Sándor Rudnay de Rudnó et Divékujfalu (October 4, 1760, Heiligenkreuz (Hungarian Kingdom, today Slovakia Považany) – September 13, 1831, Esztergom) was a Slovak Catholic priest, archbishop of Esztergom, and Cardinal who served in the Kingdom of Hungary.
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Sándor Rudnay was born to a family of lower nobility, and he studied in secondary school (gymnasium) in Nyitra, later in Emerican in Bratislava (Pressburg), philosophy in Trnava (Tyrnau), theology in Buda and, finally, in the general seminary in Pozsony.
He was ordained on October 12, 1783 in nagyszombat and, in April 1784, he received his doctor degree in theology. In January 1785 started his spiritual career, and he was sent as a chaplain to Cseszte, later he served in Garamszentbenedek, Nagyszombat and Nyitrakoros. In 1805 he became the canonical clergyman in Esztergom, 1806 rector of the priest seminary in Trnava and, a theology professor, 1808 a titular bishop, a general vicarius in Esztergom, and a viceroy's councilor. He was appointed as the bishop of Transylvania seated in Gyulafehérvár in 1816. In December 1819 Sándor Rudnay obtained the papal bull with his nomination to archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary. Upon the emperor's personal request, he moved his seat 1820 from Nagyszombat to Esztergom. He was further the member of the Table of the Lords, secretary of the royal chancellery, and of the Secret Council. He adhered to the imperial court in Vienna and supported the Slovak culture, especially he saw that Slovak parishes were assigned to Slovak priests. In 1828, pope Leo XII named him a Cardinal. It is from this period that his most famous statement comes: „Slavus sum, et si in catedra Petri forem, Slavus ero.“ (I am a Slav, and I shall remain one, even if I were to sit in the Chair of Saint Peter.
Inspired by the movement of Enlightenment this progressive clergyman supported the spiritual development of Slovaks and their national revival. Sándor Rudnay was one of few members of Hungarian high nobility that stuck to their Slovak origin and publicly proclaimed it. In 1822 as archbishop of Esztergom and primas of Hungary, he began the construction of the Esztergom Basilica towards which he personally contributed with 800 000 forints. It is also the place of his final rest.
The square in front of St. Martin's Dome in Bratislava was named in his honor.
In 2002, the Slovak Postal Office issued a stamp with a face value of 17 crowns in his remembrance.
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| Preceded by Archduke Karl of Austria-Este |
Archbishop of Esztergom 1819–1831 |
Succeeded by József Kopácsy |