While neither Hungary’s Viktor Orbán nor his most prominent guest this weekend, Pope Francis, have appeared anxious to play up their differences, there’s no getting around the fact that the two men represent contrasting versions of Christianity — one focused on identity, tradition and family values, the other on welcome, dialogue and the social gospel.
On his second day in Hungary’s capital, Pope Francis met a group of poor people and refugees, including several who fled the war in neighboring Ukraine, and urged society to let go of selfish indifference toward those in need.
Pope Francis recognized the martyrdom of Hungarian Father Péter Oros, who was killed at the height of the Cold War by Soviets in Ukraine.
Speaking in Hungary, once the heart of Christian Europe which today is leading the charge against Pope Francis’ call for the welcoming and integration of migrants, Pope Francis said that the Cross is, yes, an invitation to uphold Christian roots, but also a call to be open to everyone.
At the crack of dawn on Sunday, Pope Francis will leave for Slovakia — with a planned first stop of seven hours in Budapest, Hungary — for a Sept. 12-15 visit. This will be his first trip since his July colon surgery, and the question in the minds of many is: “Why?”
Pope Francis’ upcoming trip to Hungary and Slovakia, while seemingly standard as papal visits go, could prove to be among his most challenging visits at a time when distrust in government authorities and the looming threat of the delta variant are leading the headlines.
