Lajos Haynald

Stephan Franz Lajos (or Ludwig) Haynald (October 3, 1816, at Szécsény – July 3, 1891, at Kalocsa) was a Hungarian Archbishop of Kalocsa-Bács, naturalist, and cardinal.

Life

Having completed his studies in the secondary schools, he entered the Emericianum at Pozsony (Presburg) in 1830, remaining there for one year. He studied philosophy at Nagyszombat (Tyrnau) in 1831, theology at Vienna in 1833; entered holy orders on 15 October 1839, and received the degree of Doctor of Theology in 1841.

After a brief period spent in pastoral work, he became professor of theology at the seminary at Esztergom in 1842. The prince-primate, József Kopácsy, appointed him his secretary in 1846, but before he had entered upon the duties of that office, dispatched him abroad to study the training of pastors and ecclesiastical administration. Haynald probably was the first Hungarian to study such subjects in foreign countries. He passed most of the time that he spent on his mission in Paris.

On his return he was appointed chancellor-director to the prince-primate, early in 1848. When the Hungarian parliament proclaimed the independence of Hungary on 14 April 1849, Haynald refused to publish this declaration. The consequence was that he lost his position, whereupon he returned to his birthplace Szécsény. At the close of the Revolutionary War he was restored to his office; on 15 September 1851, he was appointed coadjutor to the Bishop of Transylvania, Nicholas Kovács, whom he succeeded on 15 October 1852. Pope Leo gave him his red galero and assigned him the titular church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri on 22 September.

As bishop and archbishop, he aimed chiefly to maintain ecclesiastical discipline and to raise the standard of studies in the public schools. His bequests amounted to nearly five million florins. While still a young priest he devoted himself to botany and made a large collection of plants and of books, which subsequently came into the possession of the Hungarian National Museum. The Hungarian Academy of Sciences made him an honorary member.