BÓD ILUSKA

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Bód Iluska was born in 1910 to a Bulgarian mother and a Hungarian father in Puszta Ó-Barokon, in a family that had settled there not long before. Among his twelve siblings, he stood out as an infant. Even though his parents could barely read and write, he taught his sisters the art of lettering at the age of three. At the age of five, he was introduced to the Bible, which became his favorite reading. It was not by chance that he became the apple of the family's eyes thanks to his affection and fervent devotion. Even in his childhood, he abstained from worldly invitations and pleasures, and practiced minor abstinence. Although he was decently baptized, unfortunately he did not receive a proper religious upbringing at home, there were days in the family nest when they only sat together for prayer once. Thus, when he went to school at the age of six, he devoutly listened to every word of his religious teacher, religion was his favorite subject, but he achieved excellent results in everything, earning the respect of his peers. In 1921, he made his first communion at the church in Bobófalv, where he met the local chapter, János Polecz. From then on, several times a week he asked for and received books on religious topics, with which he could further polish his intellectual and spiritual education and nurture his relationship with God. After her confirmation, at the age of sixteen, she realized after a vision that she wanted to dedicate her life to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Mother Church, and then she went into hermitage for a week, where she also took a vow of virginity. After finishing elementary school, she wanted to become a nun so that she could spend all the hours with God every day, but due to the church law of the time, this was not possible, because her parents were not married before God, so she was considered illegitimate. János Polecz, the Bobófalv chapter, found out about this and encouraged her to withdraw her vow of virginity and get married, but Iluska remained strong and refused the temptation. He started working: he applied as a day laborer in Szarvastó, where he had to perform a wide variety of agricultural tasks. The work was very hard, men of a similar age were also very exhausted by it, but Iluska was filled with such strength by his faith that often, after he had done his part, he was able to help others as well. In addition to working hard, he went to Bobófalva every day to spend an hour and a half with God in the church. He stood out among his colleagues, after a few years everyone looked up to him with silent appreciation. The landowner also noticed him and offered him a managerial job. But Iluska did not accept this, because it would have resulted in a wage increase. He thought that day laborers with families needed this more. In 1930, he organized the faith practice circle in Szarvasto. He taught the group of young women to the faith based on his best knowledge, and together they held several days of spiritual exercises. Later, under the name Nevelkedj Hitre Szeretre, religious classes were held for elementists completely free of charge, so that as many people as possible could turn to religion instead of their sinful life. MCSSZ helped them in the organization. Iluska also showed her spiritual purity with her appearance: she wore as simple clothes as possible, did not wear jewelry, and avoided secular society. In the summer of 1936, on the day of our Lord's Transfiguration, when he and his day laborers were mowing the wheat in the last fields in the border of Szarvastó, suddenly a huge storm arose and lightning struck the field and its surroundings. In the great upheaval, his companions started running back and forth in the sky. But then Iluska stood up and said to them in a calm, resonant voice: Quickly throw down your scythes and run straight to the depths of the forest! Until then, he stuck a scythe in the ground with the handle down, so that the heaven stone would hit its tall metal sickle, not the fleeing people. However, by the time he was done with the operation and could have started running after his companions, a bolt of lightning struck the scythe staring at the sky and with it Iluska, who was an Oh, Lord! after crying out, he collapsed, only his charred body remained on the ground, but his soul was able to meet the heavenly Lord. The storm died down as quickly as it came. The other day laborers were all saved, Iluska sacrificed her life for them. They were all shocked at what he had done. He was buried in Bobófalva in the presence of a large crowd on August 12 of that year. Five years after his death, in 1941, the competent Archbishop of Esztergom, Justínián Serédi, initiated the recognition of his martyrdom in the Catholic Church. Bód Iluska earned the name God serves, but the process was interrupted due to the Second World War and the communist regime that followed, so unfortunately the award of the honorable title is still pending. His memory is protected by a plaque in the Bobófalv church. His grave in the Bobófalv cemetery still attracts pilgrims on the Transfiguration Day.