday that includes history, religion, nationalism, and independence. And it all started with one man who would become king. His name was Stephen, and he lived a thousand years ago.
Before Hungary was a state, it was occupied by a group of people. These people were called Magyars. They lived in different tribes across Hungary and were frequently at war with one another. Generally, the Magyars lived without religion, that is, until shortly before 1000 AD. Around this time, the Roman Catholic Church had begun introducing Christianity to the Magyars.
At the invitation of Geza, a Magyar prince, German priests came to Hungary to teach Christianity. They taught it to the Magyars, including a young Magyar prince named Stephen (Istvan in Hungarian). Stephen grew in his Christian faith throughout his youth. In 995 - when he was 20 years old - he traveled to Bavaria, where he married a princess named Gizella. Two years later, his father died.
