Catholics across Slovakia marked the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows on Monday – the nation’s patron saint. For nearly 300 years, thousands of pilgrims have travelled to Šaštín Stráže for the National Pilgrimage, to honor the statue of the Virgin Mary holding her son after the crucifixion.
This year’s mass at the outdoor altar of the Šaštín basilica was celebrated by Bishop František Trstenský of Spiš, who called on people to forgive, seek truth through dialogue, and walk together in unity:
"Mary teaches us to listen. Our society, too, needs to listen more. I believe the role of the Church is to bring hope and light into people’s lives, and into society."
President Peter Pellegrini, who joined the celebration, also spoke about unity:
"When the Slovak nation was united, it achieved great things. That is the way forward even today – to seek paths towards one another wherever possible."
Archbishop Bernard Bober of Košice reminded the faithful why Our Lady of Sorrows is such a powerful national symbol:
"For our nation she is a great symbol. Even when the nation fell, it stood up again – just as Christ did, and as His mother did. That is why we chose her as our closest companion in redemption."
Today, around 200 churches across Slovakia are dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. One of the oldest, dating back to the 13th century, stands in Trstín near Trnava.
Source: STVR, TASR
