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Festive events

In honour of the patron saint of Szekszárd, Saint Ladislaus exploration of the past of the shrine, and the Holy Blood
Days are held for three or four days on King Béla Square Church was built between 1938 and 1939.

and in other parts of the town. The event is enriched by The Serbs living in Hungary meet at the Orthodox indul-

spectacular processions and by the Harvest Festival. Not gence ceremony in Grábóc. Th e religious event begins
only folklore, but also children’s programmes and pop mu- with worship in the Old Slavic language and is very rich
sic play a major role in this festival. Open cellars, wine-tast- in liturgical elements. The service is followed by a proces-

ing at the Town Hall’s wine fountain, and cheerful wine sion, during which sweetened wheat is blessed in memory
drinking with tasty snacks accompany the cultural events. of the dead, and sweet pastry is blessed for the living,
It is a custom in Bátaszék to stage the last, tragic moments which, aft er being soaked in wine, is distributed among
of Jesus’ life, the Stations of the Cross, and his death in cos- the faithful and the visitors.
tumes, using mass scenes. In the mystery play, with nearly Today, about 20% of the cattle population belongs to the

hundred actors, the choir sings the usual gospel, while Hungarian multicoloured cattle. Bonyhád also promotes

adults and elementary school and high school students its world-famous animal with a festival. The visitors can
participate in the play. participate in a beef dish cooking competition, and taste
At the beginning of the 15th century, the miracle of the goulash and oxen roasted on a camp fi re. There are many

Holy Blood brought fame to the abbey in Báta. Kings and stage and family programmes over the two-day festival,
lords made pilgrimages to Báta to ask for forgiveness. Th e which is rich in folklore and entertainment.
revival of the Holy Blood cult began in the 1930s with the

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