Legend says József Fodor was a prominent guide and organizer of religious festivals for a long time. When he appeared, he soon became the main figure of the events, beyond the liturgy proper. The old pilgrims had already known him and expected his entrance on these occasions.

József Fodor was born on 27 June 1921 in Veresegyháza. He learned how to lead a religious festival procession from his mother, who died in 1936. In 1940, Fodor began to lead regular pilgrimages to various shrines. In his handwritten and illustrated book, he documented his religious festival trips from 1957 to 1974. The book contains photos and religious quotes. 
On each trip, he asked the parish priest, the chief lieutenant, or the bishop to add personal notes to his collection. Between 1957 and 1974, he led 153 pilgrimage groups, 12 of which went abroad. In the nearly ten years between 1962 and 1971, 120 groups took a pilgrimage trip with his guidance. In the course of his journeys, he visited 45 Hungarian and 16 foreign shrines. He often returned to a few of his favorite places, but he always strove to visit new places. He was ill for longer periods. We don’t know much about the pilgrimages he took after 1974. József Fodor died in Budapest in 1984. József Fodor’s book was made part of the collection of the Christian Museum in 1986.

Sándor Soós published József Fodor’s book in 2008. Soós listed the pilgrimages which Fodor had led, and he wrote about his life and his pilgrimage trips.