Vilnius Cathedral to mark 70 years since Hungarian revolution

The Hungarian Embassy in Vilnius will mark the 70th anniversary of the 1956 revolution and Hungary’s fight for freedom on Friday, LRT reported.

Archbishop Georg Gänswein and Bishop Arūnas Poniškaitis will celebrate Mass at Vilnius Cathedral. After the service, the cathedral’s bell tower will be lit in the colours of the Hungarian flag.

The event will honour those who took part in the revolution and highlight the importance of freedom and independence.

The uprising began in Budapest on October 23, 1956, as Hungarians called for political reforms, freedom of speech, free elections and greater independence from the Soviet Union. The rebels formed a new government in late October, but Soviet forces launched a major offensive against Budapest on November 4 and crushed the uprising.

About 2,700 rebels were killed, and around 200,000 Hungarians fled to the West by the end of 1956.