A New Home for Hungarian Catholics
Following the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Hungarian refugees fleeing Communist persecution arrived in Saint Louis bringing with them a rich tapestry of faith, language, music, and tradition. Saint Mary of Victories became their spiritual home under the co-patronage of Saint Stephen of Hungary.
Cultural and Religious Life
Hungarian Masses, prayers, and devotions became part of the rhythm of parish life. The community celebrated the great feasts of the Hungarian church calendar, honored their saints, and maintained connections with Hungary even across the ocean.
The Language of the Liturgy
To this day, the Sunday Mass at Saint Mary of Victories incorporates elements of Hungarian alongside English and Latin — a deliberate preservation of the parish’s heritage and a gift to all who seek worship rooted in deep tradition.
Saint Stephen of Hungary (975–1038) was the first King of Hungary and is credited with Christianizing the Magyar people. He was canonized in 1083 and his feast day is celebrated on August 16.
A Living Heritage
The Hungarian dimension of Saint Mary of Victories is not merely historical memory. It is a living inheritance that shapes the prayer, devotion, and identity of the parish community today.
✦ Do you have a family story to share? ✦
The Hungarian community of Saint Mary of Victories is built on stories like these — stories of courage, faith, and freedom that deserve to be preserved and passed on. If your family came through this church, we would be honored to hear from you. Contact us at welcome@smov.info.
To learn more about recent events at Saint Mary of Victories — including the Saint Louis Rosary Run, the Oblates of Wisdom era, and the Archdiocesan All Things New reorganization — visit our Our Living History page.
Faces of the Community — Their Stories
The Hungarian community at Saint Mary of Victories was built not by abstractions but by individuals — men and women who fled Soviet tyranny with nothing but courage and faith, and who found a home here. These are some of their stories.
Albert Futo — Resistance Fighter
First GenerationAlbert Futo was a resistance fighter stationed in Budapest when Soviet tanks rolled in on the morning of November 4, 1956. He woke at 3:30 a.m. to the sound of rumbling tanks spreading across the country. With no ammunition and no means of defense, he escaped over an 8-foot fence under machine-gun fire, changed out of his uniform in a farmhouse, and made his way across Hungary to the Austrian border — crossing on a farmer’s tractor before the Russians blew the bridge and closed the frontier.
Futo came to Saint Louis and found his community at Saint Mary of Victories. For decades he sang in the choir, including at the 60th anniversary commemoration Mass in November 2016, wearing the Hungarian red, white, and green on his lapel. His son Mike later told his father’s story on camera for UMSL’s oral history project — so that future generations would not forget.
Read the St. Louis Public Radio story →Imre Jokuti — Soldier and Survivor
First GenerationImre Jokuti was a young soldier when the revolution broke out. Surrounded by Soviet tanks at his barracks, cut off from ammunition, he made a desperate escape — climbing fences under machine-gun fire, hiding in a mill stream, changing into civilian clothes given by a terrified farmwoman, making his way through Russian checkpoints on foot. At the border, he crossed a bridge just before the Russians blew it up. People behind him were shot swimming across in November rain.
Jokuti reached Saint Louis, built a life, and remained part of the Saint Mary of Victories community for the rest of his life. At the 60th anniversary Mass in 2016, he stood and sang the Hungarian national anthem, his cane painted in the Hungarian tricolor. St. Louis Public Radio covered his story in a full oral history profile.
“I’m lucky I’m still here; I can tell a story. The first time I went back to Hungary… he was crying. That was hard. I’m still thinking about it. I shake when I think about it.”Read the full oral history at St. Louis Public Radio →
— Imre Jokuti
Les (Bela) Suhayda — From Tyranny to Liberty
Author & Mindszenty SpeakerLes Suhayda was seven years old when his family fled Hungary in the chaos following the 1956 uprising — five people crossing minefields and sniper fire to reach Austria, leaving behind grandparents, aunts, and everything they owned. He grew up in the United States and became a devoted member of the Saint Mary of Victories community and one of the featured speakers in our partnership with the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation speaker series.
Les wrote his family’s story in the book 12 Bells to Freedom — a riveting account of one family’s harrowing journey from communist Hungary to freedom in America. Reviewers have called it “a riveting story… a great reminder that those who came before us made great sacrifices so that the lives of future generations would enjoy liberty.” It is available on Amazon. Below is Les speaking about his family’s story.
Voices of Our Community — A UMSL Partnership
In 2024, students from the University of Missouri–St. Louis Pierre Laclede Honors College came to Saint Mary of Victories as part of their community engagement course, Beyond the Buildings, taught by Prof. Rob Wilson. After touring the church, meeting parishioners, and hearing the stories of the Hungarian community firsthand, they were moved to give something back. Out of their own generosity and talent, they created a remarkable collection of projects to honor and preserve the Hungarian heritage of our parish.
We are deeply grateful to these students and to Prof. Wilson for their time, creativity, and genuine love for our community. Their work will help tell our story to future generations.
Oral History Interviews
Several students produced oral history video interviews with members of the Hungarian community in St. Louis — capturing stories of escape, courage, and faith before they are lost to time. As student John Granicke reflected: “Even if the building for St. Mary of Victories is actually torn down one day, this video will live on forever. We can publish it online and share it with future generations. So it’s a really cool thing to do.”
Interview with Mike Futo
Produced by UMSL students Rae Cohen, John Granicke, and Colin Ring. Mike Futo, a second-generation Hungarian immigrant, recounts his father Albert’s life in Hungary during the 1956 uprising, his harrowing escape, and his life in America — centered on Saint Mary of Victories. Albert Futo was a resistance fighter in Budapest who woke to Soviet tanks on November 4, 1956, and ultimately crossed into Austria to find freedom.
Interview with Meghan McInnes
A third-generation Hungarian immigrant, Meghan McInnes details her grandfather János (John) Bata’s harrowing escape from Hungary during the 1956 uprising and his subsequent immigration to America. She explains the central role Saint Mary of Victories played in János’s life and the impact our church has had on her entire family across generations.
Other UMSL Student Projects
Maté Makes Meals — Hungarian Cookbook
Students Emily Jesse and Rae Cohen created a traditional Hungarian cookbook inspired by a beloved handmade mouse named Maté — a children’s character beloved in our parish community. The cookbook brings Hungarian recipes to life with the warmth and spirit of our community. For purchasing information, contact us at welcome@smov.info.
Historical Timeline
Student Theresa Colombini, studying international relations and marketing, designed a new illustrated historical timeline now displayed in the Hungarian Cultural Center (Mindszenty Hall). It traces the rich history of Saint Mary of Victories from its 1843 founding through the German era, the 1956 Hungarian community’s arrival, and the present day.
Digital History & Website
Michael Raffelson revitalized the Saint Mary of Victories website, adding new pages covering Mass times, events, and the church’s history. Students also contributed essays to UMSL’s Digital Humanities site and the International Institute of St. Louis, ensuring our story reaches wider audiences.