Our Lady of Kophaza (II)

At 14 years of age, Eleanor had become a beautiful and well-adjusted young girl. She was the pride of her father and the joy of the entire family. The Count had begun to make ambitious plans for his daughter’s future and the possibility of making an alliance with some great family of the local nobility. Was this a miracle? Who can say, but surely the family had received special graces! A few months later, as the hunting parties continued on the Nadasdy’s estate, Eleanor was noticed by a young man from the Wesselenyi family, a family belonging to the great nobility of Hungary. Talks of marriage began between the two families and Eleanor revealed to her father her vow to remain a virgin. The family was filled with consternation! Count Nadasdy consulted his relative, the Bishop of Eger, who judged that Eleanor had made that vow at such a young age and in such poor health that she could not have understood its gravity and to what extent she had committed herself. So the bishop released the girl from her vow of virginity and the formal engagement took place. We will not dwell upon Eleanor’s interior suffering, but instead let us take a look at the activity around the Nadasdy’s castle. The entire town was filled with joy. The Wesselenyi family was present with pomp and circumstance. Eleanor looked as pretty as a princess and prepared herself emotionally by obedience to be led in the procession to her fiancé. At the beginning of the day the weather was superb, but soon the sky became overcast with dark clouds. A thunder storm threatened. General opinion was to wait for the storm to pass over, but there was not enough time to take shelter. A violent gust of wind made the castle tremble, tearing off the festoons arranged earlier in the day by the hands of artists and then, a loud thunder clap… and a bolt of lightning fell on the procession in formation. Alas! Instead of a marriage, there was a funeral in Kophaza. Eleanor, the girl who was miraculously cured by the Blessed Virgin of the chapel in the woods of Kophaza had been struck by lightning! Fright, bitter tears and regrets all accompanied young Eleanor’s death. The poor Count was eaten up by remorse. In an effort to make reparation, he had a shrine built on the site of the small chapel. The faithful still come to this day to pray to the Mother of God, Our Lady of the Magyars!