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In honour of the patron saint of Szekszárd, Saint Ladislaus Days
are held on King Béla Square and in other parts of the town. Th e
event is enriched by spectacular processions and by the Har-
vest Festival. Not only folklore, but also children’s programmes
and pop music play a major role in this festival. Open cellars,
wine-tasting at the Town Hall’s wine fountain, and cheerful
wine drinking with tasty snacks accompany the cultural events.
It is a custom in Bátaszék to stage the last, tragic moments of
Cultural Jesus’ life, the Stations of the Cross, and his death in costumes,
using mass scenes. In the mystery play, with nearly hundred
actors, the choir sings the usual gospel, while adults and elemen-
adventures tary school and high school students participate in the play.
At the beginning of the 15th century, the miracle of the Holy
Blood brought fame to the abbey in Báta. Kings and lords made
Festive events pilgrimages to Báta to ask for forgiveness. The revival of the

Holy Blood cult began in the 1930s with the exploration of
the past of the shrine, and the Holy Blood Church was built
between 1938 and 1939.

The Serbs living in Hungary meet at the Orthodox indulgence

ceremony in Grábóc. The religious event begins with worship
in the Old Slavic language and is very rich in liturgical elements.

The service is followed by a procession, during which sweet-
ened wheat is blessed in memory of the dead, and sweet pastry

is blessed for the living, which, after being soaked in wine, is
distributed among the faithful and the visitors.
Today, about 20% of the cattle population belongs to the

Hungarian multicoloured cattle. Bonyhád also promotes its

world-famous animal with a festival. The visitors can partici-
pate in a beef dish cooking competition, and taste goulash and

oxen roasted on a camp fi re. There are many stage and family
programmes over the two-day festival, which is rich in folklore
and entertainment.

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