János Szlepecz

Who was János Szlepecz?

János Szlepecz was a Slovene Roman Catholic priest, dean and writer. He wrote in Prekmurian and also in Hungarian.

He was born in Murska Sobota, where his father Iván Szlepecz was a blacksmith in the market town. His mother was Julianna Czigány. In 1896, he was chaplain for ten years of the Szapáry family, in 1906 the priest of Murska Sobota, in 1913 after the death of Ferenc Ivanóczy dean of the Slovene March.

Szlepecz in the first years opposed the autonomy of the Slovene March and supported Hungary. He later changed his mind and stood next to the Prekmurian Slovenes. After World War I, he maintained the Prekmurian liturgy in the St. Nicholas Church. After the occupation of Mura Republic, Szlepecz was taken hostage of the Hungarian Communists.

In 1918, was bishopric vicar in Szombathely in 1922 honorary vicar in Maribor. Before the war wrote articles in the Szombathelyi Újság, Muraszombat és vidéke in Hungarian, Prekmurian articles wrote in the Marijin list, Novine, Kalendar Srca Jezušovoga. Translate also the Gospels in Prekmurian language.

He died in Murska Sobota.