Bystrík

Saint Bystrík (Latin Beztertus Nitriensis, Bestredius, Bestridus, Bestricus, Bistridus, Bistritus; Hungarian Beszteréd, Besztrik, Besztríd, Beszter) (died 1046) was a martyr and the bishop of the diocese of Nitra of probably Slavic or Hungarian origin.^[1]

Bystrík's bishopric

Bystrík lived at the times when the first King of Hungary, Stephen I, undertook the Christianization of the Hungarian clans. Bystrík was appointed the bishop of Nitra, Kingdom of Hungary (the city is in Slovakia today) by him around the year 1034.^[1]

Martyrdom

According to legend, Bystrík was murdered during the Vatha pagan rising of 1046 near the Danube in present-day Budapest together with bishop Gerard Sagredo (Hungarian: Gellért) and bishop Buldus (Bőd), as they were en route to Budapest for the coronation of the future king, Andrew I of Hungary.

On September 24, the bishops were attacked by Vatha's mob, who began stoning them. Buldus died immediately. Bystrík, together with bishop Beneta, managed to flee on a boat across the Danube river. Bystrík was mortally wounded by a sword on the Pest river bank by the pagans before they could be rescued by the incoming Andrew I. Bystrík died on September 27, the third day after the attack.^[1]

Canonisation

Bystrík was canonised during the reign of King Ladislaus I of Hungary in 1083. The remembrance day of Saint Bystrík falls on September 24. In Hungary, this day is the day when Saint Gerard Sagredo is celebrated together with his co-martyrs, Saint Bystrík and Saint Buldus.

Veneration

Reverence for Saint Bystrík is not very widespread, but there are approximately two dozen of his pictures not only throughout Slovakia and Hungary but by Slovak community also in Australia, Canada, Italy, Poland and the United States. Saint Bystrík can be seen on frescos, on glass, on bells as well as on paintings made on wood and fabric.

The oldest picture of him dates back to the times of baroque and can also be found in the book of the Jesuit Gabriel Hevenesi entitled Ungaricae Sanctitatis Indicia from the year 1692 as Hoffman's copperplate.

On September 15, 2006 the first church was devoted to him in Nemce not far from Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. There is a church dedicated to Saint Bystrík is in Hajná Nová Ves. Saint Bystrík's House is in Čičmany (both Slovakia).

Attributes

Saint Bystrík is portrayed as a bishop with a book and all attributes that denote the person of a bishop: cope, mitre, crosier, gloves and ring of the bishop. In his left hand, apart from the book, he often holds a sword that is the symbol of the way he died. Sometimes he is portrayed with a boat, on which he flew across the Danube river.

References

Further reading

• Bystrik Bugan: Svätý Bystrík. Bratislava : Lúč, 2007, ISBN 978-80-7114-660-5 (English summary)
• Bystrik Bugan: Biskup Bystrík v slovenských dejinách. In: Historical Volume No. 15, 1/2005 (Ján Bobák ed.) Martin : Matica slovenská, 2005, p. 13-25 (German summary)

External links

• (Slovak) Saint Bystrík
• (Slovak) Paintings of Saint Bystrík