Hungary nationalizes UGCC monastery and hands it over to local Uniates

Monastery of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Máriapócs. Photo: Yuriy Pidlisnyi’s Facebook page

On April 26, 2026, it became known that Hungarian authorities had nationalized the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church monastery in Máriapócs, which belonged to the Ukrainian Basilian Fathers, and transferred it to the Hajdúdorog Archeparchy of the Hungarian Greek Catholic Church, Yuriy Pidlisnyi, head of the Department of Political Science at UCU, reported on his Facebook page.

According to him, the monastery complex, which belonged to the Order of Saint Basil the Great, was seized by the state without prior notice, after which the monks were forced to leave the monastery. The transfer to the new owner took place on March 30, 2026.

Pidlisnyi called the incident “a raider seizure of the shrine and historic premises of the OSBM, carried out by the state authorities of an EU member country.” “This is not simply real estate. It is a place of prayer, memory, service, pilgrimage, and a long-standing Basilian presence,” he stressed.

The expert noted that the Basilian presence in Máriapócs dates back almost three centuries – to 1749 – and that the monastery and church had originally been transferred to the order in full ownership.

In Pidlisnyi’s view, the actions of the Hungarian authorities contradict European standards for the protection of religious freedom, property rights, and non-discrimination. “This case must go beyond a church dispute. Correcting this injustice must become one of the cornerstones of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations,” he said.

The expert called on Ukrainian authorities to respond firmly if Budapest refuses to reconsider the decision. “Ukraine must resort to diplomatic steps – an official note of protest, summoning the Hungarian ambassador, and raising the issue at the level of the EU, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, and the Holy See,” Pidlisnyi noted.

He emphasized that this was not a dispute over property but a matter of fundamental rights. “This is not a conflict ‘over a building.’ It is a question of religious freedom, property rights, respect for Ukrainian church heritage, and preventing the persecution of a religious community,” the expert said.

“A state that, during wartime, takes away its historic shrine from a religious community connected with Ukraine is an enemy,” he added.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that young people at a UGCC cathedral had studied the “common values” of Catholicism and Islam.

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