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Pornóapáti, Vas Megye, Hungary (German name, Pernau)

The village of 400 along the Pinka brook, partly inhabited by ethnic Germans and first mentioned in 1221, owes its name to the Cistercian monastery founded here by the Ják family.

The remains of the monastery are hidden under the buildings of Ómajor (Old Manor) where several 13th century stone carvings have been unearthed. The present day church is late Baroque with an altarpiece painted by Stephan Dorfmeister and altar statues by Johannes Metter, dating from 1681. The church bell is also very old, dating from 1464. The church is dedicated to St. Margaret.

Source: "Vas Megye Településeinek Atlasza," Peter Göndöcs, publisher, 1997, published by HISZI-MAP Kft. Translated by Fritz Königshofer

Family History Library microfilms:
Catholic: Római Katólikus Egyház, Pornó [FHL INTL Films 601476, 1529716 Item 3]
Civil: Pornó (Vas). Anyakönyvi Hivatal [FHL INTL Film 2212856 Item 3-5]


The following, translated by Emmerich Koller, is from the
Magyar Katolikus Lexikon (Hungarian Catholic Encyclopaedia)

Parish of Pornóapáti, located in Vas County, diocese of Szombathely. The parish existed already in 1332. The church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Margaret of Antioch. The existing church today, dedicated to St. Margaret, was finished in 1795. The Turks destroyed the original church in 1530. In 1780 a new church was founded. The organ was built in 1832 by an unknown master. Around 1870, it was reconstructed by Peppert Nándor. The large bell, 82 cm in diameter, was poured in 1492 (Ed. 1464) by an unknown master. It is Hungary's oldest active bell. The newer bell, 57 cm in diameter, was made by the sons of Seltenhofer Frigyes (i.e., Friedrich Seltenhofer). The church records go back to 1790. The patroness in 1880 was the grand duchess Therese.

The official languages in 1880 were German and Hungarian; in 1910 German and Hungarian; in 1940 German and Hungarian.

The pastors of the parish were: Glaser György until 1788, Hegyi János 1807, Schenk Vince 1820, Schmidt György 1828, Köberl Antal 1836, Schamadinger András 1841, Káncz György Ferenc 1846, Vindisch Antal 1847, Menyhárt Ferenc 1860, Fülöp István 1885, Höbe Károly 1887-88, Cziczer Ferenc 1892, Számálovits Ferenc 1893, Iritzer (Traugott) Imre 1910, Gartner Jozsef 1917, Pataki Ferenc 1921, Keleti Kálmán 1922, Illés György 1951, Lautz Alfred Pál.

The parish was cared for by Vaskeresztes/Großdorf till 1982, by Nárai till 1984, by Vaskeresztes till 1993, again by Nárai till 2000.

Inhabitants in 1840 - 508 Roman Catholic, 4 Lutheran, total 512; in 1910 - 683 Rom. Cath, 5 Lutheran, 1 Reformed, 7 Jewish, total 696; in 1940 - 621 Rom.Cath, 2 Lutheran, 9 Reformed, total 632; in 1983 - 465 Rom. Cath.

In 1948, the village school had two teachers and 78 pupils.

Szántó János Patay 1980 - MKA 2000:524

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