Let me try to give an accurate description of this site from reading! Gellert Hill Cave is also known as Saint Ivan's Cave. It is believed that Saint Ivan (some say Ivan is a version of Istvan or Stephen) was a healer in the Middle Ages who used the waters that came bubbling up near his cave to heal people. The word PEST in Hungarian means CAVE so it's as if the city was named Cave City long ago. Eventually the Pauline Monks turned the Cave into a Church. That was about 1924 and the grotto look they gave it was inspired by the church at the grotto at Lourdes, France, where there are also healing waters and miracles.. But in 1951 the Hungarian Secret Police came in and arrested and took the monks away. Though long prison sentences and even a death sentence were expected, I'm not sure these were carried out. but the Paulines were out of business For some reason I also do not understand, the police sealed up the cave church and it was used later as a store room. All of these things may be attributed to "political changes." In 1989 another one came. This time the cave was reopened and in 1992 with a new consecration it began to be used as a church again and the Pauline Order was revived so that today there are a half a dozen or a dozen friars. Whatever the decor, the point is that for hundreds of years this place had the reputation and vibe of a sacred space.
