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

Keller György Illés OCD

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Deceased

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Birth data:: Kunsziget, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary — 1915
Death data:: Hubertus, WI, USA — March 3, 1985
Denomination:: Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical status:: religious
Diocese / Order:: karmelita (Ordo fratrum Beatæ Virginis Mariæ de monte Carmelo)

Ordination level:: priest
Entry into religious life:: July 16, 1931
Perpetual vows:: Keszthely, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary — 1936
Priestly ordination:: Róma, Italy — April 8, 1939
Place of burial:: Carmelite Cemetery at Holy Hill
Hubertus, WI, Hungary

Biographical data

Religious name: Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. Her mother’s name was Etel Blaskovits. She entered the order on July 16, 1931. She took her final vows in Keszthely in 1936. She was ordained a priest in Rome on April 8, 1939. From 1939 to 1942, he served as a missionary in Baghdad, in what is now Iraq. There he learned Arabic. In 1942, he was interned in Africa as a citizen of an Axis power. He remained in Africa until 1947, after which he moved to the United States. He was a member of the Marian Priests’ Movement. He was the brother of Tarzicius Keller.

Foreign service locations

From	To	Place	Current name, country	Position
1939	1942	Bagdad (بغداد), Iraki Királyság	Irak	missionary
1942	1947	Uganda		imprisoned
1950 after		Morristown, NJ, USA		missionary, currently in Tucson, AZ, USA, or Sonora, TX or CA, USA
1962		Hayden, ID, USA		missionary
1963	1976	Keany, AZ, USA		parish priest who built the church
1977	1985	Hubertus, WI, USA		missionary

Literary activity

A Máriás Papi Mozgalom 1. és 2. könyvének magyar fordítását végezte el. Tovább, tovább, mégtovább - önéletrajz

Life timeline

Birth

1915

Kunsziget, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, currently Hungary

Entry into religious life

July 16, 1931

Perpetual vows

1936

Keszthely, Kingdom of Hungary, currently Hungary

Priestly ordination

April 8, 1939

Róma, Italy

Service abroad

1939 – 1942

Bagdad (بغداد), Iraki Királyság, currently Irak

missionary

Service abroad

1942 – 1947

Uganda

imprisoned

Service abroad

1950

Morristown, NJ, USA

missionary, currently in Tucson, AZ, USA, or Sonora, TX or CA, USA

Service abroad

1962

Hayden, ID, USA

missionary

Service abroad

1963 – 1976

Keany, AZ, USA

parish priest who built the church

Service abroad

1977 – 1985

Hubertus, WI, USA

missionary

Death

March 3, 1985

Hubertus, WI, USA

Sources

https://www.discalcedcarmel.org/departed-brethren✓
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31372845/elias-keller✕
KMV, 1978-03-05., pp. 8.;
KMVÉ: 1950-1985.;Török: 414.;
ABTL: HU - ÁBTL - I. - 2.2.1. - IV/1 Külföldön élő személyek kartonjai, 1378-1380.;
Fischer Gergely János: A Sarutlan karmelita rend magyarországi rendtartománya helyzete 1950-1965 között, diplomamunka, PPKE BTK, é.n., 36.;
Magyar Kármelita Delegáció archívuma

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● birth ● priestly ordination ● domestic service ● foreign service ● death ● burial

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Citation for this entry

Keller György Illés OCD: 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=518 (accessed: 2026-07-07).

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