Debrecen marked the 350th anniversary of the liberation of Protestant galley slaves with a commemorative event organized by the Tiszántúl Reformed Church District in cooperation with its sister churches on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
The ceremony began at 4:30 PM in the Memorial Garden behind the Great Reformed Church, where participants laid wreaths at the monument dedicated to the galley slaves. The event continued at 5:00 PM with a church service inside the Great Reformed Church.
Representatives of the Reformed Church were joined by pastors from the Lutheran and Baptist denominations. Among the notable attendees were Frits de Ruyter de Wildt, president of the foundation named after Dutch Captain Michiel de Ruyter, who freed the galley slaves, and István Puskás, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen.
The event honored the memory of those who suffered as galley slaves and celebrated the legacy of freedom and religious perseverance in the region.
