**S. Stephani Hungariae Regis Confessoris** refers to **Saint Stephen of Hungary**, also known as **Stephen I of Hungary**. He was the first King of Hungary and is considered the founder of the Hungarian state. He was born around 975 and died on August 15, 1038. He was canonized by Pope Gregory VII in 1083.
Saint Stephen is celebrated for his efforts to convert Hungary to Christianity and for establishing a stable and organized kingdom. He is also known for his piety and dedication to the Church. His feast day is celebrated on **August 16** in the Roman Catholic Church.
The title "Confessor" indicates that he was a saint who suffered for his faith but was not martyred. Saint Stephen is often depicted in royal attire, holding a church or a model of a church, symbolizing his role in building the Church in Hungary.
Saint Stephen of Hungary, also known as Stephen I of Hungary, was born around 975 in Esztergom, Hungary. He was originally named Vajk and was the son of Grand Prince Géza and his wife, Sarolt. Stephen was baptized by Archbishop Saint Adalbert of Prague in 985, at which time he took the name Stephen.
Stephen married Gisela of Bavaria, the sister of Duke Henry II of Bavaria, around 995 or 996. This marriage helped to strengthen Hungary's bond with the Holy Roman Empire. When his father died in 997, Stephen became the Grand Prince of the Hungarians. He had to contend for his rulership against other family members and rival factions, but ultimately he succeeded.
Stephen was crowned the first King of Hungary on December 25, 1000, or January 1, 1001, with a crown sent by Pope Sylvester II. He unified the Carpathian Basin through a series of wars against semi-independent tribes and chieftains. Stephen established at least one archbishopric, six bishoprics, and three Benedictine monasteries, leading the Church in Hungary to develop independently from the archbishops of the Holy Roman Empire.
Stephen was known for his efforts to convert Hungary to Christianity and for establishing a stable and organized kingdom. He encouraged the spread of Christianity by meting out severe punishments for ignoring Christian customs. Hungary enjoyed a lasting period of peace during his reign and became a preferred route for pilgrims and merchants traveling between Western Europe, the Holy Land, and Constantinople.
Saint Stephen died on August 15, 1038, and was buried in his new basilica, built in Székesfehérvár and dedicated to the Holy Virgin. He was canonized by Pope Gregory VII in 1083, together with his son, Emeric, and Bishop Gerard of Csanád.
From the Breviary
Stephen, King of Hungary, brought the faith of Christ and the title of kingdom to his country. He obtained his royal crown from the Pope, and, when he had been anointed King at the Pope's command, he offered his kingdom to the Apostolic See. He founded various religious houses at Rome, at Jerusalem, and at Constantinople. In Hungary, with wonderful devotion and generosity, he established the archiepiscopal See of Esztergom and ten other bishoprics. He was famous for his great love of the poor and his constancy in prayer. He ardently venerated the Mother of God, declaring her the Patroness of Hungary and building a very large church in her honour. In turn, he was received into heaven by the Virgin on the Feast of her Assumption, which in Hungary, by edict of the Holy King, was called the Day of the Great Lady. By decree of Pope Innocent XI, however, the Feast of this saintly King is kept on the day on which, with his help, the Christian army, in a hard-fought engagement, recovered the strongly fortified citadel of Buda.
(1) Stephen I of Hungary - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_I_of_Hungary.
(2) St. Stephen of Hungary | EWTN. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/saints/stephen-of-hungary-773.
(3) Saint Stephen of Hungary - My Catholic Life!. https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/august-16-saint-stephen-of-hungary/.
(4) Saint Stephen of Hungary - FIND THE SAINT. https://bing.com/search?q=Saint+Stephen+of+Hungary+life.
(5) Saint Stephen of Hungary - Catholic Saint | Saint for a Minute: Saints .... https://www.saintforaminute.com/saints/saint_stephen_of_hungary.
HYMN:Iste Confessor
