The Programme of the Day of Mourning

Ferenc Puskás’s corpse will be laid out on 7 December, Thursday in the Budapest Szent István Basilica and his worshippers and loved ones may pay their tribute to him here between 10.00 am and 8.00 pm. People may briefly express their mourning laying a bunch of flowers or a mourning wreath. The people arriving continuously can stop in turns in front of the bier for some seconds.

Worshippers may pay their last respects in the Puskás Stadium

As regards the programme of the National Day of Mourning the flag of the Hungarian Republics will be raised and then lowered it to half-mast on Saturday at 9.00 am with all due solemnity in Kossuth Square. The Nation’s Last Honours begins at 4.00 pm in the Puskás Ferenc Stadium, within the frames of which the fans and the worshippers may pay their last respects to the greatest ever Hungarian football player together, taking their seats on the grandstand of the stadium. The football teams, the sports clubs can ensure seats for themselves in the sectors via the competition organizing department of MLSZ (Hungarian Football Federation), which will be opened to the public at 4.00 pm, naturally for free. During the ceremony to be held here – probably in front of a full house – Ferenc Puskás’s mortal remains will be placed in the centre circle of the pitch. At the end of the one hour long ceremony at 5.00 pm the mourning mass – lead by the former class football players – will accompany the corpse along Dózsa György Street to the Heroes’ Square where the army says farewell to Ferenc Puskás posthumous promoted to brigadier general giving a quarter of an hour’s Military Funeral Service.

Requiem mass in the Basilica

At the end thereof, the assembled carry on their way to the direction of Szent István Basilica via Andrássy Road – József Attila Street – Hercegprímás Street – Zrínyi Street – Szent István Square. According to the plans the Roman Catholic requiem mass will begin here at 7.00 pm.

The most important events of the day of mourning will be broadcasted live by all public service television channels (MTV, m2, Duna Television), as well as the Petőfi Radio.

To the attention of journalists!

The press representatives may attend all three mourning events (Nation’s Last Honours, Military Funeral Service, the Requiem Mass) after a preliminary accreditation. The piety committee requests the editorial offices to send their accreditation to the e-mail address [email protected] before midnight of 5 December, Tuesday. In the requests the press organs have to indicate which mourning event they ask the accreditation for, for which of their colleagues by name, and in what status their representatives wish to work on the site (written press, photographer, television team, radio). We cannot ensure the television and radio companies other than those mediated to the requiem mass by our partners to get in (the picture and sound can be ordered from the Hungarian Television), the accreditation of photographers and journalists is possible also to a very limited extent.