Young Martyr Murdered by Soviet Troops Declared Blessed by Cardinal Erdő

“Today the Church raises a virgin to the altar. Magdolna Bódi, virgin and martyr, was not even 24 when she gave her life for faith and purity,” Cardinal Péter Erdő, Primate of Hungary and Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, declared on Saturday in Veszprém, during the beatification ceremony of Magdolna Bódi, who died a martyr’s death in 1945 in Litér (near Lake Balaton).

More than 10,000 people gathered for the Mass, and at the beginning of the ceremony, Archbishop György Udvardy of Veszprém (Balaton area) remarked that “martyrdom is the indisputable sign of hope,” and that in Magdolna Bódi’s life “the virtues of Christ unfolded.” Cardinal Erdő then read, in Latin and Hungarian, the letter from Pope Leo XIV granting permission for Magdolna Bódi’s beatification.

Magdolna Bódi’s relic was brought to the stage next to the Veszprém Arena by Balatonfűzfő (northern shore) parish priest Norbert Laposa, accompanied by Cristiana Marinelli, the Roman postulator of the cause, and a group of young people. It was handed over to retired Archbishop Gyula Márfi and then passed to Archbishop Udvardy, who presented it to Cardinal Erdő. The relic was placed into the mission cross, where it was later venerated by people.

In his homily, Cardinal Erdő said Magdolna Bódi’s martyrdom “was not a tragic accident, but the crowning of a committed young life.”

He recalled that her apostolic spirit had already become evident during her school years. Although she wished to become a nun, she was denied entry because her parents were not married in the Church. Instead, she lived as a lay apostle, experiencing the power of divine grace. Working in the Fűzfő industrial plant, she made a private vow of perpetual virginity on the Feast of Christ the King in 1941, out of love for Christ.

She guarded her constant life of grace carefully,” the Cardinal said. She went to confession regularly, began each day with Mass and Communion, and encouraged others to do the same.

On March 23, 1945, Soviet troops arrived in Litér. As Cardinal Erdő recounted, Magdolna Bódi was sheltering near a makeshift bunker with a group of women and children when two armed Soviet soldiers approached. One of the soldiers tried to assault her. In an act of desperate self-defense and in defense of her purity, she wounded him with a small pair of scissors she had in her pocket. She attempted to flee, warning the others of the danger, but one of the soldiers shot her moments later.

According to eyewitnesses, at the second shot, she raised her arms toward the sky and uttered her final words: “Lord, my King! Take me with You!”

Photo: MTI/Bruzák Noémi

“Magdi Bódi did not only defend her purity,” Erdő emphasized. “She gave her life out of fidelity and love for Christ. She kept her vow until death, and her sacrifice had a direct impact on those around her.” He described her as “a martyr of purity,” noting that in today’s world, speaking of purity takes courage. “Living in purity is not an extreme feat, but a profound personal decision made out of love for Christ,” he said.

Everyone, Erdő added, is called to purity according to their state in life—married couples to fidelity, young people to disciplined preparation, and those who embrace celibacy or virginity to full devotion to Christ and service to others.

“Though it is difficult to live by and profess this ideal in today’s world, divine grace can work miracles in a person’s life,” Erdő said. “A truly holy person can become a spiritual center and support for an entire community—both in life and after death.”

Photo: MTI/Bruzák Noémi

The beatification was attended by several high-ranking Church and state officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén, Miklós Soltész, State Secretary for Church and Ethnic Relations, and János Latorcai, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly.

The Archdiocese of Veszprém has organized a series of events to mark the occasion. According to the diocese, the relic of Blessed Magdolna Bódi will remain on display for veneration at the St. Michael Cathedral in Veszprém Castle until late Sunday afternoon.

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