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

Ábrahám Dezső

Ábrahám Dezső
Deceased
Birth data:
Old, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — September 15, 1920
Death data:
Trenton, NJ, USA — July 14, 1997
According to another source: July 10, 1997
Denomination:
Reformed
Ordination level:
bishop
Priestly ordination:
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — 1942
Episcopal consecration:
Detroit, MI, USA — 1968
Amerikai Magyar Református Egyház Keleti Egyházkerület
Biographical data
He completed his studies at the Reformed Secondary School in Kiskunhalas, Pest County, and then earned his pastoral degree from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Budapest² in 1942.³ He subsequently served as an assistant pastor for three years in Soltvadkert, Fót, and the congregation on Kálvin Square in Budapest. During this time, he was actively involved in the “Soli Deo Gloria” Christian organization and the youth movement, traveling throughout the country to learn about the problems affecting young people in the aftermath of World War II. In 1945, he became secretary of the YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) in Budapest. In 1947, after the war, he won a two-year scholarship for postgraduate studies at Trinity College, University of Glasgow. In September 1947, he went to the United States at the invitation of Princeton Theological Seminary to continue his studies. There he earned a Master of Theology degree in 1948. During this same period, he also served as an assistant pastor in Hungarian Reformed churches in New Jersey and New York. In 1948, he was elected pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Roebling, NJ. From 1954, he served as pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Perth Amboy, NJ, for 20 years. He has been pastor of Allen Park since 1975. He has been a bishop since 1968. From 1954 to 1967, he was an editor of the Hungarian Church, and then its editor-in-chief from July 1968 until 1983. In 1959, he was elected dean and later bishop of the Eastern Diocese of the American Hungarian Reformed Church. He held this office for 18 years. He was editor of the Hungarian Reformed Ecumenical Periodical from 1954 to 1957 and co-editor from 1972 to 1973. From 1974 to 1976, he was editor of the Allen Park Church Herald, and in 1984, he was the publisher of the Annual Report. He published in Magyar Egyház, Magyar Élet in New York, and Testvériség. He compiled the Allen Park anniversary album 1941–1981 and the 20th-anniversary album in 1965, 1981, and 1985, respectively. He was a well-known presenter on Radio Free Europe. In 1990, the Ráday College in Budapest (more precisely, the Budapest Reformed Theological Academy) awarded him an honorary doctorate.
Domestic service locations
From To Place Country Church / institution Position
1942 after Soltvadkert Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary assistant pastor
1943 after Fót Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary assistant pastor
1944 after 1945 Budapest Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary Kálvin téri Református Gyülekezet assistant pastor
1945 1947 Budapest Hungary YMCA (Keresztyén Ifjúsági Egyesület) secretary
Foreign service locations
From To Place Country Church / institution Position
1947 1948 Princeton, NJ USA pursuing studies
1947 1948 New York, NY USA assistant pastor, while also helping out in churches in New Jersey
1947 Glasgow United Kingdom Trinity College- postgraduate studies
1948 1954 Roebling, NJ USA pastor
1954 1975 Perth Amboy, NJ USA pastor
1959 1977 USA Bishop of the Eastern Diocese of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America
1977 1997 Detroit, MI USA Allen Park pastor
Literary activity
A Magyar Református Ökumené Időszakos Híradójának szerkesztője (1954−57), társszerkesztője (1972−1973), az Allen Park-i Church Herald szerkesztője (1974−1976), az Annual Report kiadója (1984). A Brief History of the Hungarian Reformed Church, Perth Amboy (NJ) (Perth Amboy, é. n.); A presbiter (Perth Amboy, é. n.). Publikált a Magyar Egyházban, a New York-i Magyar Életben, a Testvériségben. Az Allen Park-i jubileumi album 1941−1981 és a 20 éves album összeállítója 1965-ben.
Life timeline
Birth
Old, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Service in the homeland
Soltvadkert, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
assistant pastor
Priestly ordination
Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Service in the homeland
Fót, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
assistant pastor
Service in the homeland
19441945
Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary
Kálvin téri Református Gyülekezet
assistant pastor
Service in the homeland
19451947
Budapest, Hungary
YMCA (Keresztyén Ifjúsági Egyesület)
secretary
Service abroad
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Trinity College-
postgraduate studies
Service abroad
19471948
Princeton, NJ, USA
pursuing studies
Service abroad
19471948
New York, NY, USA
assistant pastor, while also helping out in churches in New Jersey
Service abroad
19481954
Roebling, NJ, USA
pastor
Service abroad
19541975
Perth Amboy, NJ, USA
pastor
Service abroad
19591977
USA
Bishop of the Eastern Diocese of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America
Episcopal consecration
Detroit, MI, USA
Amerikai Magyar Református Egyház Keleti Egyházkerület
Service abroad
19771997
Detroit, MI, USA
Allen Park
pastor
Death
Trenton, NJ, USA
Sources
  • Puskás Julianna - Kovács Ábrahám: Amerikai magyar református lelkészek életújra adattári rendszerben, 1891 - 2000., Debreceni Egyetemi Kiadó, 2017., 27-28.
  • Krónika, 1982-11-01., pp. 11.
Images
Photo
Click an image to enlarge. Navigation: ← →, close: Esc.
Places related to this person on the map
birth priestly ordination domestic service foreign service death burial
Similar and related clergy
Citation for this entry
Ábrahám Dezső: 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=262 (accessed: 2026-05-06).