Our Lady of Šiluva

Lithuania

Šiluva is Lithuania's major national Marian shrine. Its fame is linked to an apparition of the Virgin Mary considered one of the oldest recognized in Europe, occurring during a time of intense religious tension.

Origin and history

The devotion to Our Lady of Šiluva is associated with an apparition of the Virgin Mary, traditionally dated to around 1608, considered one of the first recognized by the Church in Europe. The story is set during a time of profound religious tension following the Reformation, when the memory of the old church and its Marian image was revived.

Since then, Šiluva has become a center of pilgrimage and a symbol of the Lithuanian people's Catholic perseverance. Its large September pilgrimages draw huge crowds each year and have made the shrine a spiritual landmark for the entire nation.