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August 16, 2009 Esterhazy.. The history of the Hungarian settlement Kaposvar was added to during the 67th annual Kaposvar pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes held August 16. The Hungarian settlement of the area was declared a National Historic Event in 2007 and a commemorative plaque was unveiled by the Government of Canada National Historic Sites and Monuments Board. It contains the story of the pioneering Hungarians who first came to this settlement in 1886 one of the first so-called block ethnic settlements in the Canadian West. The plaque is unique in that it tells a brief history in the French, English and Hungarian languages. Several dignitaries were in attendance for the unveiling including Allan Duddridge, Saskatchewan’s Representative on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Regina Archbishop Daniel Bohan, Arlynn Kurtz, Reeve of the RM of Fertile Belt No. 183 and historian Dr. Frances Swyripa of the University of Alberta whose discipline is the settlement of the Canadian West. Stan Maga represented the Kaposvar Historical Society whose members have been largely responsible for the restoration and maintenance of the site. Each gave a brief greeting and spoke of the significance of the Kaposvar site, the Hungarians who settled here and whose influence is still felt. The site is atop a promontory about 4 kilometres south of Esterhazy and has a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside, ripening fields of grain, a couple of potash mines and the town of Esterhazy. “This was the original settlement,” said Eugene Gonczy, president of the local Kaposvar Historical Society, “they expected the railroad to come through here but instead it went north to Esterhazy.” The 10 acre site contains the fieldstone church, a rectory also of fieldstone construction, a couple of outbuildings, a cemetery and a shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes in the southwest corner of the field backed by a bluff of trees. The Pilgrimage was to take place at the Shrine but again the rainy weather that hovered over the province for that weekend forced the celebration inside the church. However, it held off long enough for the traditional procession of Knights of Columbus, officials, the faithful and clergy to process from near the cemetery to the church. Extra chairs were set out and a standing room congregation took part in the service celebrated by Archbishop Daniel Bohan with several priests participating. Each of the 9 Archdiocesan Deaneries is holding a special celebration to mark the Regina Archdiocesan Centenary which began in June and will continue to June 2010. The 2009 Kaposvar pilgrimage was for the Esterhazy Deanery. Frank Flegel 
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