Ahead of Pope Francis' trip to Hungary, the organizers of this year's International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest have released the congress' official hymn and music video.
It is an updated version of the official hymn of the 1938 Congress which was also held in Budapest, and has become a beloved song of praise in Hungary.
ÁKOS KOVÁCS
Singer/Songwriter
“We can be one of the few privileged countries where the International Eucharistic Congress comes to our capital twice in a century. I don't think there are many places like that. So we can probably mark that by using the same music and lyrics but still having a version that is adapted to today's tastes and needs”.
Ákos Kovács produced the new version of the anthem, and wrote the script behind the music video. He says that while shooting the video during the pandemic,“little miracles” allowed production to continue. Such as when these scenes were filmed in a hospital.
ÁKOS KOVÁCS
Singer/Songwriter
“At the end of the day, I crawled into my car in the parking place, switched on the radio, and the radio said from tomorrow on visits in hospitals are forbidden. Which means that was the last moment when we could film anything in a hospital.”
The musicians who performed this year's official hymn also star in the music video, which tells the stories of three young people in Budapest returning to their faith.
ÁKOS KOVÁCS
Singer/Songwriter
“You don't always have to convert fully, or 180, many times you just need a little nudge in the right direction, and that's, in my belief, what those three stories are about.”
The International Eucharistic Congress was originally scheduled to take place in 2020, yet due to the pandemic it will now take place from September 5-12 of this year with Pope Francis expected to travel to Budapest for the closing Mass. There he will be able to listen to this song.
JM
