A mass was held in Gyomaendrőd to commemorate the victims of the Roma Holocaust

On the occasion of the Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, Canon Zsolt Szécsi celebrated a mass at the Old Catholic Chapel of the Holy Family in Gyomaendrőd.

In his sermon, Zsolt Szécsi emphasized that the commemoration is not only a historical review but also a conscience examination.

“For the Christian, remembrance is always more than looking back. Remembrance is prayer, repentance, and commitment” – he stated.

In his speech, he pointed out that the Roma Holocaust is not exclusively the tragedy of a single ethnic group but of all humanity. When a person’s dignity is denied, the dignity of the human created in the image of God is violated. He also warned that hatred usually does not begin with open violence but with prejudice, stigmatization, and indifference. Therefore, the Christian’s task is love, reconciliation, and respect and protection of every person’s dignity given by God.

Referring to the message of the Gospel, he highlighted:

“We often see labels. Jesus sees faces. We often see groups. Jesus sees individuals.”

He added that respect, solidarity, and responsibility towards Roma communities are not political positions but evangelical duties.