Sermon 2025 11 30 Advent 1

Saint Margaret’s

Anglican Church

Budapest, Hungary

Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 46; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew

24:36-44

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem…

Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry, known simply as

Csontváry in artistic circles, is arguably one of the

greatest of Hungarian painters. He worked at the turn

of the previous century, that is, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s; the period as well of

the great Impressionist and Expressionist painters of France, the Low Countries, Spain,

and Western Europe in general. Csontváry’s work, less well known to be sure, has always

been difficult to categorise. Perhaps not surprising, given that Csontváry was a one-of-a-

kind virtuoso and visionary, some might say a mystic, who deftly used and manipulated

colour, light, and perspective to convey his message, a message of deep religiosity and

faith in God and humankind.

Following his spiritual instincts, Csontváry made his way a