The Short History of the Ócsa Reformed Church

Ócsa is a village 35 kilometres away from Budapest. The relics in the National Museum prove that it has been inhabited since the ancient times.

Its most famous building, the cruciform Roman basilica with three naves, was built for monks in the 13^th century. During the reign of the Arpádház dynasty the village belonged the royal family. Further development was halted by the Turkish occupation. At the beginning of the 13^th century the people in Ócsa converted to Calvinism. Since 1560 the church has been owned and used by the Ócsa Reformed Church. In 1664 Tartar troops had set the roof of the church on fire and for several decades only one sixth of the building was covered.

The most well known patron of the church was Joseph Teleki (1738-1796), who bought land in Ócsa at the beginning of the 1770s. One of his aims was to stop further destruction in the church.

After the restoration between 1774 and 1777, the church was consecrated on the day of Whitsun, on 4 May in 1777. The minister wrote the following: "People from 20 villages took part in the consecration, but there was room for only less than half of them. There were 1500 people who took communion."

In 1865 a new organ was built according to the plans of Joseph Komornyik, a minister from Nagyvárad. The church was struck by lightening in 1872, which also damaged the organ.

A fire demolished the roof in 1884, and later in 1890 the ceiling collapsed. The period between 1896 and 1900 was again the time for restoration. The precious fresco in the sanctuary was found while the walls were being whitewashed in 1902. The apostles can be seen by threes on the wall of the sanctuary in a frame, while the figures of St. Nicholas and St. George can be found on the vault. The picture on the left depicts three scenes from the life of St. László, opposite to which there are the fractions of the Last Judgement. One storey was added to both towers between 1922-24.

The church was closed for eight years in 1986 and experts started the archaeological excava- tions and the renovation of the church. The building was given new roof, all the carvings and frescos and the floor of the sanctuary were restored. Also the environment of the church was put into order, a wall and a park were built around it.

The National Office of Monument Protection handed over the renewed church to the
Reformed Community and the hymn of the Reformed Church, psalm 90 could be sung again within the ancient walls: "Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all genereations" Psa. 90.1

The church was awarded the Europe Nostra diploma and price for the thorough renovation.

The Ócsa Reformed Community is glad to have an ancient church, the existence of which
itself points to the person about whom James declares in the following way (1, 17): "Every good gift and every perfect present comes from heaven, it comes down from God, the creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning."
This beautiful church built of stone is a good gift and a perfect present, but for us the most
important thing is that we have the opportunity to hear the Word of the living God preached from the Baroque pulpit from time to time, the Word of God, who created the world and brought everything into being ,,...who does not change or cause darkness by turning."

There are 10-15 thousand people every year who visit our church and we are happy to lead them within the historical walls emphasising that it is not a museum that they enter but God's house, the house of prayer.
,,And said to them, It is written in the Scriptures that God said, `My Temple will be called a house of prayer' " (Matthew 21. 13).
We invite our guests and are waiting for you with the love coming from God to see the
historic church in Ócsa. However, we hope that it will not only be the unique building that will touch you, but you will also hear the soft and gentle voice, the word of Jesus: ,,Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest."(Matthew 11. 28)

Darázsi János & Hantos Péter