Saint Bystrík

Saint Bystrík (Latin Beztertus Nitriensis, Bestredius, Bestridus, Bestricus, Bistridus, Bistritus; Hungarian Beszteréd, Besztrik, Besztríd; died 1046) was a martyr and the Bishop of the Diocese of Nitra. Bystrík was probably of Slavic or Hungarian origin. The exact place and time of birth of St. Bystrík is unknown, however he seems to have come from aristocratic family who had been Christianised in the mission of Cyril and Methodius before the end of the Great Moravian Empire in 907 AD. He was likely born sometime at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries in the vicinity of Nitra. It is assumed that Bystrík graduated from the St. Hypolita school at Zobor Abbey. The disciples of Cyril and Saint Gorazd were spreading out from Zobor at this time and included Astrik, Prokop, Svorad, Benedict and Maurus. He lived during the time when the first King of Hungary, Stephen I, undertook the Christianization of the Hungarian clans. Stephen I appointed Bystrík as bishop of Nitra, Kingdom of Hungary (present day Slovakia) around the year 1034. According to legend, Bystrík was murdered during the Vatha pagan rising of 1046 near the Danube in present-day Budapest together with bishop Gerard Sagredo (Hungarian: Gellért) and bishop Buldus (Bőd), as they were en route to Budapest for the coronation of the future king, Andrew I of Hungary. On September 24, the bishops were attacked by Vatha's mob, who began stoning them. Buldus died immediately. Bystrík, together with bishop Beneta, managed to flee on a boat across the Danube river. Bystrík was mortally wounded by a sword on the Pest river bank by the pagans before they could be rescued by the incoming Andrew I. Bystrík died on September 27, the third day after the attack. Bystrík was canonised during the reign of King Ladislaus I of Hungary in 1083. The remembrance day of Saint Bystrík falls on September 24. In Hungary, this is the day when St.