Historical directory of Hungarian, Hungarian-descended, and Hungarian-speaking clergy serving abroad

Bónis Lajos Arkangyal OFM

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Deceased

Birth data:: Nagybajom, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary — August 30, 1892
Death data:: Győrszentmárton, Hungary, currently Pannonhalma — 1964
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: ferences (Ordo Fratrum Minorum) (Szent István Kusztódia)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: August 21, 1909
Priestly ordination:: Gyulafehérvár, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Alba Iulia, Romania — May 9, 1916
Place of burial:: Pannonhalma, Hungary

Biographical data

He was admitted to the order on August 21, 1909. In addition to his studies in theology and philosophy, he also completed teacher training. He was ordained a priest on May 9, 1916, in Gyulafehérvár. In 1918, he was forced to flee; on December 28, 1918, he enlisted in the Székely Division and
was appointed a field chaplain. Following the surrender, on behalf of the Hungarians of Transylvania, he enlisted in the National Army in Szeged on July 18, 1919. In 1919, he was taken prisoner by the Romanians and transported to Sibiu.
He actively participated in the Western Hungarian Uprising, then became the bursar to Field Bishop István Zadravecz. He was involved in the counterfeit franc and the Cseh-Szokol counterfeiting cases. Later, he worked as a tutor in Csorvás. He arrived in the United States in 1930.
Upon returning from the United States in 1939, he leased a farm in Garancspuszta. In 1945, he moved to Csobánka. He was arrested on July 13, 1954. On December 23, 1954, a panel of the Budapest Metropolitan Court led by Béla Jónás sentenced him to life imprisonment, a 10-year suspension of certain rights, and the complete confiscation of his property for leading a conspiracy aimed at overthrowing the People’s Republic and for war crimes. On March 29, 1955, the Supreme Court upheld the first-instance court’s verdict. He was released from Márianosztra in 1956 and, following the revolution and the struggle for freedom, voluntarily reported to the Pomáz police station. In 1963, the remainder of his sentence was commuted to a five-year probationary period. Seriously ill, he was admitted to the Pannonhalma Social Home on July 9, 1964, where he passed away a few days later.

Domestic service locations

From	To	Place i	Current name, country i	Church / institution	Position
1917	1918	Szászváros, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Orăștie, Romania		Reserve chaplain, teacher
1918		Szék, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy	Sic, Romania		head of the household, parish priest
1919		Budapest, Hungary		Hadügyminisztérium	Officer in Charge of Székely Affairs
1920		Debrecen, Hungary			camp chaplain

Foreign service locations

From	Place	Church / institution
1937 circa	Portage, PA, USA
1938	Barberton, OH, USA	Szentháromság templom
1939	South Bend, IN, USA

Life timeline

Birth

August 30, 1892

Nagybajom, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary

Entry into religious life

August 21, 1909

Priestly ordination

May 9, 1916

Gyulafehérvár, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Alba Iulia, Romania

Service in the homeland

1917 – 1918

Szászváros, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Orăștie, Romania

Reserve chaplain, teacher

Service in the homeland

1918

Szék, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Sic, Romania

head of the household, parish priest

Service in the homeland

1919

Budapest, Hungary

Hadügyminisztérium

Officer in Charge of Székely Affairs

Service in the homeland

1920

Debrecen, Hungary

camp chaplain

Service abroad

1937

Portage, PA, USA

Service abroad

1938

Barberton, OH, USA

Szentháromság templom

Service abroad

1939

South Bend, IN, USA

Death

1964

Győrszentmárton, Hungary, currently Pannonhalma

Sources

http://lexikon.katolikus.hu/P/Pannonhalmi%20Szoci%C3%A1lis%20Otthon.html;✓
https://archives.hungaricana.hu/hu/lear/Fogoly/173471/✕
?list=eyJxdWVyeSI6ICJEQj0oXCJGT0dPTFlcIikifQ
http://www.vasiszemle.hu/2010/04/botlik.htm✓
HSZI: 382-384.;
Shvoy: 66.;
Török: 258, 282.;
Esti Kurir, 1926-04-22., pp.7.;
HU BFL - VII.102.a - fogoly - 1922 – 4342 törzskönyv;
https://www.myheritage.hu/research/collection-10512/ellis-islan-es-egyeb-new-york-i-utaslistak-1820-1957?itemId=16382162-&action=showRecord&recordTitle=Lajos+Bonis✓
Kép forrása: Magyar Ferences Könyvtár Fotótára;
Embermentés, Sorsok, tények és tanúk, szerk: Ható Zsuzsanna és Tassy-Becz Éva, Pomáz, 2021., 190.
Máté:205p.;
www.militaria.hu/adatb/leveltariuj/sites/default/files/P%20-.xls

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Citation for this entry

Bónis Lajos Arkangyal OFM: personal record. In: Historical directory of Hungarian, Hungarian-descended, and Hungarian-speaking clergy serving abroad. Available at: https://www.diaszporalelkipasztorok.hu/persons_v2/view.php?id=102 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

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