Commission preparing beatification of Janos Esterhazy sworn in

The commission of Hungarian, Slovak, Polish and Czech historians preparing the beatification process of Janos Esterhazy, a leader of Slovakia's ethnic Hungarian community between the two world wars, was officially sworn in in Krakow on Monday, a government official has said. Count Esterhazy (1901-1957), the sole Hungarian deputy in the Slovak Parliament before 1945, was a firm advocate of the ethnic Hungarian community, raising his voice against any violation of minority rights and against discrimination. The commission's task will be to study and assess the life and virtues of Esterhazy, whose beatification was approved by the Vatican last November. Once Esterhazy's life is also reviewed by a theological commission, it will be that body's job to submit a recommendation for beatification to the Vatican, Soltesz said.