British Unitarians and Free Christians join with the Hungarian Unitarian Church on 13 January 2016 to honour the 448th anniversary of the Declaration of Religious Freedom and Tolerance, an edict which might be considered as the first legal guarantee of religious freedom in the Christian Europe.
448 years ago, in 1568, on January the 13th, the Diet of Torda (Transylvania) proclaimed:
“His majesty, our Lord, in what manner he – together with his realm – legislated in the matter of religion at the previous Diets, in the same matter now, in this Diet, reaffirms that in every place the preachers shall preach and explain the Gospel each according to his understanding of it, and if the congregation like it, well. If not, no one shall compel them for their souls would not be satisfied, but they shall be permitted to keep a preacher whose teaching they approve. Therefore none of the superintendents or others shall abuse the preachers, no one shall be reviled for his religion by anyone, according to the previous statutes, and it is not permitted that anyone should threaten anyone else by imprisonment or by removal from his post for his teaching. For faith is the gift of God and this comes from hearing, which hearing is by the word of God.”
The Hungarian Unitarians are celebrating this special day with events in Torda and Kolozsvár. The celebrations start in the morning in the Unitarian church of Torda with a worship service led by Rev. Alpár Solymosi, minister of the Csíkszereda Unitarian congregation .The service will be followed by a visit to the Museum in Torda, which hosts the famous painting by Aladár Körösfői-Kriesch, commemorating the event.
The celebrations will continue with an evening worship service in the Unitarian church of Kolozsvár, with István Török, Unitarian minister of Olthévíz and dean of the Háromszék-Felsőfehér district as preacher, followed by greetings from representatives of other denominations and guests. A concert featuring the Pálffy Ákos Choir from Homoródszentpál and the Concordia quartet will enhance the festivities. The day will be closed with a reception at the Unitarian headquarters.
In 2015, the General Assembly of the Hungarian Unitarian Church voted in unanimity to recommend to Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists around the world to join in the proclamation and celebration of January the 13th as Day of Religious Freedom.