History has reserved a difficult fate for the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer: in fact, already in the early years of the communist dictatorship, they had to flee Hungary. The sisters of the Congregation, most of whom were university graduates, were helped by the Congregation’s management to find refuge abroad, primarily in Austria, where they later formed communities of a maximum of 10 people. The Superior General of the Congregation was forced to remain in Hungary, so she entrusted Sister M. Geraldine Galavits with the care of the congregation. Geraldine Galavits had the task of establishing a new headquarters in a neutral territory, in Rome, from where she could contact the other Hungarian sisters who had fled to the West.
The aim of the Sisters of the Divine Redeemer who had arrived in Rome was to achieve independence and since they intended to dedicate themselves to the apostolate, they decided to build their own house.
Thanks to her knowledge of Italian, Sister Geraldine was hired by the international Caritas organisation in Rome and rented a small flat near the Vatican for both herself and the pilgrims. She saved every penny of her income, even at the cost of continual deprivation, and walked the streets of Rome to save money on public transport tickets. In 1954, when Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Extraordinary Holy Year, Sister Geraldine was already running a house for pilgrims. By then Sister Geraldine had two other Sisters of the Congregation come to Rome clandestinely and so the three of them rented a house on the Via Aurelia, which housed the pilgrims who came to Rome. In order to make the most of the house, the sisters spent the night on the terrace and even hosted the pilgrims in their own rooms.
In addition to her own savings, Geraldine managed to convince several high-ranking men of the Church to also support the cause financially. It took Sister Geraldine eleven years to complete the task entrusted to her.
First she founded the headquarters of her congregation in Rome, in 1960 she bought a newly subdivided plot of land in the street that later became known as Via Tamagno, and in 1964 she had a house built for pilgrims, also nicknamed ‘Tamagno’. The latter soon became popular with pilgrims, even Cardinal Mindszenty went there. Sister Kinga also remembers this visit.
For several decades, the sisters hosted mainly Hungarian pilgrims, who were welcomed in a familiar environment and accommodation once they arrived in Rome, and moreover could use their mother tongue.
The fact that this house was built and is still standing today is thanks to the tenacious and humble efforts of Mother Geraldine, who passed away in Linz in 1989.
Sister Kinga, the most authentic witness to the history of the House:
Mother Geraldine was Sister Kinga’s aunt, through whom the latter came to Rome. Her personal history, like that of her aunt, is quite adventurous. Sister Kinga graduated in restoration and fresco painting from the Academy of Applied Arts in Budapest. After practising in Hungary, she decided to go to Rome with an invitation letter issued by her aunt in order to enhance her skills. She actually came to Rome to begin her novitiate. In her spare time, she continued to paint icons.
“It was Providence that chose both my professions, not chance,” says Sister Kinga. Sister Kinga personally contributed to the construction of the pilgrims’ house in the 1960s with her own hands: together with the former Sister General of the Congregation, Sister M. Geraldine Galavits, she pushed the wheelbarrow or plastered when the need arose.
The building was purchased in 2019 by the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference and was subsequently completely renovated with a large grant from the Hungarian state. The new owner entrusted the management of the Holiday Home to the Saint Stephen of Hungary Foundation for Worship and Religion, however, the sisters of the Congregation of the Divine Redeemer still residing in the building actively contribute to the actual running of the Home, providing the chapel, the reception as well as the kitchen activities.
