How Hungary was founded by a “holy family”

Not only was St. Stephen known for his personal holiness, but so were his wife, Bl. Gisela, and son, St. Emeric.

St. John Paul II commented on this saintly foundation in a message to the Hungarian people in 2000.

Bl. Gisela was beatified in 1975. She was known for her efforts to spread the Christian faith throughout their kingdom, and after her husband's death she spent the rest of her life in a Benedictine convent.

St. Emeric died young, at the age of 24, but followed his father's example and strove for holiness in his life. After his death, many miracles were attributed to his intercession.

Continuing his reflection of the Hungarian nation, St. John Paul II noted how St. Stephen's actions laid a firm foundation in the Christian faith that endured for many centuries.

As St. John Paul II mentioned above, many other saints would sprout from this foundation and reinforces the truth that a single family united to God can have a lasting impact on the world.