Imagine whispers of reconciliation echoing through the air here at Megbékélés Háza Templom. This is no ordinary church. It is a testament to unity. It stands as a beacon of harmony between the Christian and Jewish faiths.
The Magyarországi Evangéliumi Testvérközösség or MET built Megbékélés Háza Templom. MET is the Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship. The construction took place between 1992 and 1998. Nagy Bálint és Társai tervezőirodája designed it.
But the path to completion wasn’t easy. The original design used wood. The Fire Department rejected it. The work halted for years. Finally, they completed the Megbékélés Háza Templom in 1998. Iványi Tibor dedicated it. He was the church’s president.
Step inside Megbékélés Háza Templom. Notice the symbols. Crosses and Stars of David appear repeatedly. These represent Christian and Jewish brotherhood. The interior is bright and warm. Brick walls and a wood-paneled ceiling create a welcoming space. The floor plan forms a traditional cross.
Red pine benches face the altar in a V shape. A central aisle divides them. David stars adorn the benches. Carved semicircles resembling the Ten Commandments decorate the sides. Below them are crosses. On the right window is the Menorah. The left window shows the “saving ship”. Above the altar are Moses’ stone tablets.
The sanctuary features a living grapevine. It symbolizes nature. Its branches extend to a T-shaped cross. Stones lie beneath it. Light floods in through a V-shaped glass roof above. To the left of the small offering table stands a copper baptismal font. The pulpit is on the right.
Across from the altar is the organ. It is a two-manual Angster organ. It has parts from Solt and Nagykőrös. This organ fills Megbékélés Háza Templom with beautiful music. Concerts take place here every last Monday of the month.
Listen for the bell. It weighs 80 kilograms. The city of Budapest obtained this gift from the Netherlands.
Before Megbékélés Háza Templom stood here, the congregation met in a converted pub. In 1992, the city gave MET 5500 square meters. They used it for construction and a park. They cleaned the debris-filled soil. They planted 1000 trees, shrubs, and pines.
Megbékélés Háza Templom is more than bricks and mortar. It is a symbol. It represents reconciliation. It embodies the spirit of unity. May its message of peace resonate long after we leave this place.