In the chapel of the Pontifical Hungarian Institute in Rome's Falconieri Palace, Cardinal Peter Erdo was awarded the Tu es Petrus distinction in a solemn ceremony. The prestigious award is given to exemplary ecclesiastical and secular persons. The award was presented by Tu es Petrus International's Honorary President Cardinal Kurt Koch, head of the Dicastery promoting the Vatican's Christian Unity Project.
Cardinal Kurt Koch told Magyar Nemzet's on site reporter that the award was established to recognize service to the Church and to Popes. Cardinal Peter Erdo was chosen because he is a good shepherd of Hungary, a great theologian and an exceptional expert in canon law. He was considered worthy of the award for his merits in these three areas and for his extraordinary service to the Church.
The Tu es Petrus International Prize was founded in 2005 in the municipality of Battipaglia in southern Italy. The name refers to the passage in Holy Scripture in which Jesus Christ establishes the Catholic Church. "Tu es Petrus" or "You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church". The international Catholic movement brings together priests, monastics and lay people to support Peter's successor, the Pope, through their service. Their aim is to use the award to highlight Christian role models for a humanity that has lost sight of its ideals. The award itself is a bronze statue depicting St Peter's Blessing, the work of sculptor Michele Monaco.
Gianluca Barile, the founding president of Tu es Petrus, told Magyar Nemzet that there is a great need today for people who are testaments to holiness. Hungary's Cardinal Peter Erdo is seen as an exceptional testament to the Gospel and of fidelity to the Church. His person is of particular importance in these times when not everyone in the Church follows the teachings of the Holy Father.
He stressed that Cardinal Peter Erdo is a model of faithfulness, religious fervor and being a good shepherd also for the Italian faithful.
The Hungarian Cardinal received the prestigious Vatican award with the following words:
It is a great pleasure and honor to receive the Tu es Petrus award from this very highly esteemed association. 'Pro eclesia e Potefice', for the Pope and the Church is the precise name of the award. The justification states that it was intended to recognize my service in assisting the ministry during the last three popes. I am very happy and consider it very kind,
the Cardinal told our newspaper. He was also touched and found it significant that very kind words were spoken at the ceremony about the previous pontiffs including Saint Paul VI, as it brought back many fond memories for him.
The award ceremony was also attended by members of the Sacred Heart Brotherhood, who are great admirers of the Cardinal. The leader of the association recalled with gratefulness the visit of Peter Szijjarto, Hungary's foreign affairs and trade minister, to Tolentino in central Italy following the earthquake in 2017. He told us that the local community will be eternally grateful for the Hungarian government's support in the restoration of the damaged Sacred Heart and St Benedict Churches.
Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok congratulated Peter Erdo on his social media page. The head of state posted:
I am proud of him and thank you for your friendship, Cardinal!
Cover photo: Hungary's Cardinal Peter Erdo is awarded prestigious Tu es Petrus distinction (Photo source: the author)
