Marian pilgrimage site Ľutina It lies (also known locally as Mariánska hora) on the southern slope of the Čergov Mountains, in the valley of the Ľutinka stream. Ľutinská hora came to public attention as the site of alleged apparitions of St Nicholas. The village has been mentioned since 1330, but it was the apparitions that brought this place much greater attention.
From the history of the basilica
The Basilica of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Ľutina It was built in 1908 as a single-nave church. Despite the politically difficult situation facing the Greek Catholic Church, a major renovation of the church was carried out between 1981 and 1984. The interior paintings, stained-glass windows, the tabernacle and the icons in the sanctuary are the work of the academic painter Mikuláš Klimčák.
The ceremonial declaration of this pilgrimage church as Minor Basilica took place on 27–28 August 1988 during the solemn services held as part of the main pilgrimage. It was performed by the then Bishop of Prešov, Monsignor Ján Hirka. Between 2007 and 2009, the basilica was extended to include two side aisles – the right-hand one also serves as a parish chapel, which is why a restored historic Baroque iconostasis and an altar from the Church of St Paraskeva in Nová Polianka, dating from 1766, were installed there.
On 9 June 2010, there was The Basilica of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Ľutina affiliated with the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome by a special bond of spiritual kinship, with the privilege of plenary indulgences.
Changes to the basilica and the completion of the complex
In July 2013, to mark the 25th anniversary of the local church’s elevation to the status of a minor basilica, the basilica was given a new look in the form of large-scale mosaics depicting the Divine Mercy, Saint John Paul II, the Blessed Martyr Bishops Pavol Peter Gojdič, Vasil Hopko and Teodor Romža, the martyred religious priest Metod Dominik Trčka, the Wedding at Cana in Galilee, the Good Samaritan and St Faustina. They were created by Fr Kamil Dráb CSsR.
Since 2013, the basilica has also housed the relics of all the saints and blessed mentioned above, which are incorporated directly into the mosaics.
Ján Babjak SJ, Archbishop of Prešov and Metropolitan, proposed linking the basilica to Mount Liutina via the Path of Light. These are chapels featuring fourteen stations of meditation, from the Feast of the Resurrection to the Feast of Pentecost. These twin chapels lead from the basilica up to Lutina Hill along a new footpath through the woods.
Source: bazilikalutina.sk
Photo source:OOCR RŠ
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The pilgrimage site is situated roughly in the centre of the village; there is a car park next to the basilica and a bus stop nearby.
The site is ideal for a casual visit; it is open all year round and admission is free.
As well as the basilica itself, visitors will find chapels, a small open-air museum of wooden churches and a wooden church with a viewing tower.
Today, the basilica is a well-maintained landmark of this place of pilgrimage, which ranks among the most important Greek Catholic Marian pilgrimage sites in Slovakia.
