In an interview with the "Vatican News" portal, which was published on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption, the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest said that Pius XI had already precisely described the value of the nation in his 1937 encyclical "With Burning Concern".
According to this, "nations represent a true value as cultural communities with their own language, their own memory, their own structures and their own culture".
Nations are part of the richness of creation and are close to God's heart, emphasised Erdö.
The cardinal also recalled that the Bible mentions in several places that not only individuals but also nations will be judged at the Last Judgement.
"That is why the nations have a certain role in God's great plan," said Erdö. At the same time, he emphasised that "nations are not the highest value"; to claim this would be to idolise the nation.
Professional ban for parents
Referring to his own biography, Erdö explained that he had learnt from his parents that faith was the most important thing in life. His father was banned from practising his profession as a lawyer under the communist regime in Hungary because he was very religious. The same applied to his mother, who was not allowed to teach as a teacher.
Nevertheless, his parents held on to their faith and passed it on to the next generation. If faith is the most important thing in life, then passing on the faith, especially in the sacraments, is one of the most important things in life, said the cardinal, who has headed the Archdiocese of Esztergom-Budapest for 22 years.