Slovakia's largest pilgrimage sees 400, 000 pilgrims

A week-long pilgrimage in Levoča (Prešov region) marking the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady (July 2) was rounded off on Sunday with a central mass celebrated by Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, the Polish archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome. Dating back to the 13th century, the annual Levoča pilgrimage was not discontinued even during four decades of Communist rule in the 20th century. Currently it is the biggest such event in Slovakia. Pilgrimage spokesperson Jozef Lapšanský said that the organisers were caught by surprise to see around 400,000 people attending the pilgrimage at the weekend alone. Slovakia's liberal President Zuzana Čaputová came to Marian Hill in Levoča on Friday to commemorate the national holiday of Saints Cyril and Methodius.