Fr. Apollinár OFM (1897–1968), a Franciscan friar, missionary to China, and pastor, was one of the leading figures of the Hungarian Franciscan mission. He was born on January 1, 1897, in the village of Dávod in the Bácska region. His vocation was greatly influenced by his former parish priest, Father Dobozy, who guided him toward the Franciscan Order. On August 27, 1913, he donned the habit of St. Francis of Assisi. Even during his novitiate, he stood out for his conscientiousness, diligence, and deep piety. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1920, in the city of Eger.

His first assignment was also in Eger, where, due to his short stature, he soon became known among the faithful and his fellow friars by the affectionate nickname “Little Father.” He enjoyed great popularity as an excellent orator and patient confessor. He participated in the daily educational work of the Franciscans in Eger, especially when novices and Seraphic College students transferred from Pécs to the monastery due to the Serbian occupation. He often substituted for the ailing novice master, Feisz Angelus, took his students on excursions, and gave them lectures on history and spirituality. His provincial superior at the time was Oslay Oswald, who also organized the system of care for the poor known as the “Eger Norm.”

In 1929, as provincial superior, Oslay Oswald undertook a mission to China on behalf of the Hungarian Franciscan province. Among the applicants was Father Apollinár, who wrote in his application: “Just as the beggar seeks alms and the penitent seeks forgiveness, so I ask to be sent on this mission...” He traveled to China with the first Hungarian Franciscan missionary group. He mastered the Chinese language with extraordinary diligence, and according to his contemporaries, he spoke it almost perfectly. The main area of his missionary work was Hunan Province, particularly the Paoking region, which served as the center for the Hungarian Franciscans. He tirelessly traversed the vast mission territory, often even in the summer heat. He performed mass baptisms, taught new converts, and carried out his missionary work with great self-sacrifice.

During the Sino-Japanese War, he was temporarily assigned to the northern Passionist mission, then returned to the Hungarian Franciscan mission, where he also served at Brother Bence’s orphanage. After the communist takeover, he was exiled to Hong Kong. He then entered the service of the Irish-Australian Franciscan Province, where he taught theology and was deeply loved by those around him. Later, however, following his missionary companions, he moved to the United States.

In the United States, he served as chaplain to the Discalced Carmelite Sisters near Flemington, New Jersey, and led Third Order communities. Bishop George W. Ahr held his pastoral zeal in high esteem. Later, she became involved in the Hungarian pastoral life of New Brunswick, while also conducting popular missions and retreats in various locations. At the retreat house in DeWitt, she led Hungarian retreats on two occasions, which left a deep impression on the faithful.

In the final years of his life, he suffered from severe heart disease. After a heart attack, he was admitted to the home of the former Chinese missionary Sisters of Szatmár in Hewitt, New Jersey. In the fall of 1968, he still participated in a retreat with his fellow religious, but shortly thereafter he was taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery for an internal tumor. On November 8, 1968, she suffered another heart attack and died peacefully within minutes.

Her funeral was complicated by an extraordinary storm that was ravaging the East Coast of the United States. His funeral Mass was presided over by Mand Maximus, concelebrated by his fellow monks, and his grave is located in the Roebling Cemetery of the Commissariat. Father Apollinár was remembered by his contemporaries as a childlike, humble, and deeply devout man who dedicated his entire life to the service of the Church and souls.

Vándorúton Ázsia földjén. (Missziós tört-ek) Bp., 1946. (Ferences világmissziók 42.)