Debrecen4U
August 18, 2025
National Celebration in Debrecen: bread blessing and wreath laying ceremony on August 20,
Join in honoring Hungary’s national holiday, commemorating King Saint Stephen, the founder of the Hungarian state. Crowned in 1000 AD, Saint Stephen unified the country and established Christianity as the official religion, laying the foundations for a unified and stable nation. August 20 is a day of remembrance, tradition, and celebration, marking his legacy, and is celebrated as Hungary’s national holiday.
The municipality of Debrecen will commemorate the national holiday with a day full of tradition, culture, and floral beauty.
Program Highlights
- 7:45 a.m.: Ceremonial flag-raising with military honors at Kossuth Square
- 8:00 a.m.: Start of the Flower Carnival parade
- 8:04 a.m.: Blessing and distribution of the new bread in front of the Great Church
“New bread” refers to the first bread baked from freshly harvested wheat of the season. It symbolizes abundance, renewal, and unity and is closely tied to Hungary’s agricultural heritage. During the celebrations, representatives of historical churches bless the new bread, and it is often shared with the public as a gesture of community and gratitude.
- 12:00 p.m.: Commemoration and wreath-laying at the statue of King Saint Stephen at Dósa nádor Square
- 6:00 p.m.: Flag-lowering ceremony at Kossuth Square
- 8:00 p.m.: Evening Flower Carnival parade
Source and photo credit:dehir.hu
