Sajóudvarhely

SAJÓUDVARHELY When the State of Hungary was formed by Saint Stephen I. (1000-1038) in 1000, he also started to Christianize the pagan Hungarians. He invited the Benedictine and Cistercian orders from France to bring in the Christian religion and culture. They build the first small stone churches in Hungary. The kings of the House of Árpád (1000-1301) also started to build churches of the same kind which today stand as the oldest and most precious relics of Christianity in Hungary. Such is the church of Sajóudvarhely (Sieu-Odorheiu, Rumania today) in northern Transylvania. Above the entrance the 800-year-old church a relief shows Saint Michael archangel killing the dragon. During the Protestant movement in the 16th century, the church was converted to a reformed one (similar to Presbyterian) which remains today.