Tomášikovo - Cave of Our Lady of Lourdes
In the village there is a cave and a church built in 1801, which is consecrated to the Holy Trinity. A well-known landmark in the village is the Esterházy family mansion. At the end of the 19th century, the castle was owned by the count Michael Esterházy. The manager of his property was Dózsa Prenoszil, his wife was Maria-Irma Zalka, cousin of the bishop in Győr. They had two children: the deaf-mute Margita and a son who died at a young age. Margitka is the main character in the Lourdes Cave story.
Margita, as a four-month-old, overcame a severe inflammation of the meninges. She was unconscious for three days and the doctor gave up hope for her survival. She dropped out of her hands as an eight-month-old, while her left ear canal was damaged. Her mother had envisaged going with her to Lourdes. With the parish priest Frantisek Koperniczký of Veľké Ludanice and religion teacher Imrich Nador spent in three days in Lourdes in 1901. There was a procession at midnight. The mother of the girl loudly begged Mary for help and intercession, so that Margita could say just a few words. During the procession, Margita's health began to improve. Her mother then decided to build a cave in Tomášikovo in honour of the Holy Virgin, as it is in Lourdes.
At the express wish of the healed girl, she was set up in the cemetery near the entrance. The stones for construction were brought directly from Lourdes. Archbishop of Trnava, Mons. Ján Orosch declared this place a Marian pilgrimage site of the Archdiocese of Trnava without any nationality on 5 September 2015, and on the basis of more than a century of tradition, he designated as the anniversary date of the Pilgrimage the Saturday, which is the closest to the Feast date of the Virgin Mary's birth day.
Source: Archbishop's Office, Archdiocese of Trnava
Literature:
www.tomasikovo.sk; www.panoramy.sme.sk
Contact information:
Address: Roman Catholic Parish Office, Tomášikovo village no. 320, 925 04 Tomášikovo
Telephone: 031/7855 113,
e-mail: farnost.tomasikovo@abu.sk
