‘Albeit the Tineke Strik-led delegation was supposed to establish “facts” about the state of the Hungarian democracy and rule of law during their time in Budapest, Strik had her mind made up about these matters long before arriving in Hungary.’

Pope Francis died on 21 April, Easter Monday, following a worsening condition due to serious respiratory illnesses in recent years. As the sede vacante period begins, the College of Cardinals is set to elect his successor, with Cardinal Péter Erdő reportedly among the possible candidates.

‘My parents attended the local Hungarian Reformed church, and I began attending as well. I saw how much these people needed spiritual life. They went to church out of habit and followed traditions, but they lacked true spiritual vitality. That’s when I became a Hungarian Reformed pastor. I realized that my mission was right here—I didn’t need to go any farther.’

‘We must resist the anthropology that reduces our humanity to a commodity of flesh, an anthropology that hollows out our interiority, an ontology that will not permit that interiority to have any substantial existence. Our task is not to preserve or defend the West. If Camus is right, we are way past that point. Our task is to decolonize the West.’

With Easter, the fasting restrictions came to an end, and the arrival of spring weather meant people could once again play and celebrate outdoors. Our ancestors took full advantage of this: on Easter Monday at dawn, they would already be making their rounds through the village, and they spent as much time outside as possible, playing games like egg rolling and others.

‘It is no longer clear where the boundaries between nature and culture, human and non-human, artificial and natural lie. In the face of this great uncertainty, we need to rethink fundamental questions such as what the social order is. It is no exaggeration to say that we need to recreate our worlds on a planet where the very foundations of life are being called into question.’

‘It is not obligatory to accept the ransom paid for us, but—honestly—who would not accept a hand extended to them in an extreme crisis? And the outcome of our fate in eternity is a situation of considerable importance.’

Why was the statue of the risen Christ hidden among the crosses at the village border? Why did people walk the boundaries of their settlement at Easter? What rituals were tied to the blessing of Easter foods? In this article, we explore the traditional folk customs of Easter Sunday.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary has recently given an interview to local journalist András Hont, in which he expressed his view that US President Donald Trump’s ‘tariff wars’ will end in his regaining tariff deals with other countries, and even gave an estimation on when those will be finalized.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a temporary ceasefire in the war in Ukraine on 19 April, halting hostilities from 6 pm on Saturday until midnight on Monday. The move—met with scepticism in Kyiv—came as US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with stalled peace talks and signalled that Washington could walk away from mediating between Kyiv and Moscow.

‘The surveillance of the Jewish high school is an exemplary case of the repressive policies of the communist dictatorship, in which innocent, sometimes underage individuals were harassed and monitored in a manner that would be considered a severe violation of rights by today’s standards.’

‘Brick by brick, pew by pew, bell by bell, we dismantled the old church and transported it to Arad. It was an amazing feeling to save everything—the pulpit, communion table, Moses seat, and bell! The Arad County authorities approved the plan, but Bucharest vetoed it. That was the final blow that broke my father’s spirit…’

What does the flame that was lit again on Holy Saturday represent? What does the ember of consecrated fire protect against? Why do we shake apple trees and keychains when the bells ring again? In this article we look at the traditions and customs of Holy Saturday.

‘There seems to be a disparity in the character of Pilate according to the Gospels and that of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (37/38–100 AD). While both portray him as a complex man caught in a difficult role in difficult times, Josephus stipulates that he was cruel, disrespectful…The Gospels paint a different picture of the Roman governor, being a fair judge, to name an attribute.’

A thought-provoking publication has been released by the Committee of National Remembrance titled Resisters 1944–45. This particularly beautiful, richly illustrated volume briefly presents the life stories of 104 resistance members, accompanied by the insightful narration of expert historians.

With processions including tableaux, passion plays drawing on the apocryphal tradition, black masses and a re-enactment of the holy sepulchre, the burial of Jesus and the subsequent vigil were part of the popular liturgy, alongside commemorations of his passion and death on the cross.

Just as before the 2022 parliamentary elections, the European Parliament’s rule of law mission visited Hungary this week. However, there are some crucial differences this time: not a single right-wing political group is represented in Tineke Strik’s delegation, and opposition leader Péter Magyar and his party are now openly and admittedly working against the interests of the Hungarian people.

Artmozi Night returns to Budapest on 17 May with 70 films screened across five arthouse cinemas. From premieres to cult classics, movie lovers can enjoy a full night of cinema, plus a MOL Bubi bike rental coupon with each wristband.

Just two days after calling for the criminalisation of disinformation, Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar posted a manipulated video of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, attempting to smear him over his stance on Ukraine’s EU membership. It is yet another example of Magyar’s troubled relationship with the truth—one that has surfaced repeatedly, despite his still-nascent political career.

Hungarian oil and gas company MOL has discovered three new natural gas fields in Pakistan’s Tal Block, setting the stage for expanded energy cooperation. The finding marks a key moment in growing Hungarian–Pakistani economic relations.

The Mathias Corvinus Collegium and the Hungarian University of Sports Science have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly nurture a new generation of high-performing, resilient leaders through research, shared programmes, and physical development.

Budapest100 returns 24–25 May with a record number of nearly 80 houses and gardens opening to the public. This year’s focus is on green urban spaces, highlighting the vital role that city gardens, courtyards, and parks play in residents’ daily lives.

The Lyrids meteor shower, one of the oldest ever recorded, will peak on 22 April. Skywatchers can expect up to ten meteors per hour at its height, with the best views in the early morning. Some may even spot bright fireballs among the falling stars.

‘The normalization of the targeting of Israel leads to the normalization of the targeting of Jews,’ State Secretary Péter Sztáray warned during a commemoration held on Holocaust Memorial Day. Between 1941 and 1945, approximately 564,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators, representing more than two-thirds of the country’s Jewish community at the time.

Crime in Hungary has fallen by nearly 60 per cent since 2010, according to the Ministry of Interior. Speaking on Crime Prevention Day, officials highlighted expanded police forces, youth programmes, and a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking as key factors.

SAAB will open an aviation development centre in Budapest, allowing Hungarian engineers to take part in high-tech fighter jet research and development. The move strengthens Hungary’s role in European air defence and its position in the aerospace industry.

Hungary’s media authority (NMHH) has raised concerns about the credibility of Freedom House’s Freedom in the World report, criticizing its opaque authorship, vague sourcing, and narrow scoring system used to assess global press freedom.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced that he will travel to Moscow to attend Russia’s Victory Day parade, defying a warning from the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. Fico criticized the former Estonian prime minister’s statement, asserting that Slovakia is a sovereign country and will make decisions accordingly.

Recirquel’s immersive new production Walk My World is under construction in Budapest’s Millenáris Grand Hall. Opening in November, it blends myth, circus, dance, and cinema into a vast interactive world inspired by the tragic tale of Aeneas and Dido.

A new 30-kilometre section of Hungary’s M44 expressway, linking the M5 motorway to Szentkirály, has officially opened. The development allows uninterrupted four-lane travel from Kecskemét to Békéscsaba, symbolizing a major step in regional connectivity.