István Katona


István Katona
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Eger
ArchdioceseEger
Appointed10 October 1997
Term ended25 November 2013
Other postTitular Bishop of Brixellum (1989–2025)
Previous postAuxiliary Bishop of Vác (1989–1997)
Orders
Ordination7 June 1953
Consecration9 December 1989
by László Paskai, Izidor István Marosi, Endre Gyulay
Personal details
Born(1928-10-03)3 October 1928
Nagykáta, Hungary
Died21 October 2025(2025-10-21) (aged 97)
Nyíregyháza, Hungary
MottoMane nobiscum Iesu
Coat of arms
Styles of
István Katona
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

István Katona (3 October 1928 – 21 October 2025) was a Hungarian Roman Catholic prelate.

Katona was born in Nagykáta on 3 October 1928. He was ordained a priest on 7 June 1953 in Szeged.

On 3 November 1989, Pope John Paul II appointed him titular bishop of Brixellum and auxiliary bishop of Vác.[1] He was consecrated bishop on 9 December 1989. The Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference awarded him with the gold grade of the Pro Pedagogia Christiana award. When he turned 75, he asked Pope John Paul II to retire him according to ecclesiastical regulations but the Pope refused.[2]

On 25 November 2013, Pope Francis accepted his resignation and he retired; at that time he was the oldest active bishop in Europe.[3]

Katona died in Nyíregyháza on 21 October 2025 at the age of 97.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Katona – Magyar Katolikus Lexikon". lexikon.katolikus.hu. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  2. ^ "Nyugdíjba vonul Katona István segédpüspök". uj.katolikus.hu. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  3. ^ "Nyugdíjba vonul Katona István segédpüspök". uj.katolikus.hu. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  4. ^ "Bishop István Katona [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 24 October 2025.