The Salesians of Don Bosco, generally known simply as the Salesians, is the third largest religious institute in the Catholic Church. It has operated in Hungary since 1913, where its clergy established numerous schools. It has a Hungarian province, the institute's smallest province. Salesians in Hungary Short history of the province The first Salesian priest in Hungary was Károly Zafféry. By the middle of the 20th century, Salesians were present in Balassagyarmat Borsodnádasd Budapest Gyula Esztergomtábor Nyergesújfalu Péliföldszentkereszt Pestszentlőrinc Szombathely Újpest and in other less significance communities. According to Salesian school entries, in the year 1950, there were 280 Salesian religious in Hungary working in 15 places. However, the communist government prohibited every religious institute in Hungary. The Salesians had to abandon their work. Although they were officially dismissed, many of the former religious continued to live their sacred life. By the end of the communist regime, only 83 Salesians remained in Hungary to begin working once again in the spirit of Don Bosco: to serve the poor and neglected youth. Major Salesian houses in Hungary Óbuda - Provincial House and Salesianum Boarding House Foundation: 2001 The Salesians bought the site Bécsi út 173 in 1999. It is the base for the present Provincial House. Its foundation stone was laid down on May 24, 2001. The building was finally completed and blessed on January 1, 2002. Its functions are currently: Provincial centre, home for Salesian aspirants-, novicess (1999), post-novices and theology students; the Provincial House has a church, the Segítő Szűz Mária church (Mary Help of Christians), located next to the main building. The Salesianum Boarding House is the part of the main building facing the Bécsi Street. It was originally designed for the provincialate. Later it was used as a boarding house for Catholic male university students. Address:Szent Alajos Szalézi Rendház 1032 Budapest, Bécsi út 175. Provincial: P. Manjooran, Simon SDB (since 2010) Head of the house: P. Andrásfalvy, János SDB Szent Alajos House Foundation: 1920 At the time of the foundation of the house, in Óbuda, the third district of Budapest, this was one of the poorest districts of the capital city. During the Second World War, many Jews and Polish Salesians were sheltered from persecution and deportation in this house. After 1992, when the Salesians regained the most of their former possessions, a general rebuilding and renovating processes started. On the Bécsi út 175 site (approximately 1000