Mátyás Godina

Who was Mátyás Godina?

Mátyás Godina Slovene Lutheran pastor, writer and teacher in Hungary.

Born in Lemerje, Godina's family was of minor nobility. He went to school in Surd in Somogy county, where he lived and worked with two Slovene littérateurs: István Küzmics and Mihály Bakos. Godina graduated from the Lutheran Lyceum of Sopron and returned to his home region Tótság (Prekmurje) as a consecrated priest.

Between 1793-1799, Godina worked as a teacher, and after the death of the priest István Szmodis, Godina became the pastor in 1821. From 1821 until his death, Godina was a priest and a teacher in Gornji Petrovci.

Godina wrote church hymns, sermons and school curricula in the Prekmurian language.