Hungarian Commemoration 2025 Report (2025/11/10)

On Sunday, October 26, 2025, under the auspices of the Metroplex Magyar Cultural Circle, many DFW Hungarian community members gathered in Dallas to commemorate the 69th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.

The program began at the Cistercian Abbey, where Fr. Julius Lelóczky, Cist. O., a 93-year-old Hungarian priest, celebrated a Hungarian-language Mass. Following the Mass, the participants proceeded to the front lawn of the church to lay a wreath at the memorial.

The wreath was placed by Emese Greksa, a refugee of the 1956 uprising who was joined by several other former revolutionaries and their families, remembering the revolution with visible emotion.

The commemoration was led by Ilona Pesti, who commended the courage of the revolution’s heroes. Edina Balogh-Peterson delivered a moving and dignified recitation of Lajos Tamási’s poem “Red Is the Blood on the Streets of Pest.” The outdoor portion of the memorial concluded with the traditional group photo taken of the remaining ’56 survivors — a group that sadly grows smaller each year.

The attendees then gathered in the school's dining hall, where Ágnes Csiffáry greeted them.

This was followed by the singing of the Hungarian and American national anthems. Attendees then viewed a documentary video featuring historical background and lesser-known details about the revolution.

After the video screening, Jenő Lukácsy shared his personal memories with deep emotion, who was 14 years old at the time of the revolution. He recalled witnessing the crowds in the streets of Győr as they toppled a Soviet monument.

The program concluded with Fr, Julius' remarkable speech and table blessing after which the community members enjoyed delicious traditional Hungarian dishes with good a appetite in friendly atmosphere.

We'd like to express our recognition and gratitude to the loyal friends of the MMCC, who worked so diligently to prepare and conduct this wonderful event, and to all who with their speeches, shared stories made this event a remarkable one.

Please enjoy the pictures and short video clip: ​2025 October 23 Commemoration