Trnava – Basilica of St. Nicolaus, the Basilica Minor
The merciful picture of the Virgin Mary of Trnava was painted according to the model from the Roman Church of Saints Alexei and Boniface. This picture depicts the Virgin Mary with a dark face and dark garment: it is a Byzantine type of Our Lady of Prayer. The painting of Virgin Mary of Trnava is a painting on wood with dimensions of 89 x 71 cm.
In 1663 the Turks looted and ravaged Hlohovec, Nitra, Modra, Pezinok, Franciscan Monastery of St. Catherine and penetrated to the vicinity of Trnava. However, they did not reach the town itself and Trnava remained intact. At this time, a strange event occurred - a picture of the Virgin Mary in the parish church showed bloody sweat. Although relatively few reports have been preserved about this extraordinary phenomenon, people have believed and disseminated reports of this over the years.
From the time of the Kuruc War II (1703 - 1711), there were other reports of the miraculous tearing of the Marian image.
After these events, the inhabitants of the city asked to create a more dignified place for the merciful picture of the Virgin Mary of Trnava. On the third of June 1739, the foundation stone of the Marian chapel was laid and consecrated, which was ceremonially consecrated on 9 September 1741 along with the main altar.
After the World War I, respect for the Virgin Mary of Trnava fell. The tradition began to come back to life after 1939, the holy masses, sermons, processions, adorations were renewed, and the respect for the love picture of the Virgin Mary of Trnava in the form of a novena, or nine-day devotion of various forms was gradually formed. It is held regularly from 13 to 21 November.
Source: Archbishop's Office, Archdiocese of Trnava
Literature: Rusina, I.(ed.): History of Slovak Fine Art: Baroque. Bratislava SNG, 1998.
Contact information:
Address: Roman Catholic Parish Office, Street of M. Sch. Trnavský no. 3, 917 01 Trnava 1
Telephone: 033/5931 081,
E-mail: dekanat.trnava@abu.sk
Wweb: https://www.abu.sk/
