Leprosy
This disease became a major factor in Europe during the Crusades in the Middle Ages. Although most of us only think of leprosy as a horrific blight from the past, and one that we only come across in historical films and old novels, there is still a working leper facility quite close to Hungary – in Romania, in fact, near the Danube Delta.
As Hungary was one of the main land routes connecting Europe to the Holy Land during the time of the Crusades, and because many Hungarian kings launched expeditions to Italy, one of the epicentres of leprosy, the Hungarian capital was particularly vulnerable. Although there were no mass infections here, many were falsely diagnosed and shut off in leper colonies. As the disease can drag out for decades with no chance of healing, many died in these enclosures.
The most ideal locations for leper colonies were islands, as they provided a low chance of escape and a total separation from the rest of society. One such famous site was Saint Lazarus, earning its name after the patron saint of lepers.
Set in the Danube between Pest and Buda, famously known today as Margaret Island, this popular retreat is likely to have served as a leper enclosure once. This theory links back to its old name, which translates as Rabbit Island. As opposed to the cute connotations this may convey, archaeologist Ottó Trogmayer has a much more unfortunate hypothesis. The Latin name Insula leporum – where lepus refers to rabbit – could have been changed at a later date to replace its old, dark meaning: Insula leprorum, the island of the lepers.
One Hungarian king, Lajos the Great, was a survivor of the plague and, according to some, he might have had leprosy, too. He was often depicted in paintings with long white gloves, typical of those suffering from this condition. Founded by Crusaders to help fight leprosy, the Order of Saint Lazarus was set up in Buda in 1355, perhaps also in connection with the suspected infection of King Louis. There was a leper hospital which operated beside the former St Lazarus Church in today’s Bugát utca, and epidemic hospitals have long carried the same saint’s name (lazaretum, lazarett) even after everything else has been consigned to history.
Bubonic plague
This feared epidemic needs no introduction. Its first wave hit Europe between 1347-53, and returned continuously for centuries. Today’s Budapest still shows evidence of these waves, mainly from the Baroque era of the 1700s. Those who managed to survive this deadly illness expressed their relief by creating religious statues, typically depicting the Holy Trinity, the Virgin Mary, sufferers of the illness or their patron saints, like Saint Sebastian or Saint Roch.
One of the most well-known such statues was erected at Buda Castle in front of Matthias Church, celebrating the departure of the Turkish invaders and the end of the plague. However, after another epidemic, the finished piece was relocated to Zsigmond tér in 1709, while Buda Castle received an even more outstanding memorial, created by Fülöp Ungleich and Antal Hörger.
A statue of the Holy Trinity was built on the Pest side, in front of the Inner City Parish Church, but it was taken down towards the end of the 19th century. Statues of the Virgin Mary also appeared after the end of these epidemics, partly to express gratitude after survival, partly to earn God’s favour to save them from future plight.
For these reasons, Szervita tér on the Pest side and Mária tér in Buda still show depictions of the Holy Mother to this day. The one in downtown Pest is a later replica, the original from 1702 is kept at the Kiscelli Museum.
As well as statues, citizens ventured to create more substantial monuments, such as votive chapels. A humble little example was built to honour Saint Roch, the celestial patron who defended folk against the plague. The Jesuits wanted this to become a place of pilgrimage, and even imported the saint’s bone relics from Rome – but the construction was destroyed during World War II.
In 1711, another chapel was built for the patron, this time on busy Rákóczi út. Originally it was supposed to honour Saint Roch as well as Saint Rosalia, but the female figure had vanished from public imagination, and there was already a statue to the Virgin Mary. A hospital was also built next to the chapel, which is still working today.
The name of the patron saint appeared in street names, too. Behind the Mammut mall, Lövőház utca was once called Nagy Rókus utca, but you will also find a Kis Rókus utca and a Rókushegyi lépcső (‘Rókushegyi Steps’) to remind us of the name of the legend who protected us from the plague.
