History
In 1800, a chapel dedicated to Mary, Help of Christians, is built as an extension of the church dedicated to Saint Vitus.
The origin of the sanctuary at Brezje stems from a promise made by a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. Should this serviceman return home safe and sound, he would create an image of the Virgin Mary. This is why the sanctuary is dedicated to Mary, Help of Christians. “Help of Christians” is also included in the Litany of Loreto. The soldier was a man of his word and fulfilled his promise in 1814.
In 1814, the chapel was painted by Leopold Layer from Kranj, who also created the statue of Mary, which holds a special place in the church. The painting is based on a theme from Innsbruck, Austria. Leopold Layer created the painting of Mary as thanks for his rescue from captivity during the war with the French occupying forces. When he began the artwork in 1814, the French soldiers had already left Slovenian territory.
In the 19th century, miracles occurred in Brezje, making the church and chapel very famous. As a result, the number of pilgrims increased significantly. The church was too small to accommodate the large influx of pilgrims. Therefore, in 1889, it was decided to replace the existing church with a new house of worship. The design plan for the new, large church came from Robert Mikovitz from Graz, Austria. In this plan, the miraculous statue of Mary was given a prominent place in the separate chapel, which remained unchanged, as only the church was renovated. The interior of the church was made in the Renaissance style. The altar was created by Janez Vurnik. The construction of the church took 10 years and was carried out under the supervision of architect Francisek Faleschin from Ljubljana. The church is 39 metres long, 19 metres wide, and 17 metres high. The consecration of the church took place on 7 October 1900.
In 1897, the Franciscan monastery, located next to the church, was built. The necessary funds came to Brezje through a stipulation in a will. The consecration took place in 1898. In 1900, the current church was consecrated by Jakob Missia, the first Slovenian cardinal. In 1907, the image of Mary with the child Jesus was crowned. The two gold crowns with gemstones were made by goldsmith Ivan Kregar.
In 1937, the park in front of the church was laid out.
In 1941, the Franciscans are expelled from Brezje by the Gestapo. In the turbulent years of the Second World War, the image of Mary is kept safe. A copy of the original statue is made by painter Riko Debenjak and placed in the church. This allows the original statue to go into hiding. Between 1941 and 1947, the effigy of Mary resided in Croatia, specifically in Trsat. This is a special place, as the Holy House, now located in Loreto, Italy, is also said to have temporarily been in Trsat. After Trsat, the statue also stayed in the Cathedral of Ljubljana and emerged from the war unscathed.
In the first year of independence, the Slovenian people dedicated themselves to the Mother of God. This happened on 15 August 1992.
In 1988, Pope John Paul II bestowed the honorary title of basilica upon the church. In 1996, this pope visited Brezje.
In 2000, the Slovenian Bishops' Conference declared the Basilica of Mary, Help of Christians as the national Marian shrine.
Since 2001, there has been a nativity scene museum in Brezje. This is located behind the basilica. The exhibition space was renovated in 2015.
On 24 May, the festival of the pilgrimage site is celebrated.
Pilgrimage site
Central to the sanctuary stands the basilica with the crowned statue of Mary. Next to the basilica is the Franciscan monastery. In the galleries of this monastery, the Passion of Christ is depicted. The works are by the Russian painter Nikolai Mashukov.
The chapel in the basilica is of utmost importance to pilgrims. Alongside the statue of Mary are the effigies of her parents, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim. Next to Mary's parents are Saint Valentine and Saint Roch. In 1954, the chapel was completely altered. Parts of the old altar to Mary were moved to the convent chapel. Due to the demolition of the chapel's ceiling, paintings by Layer were damaged and lost. The renovation resulted in a new altar to Mary.
The altar of the basilica is also of great beauty. To the left of the altar stands Saint Francis and to the right, Saint Clare of Assisi. The side altar is dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua.
Behind the basilica is the nativity museum with many nativity scenes. The special nativity scenes on display are very popular with visitors.
In front of the basilica lies a large square, which is enriched with trees. The pilgrim office is located on this open space. Here, information about the sanctuary can be obtained and devotional items are also for sale. Next to this is the pilgrim gallery, where exhibitions are organised. Following this, pilgrims arrive at the coffee house, where the first-aid post is also housed. This building bears the name John the Baptist.
Extending from the basilica and the square is the Peace Park. In the green oasis of the park, you'll find a statue of the Holy Family and a tall cross. From here, there's a grand view of the Julian Alps, including Slovenia's highest mountain, Triglav. To the right of this lies the Karawankas mountain range.
During the pilgrimage season, there is a candle procession on Saturday after the Eucharist service. In the services at Brezje, prayer, faith and hope are central.
The Sanctuary of Brezje is the pilgrimage site of Mary in Slovenia and receives an average of 400,000 pilgrims per year.
ACCESSIBILITY
Brezje is located in the north of Slovenia, not far from the Austrian border. From Villach in Austria, follow the A11, continue through the Karawanken Tunnel and proceed on the A2/E61 towards Ljubljana. After Bled and Radovljica, take the Brezje exit.
Address: Basilica of Mary Help of Christians, Brezje 72, SI – 4243 Brezje.
Information can be obtained from the websites www.marija.si and www.pilgrim-info.com/national-shrine-mary-help-christians-brezje/.
Experience
After a trip through Belgium, Germany and Austria, I will arrive in Slovenia. At the Slovenian border, it is not far to reach Brezje.
Upon arrival, I will visit the basilica and go to the image of Mary to thank Her for the safe journey to this shrine. After a few prayers to the Mother of God, I will proceed further into the right transept.
In the walk around and behind the altar, one can see a great many thank-you notes to Mary. Folk art is on display at its finest. What an impressive amount of paintings, prints, photos, and texts are displayed here, from the floor right up to the ceiling.
Now I can admire the entire basilica. It is so beautiful here with statues, paintings, and frescoes. Once I've seen the basilica, I'll take a seat on the back pew. I will let the magnificent beauty of this basilica sink in, and then I will pray to Mary.
After visiting the basilica, I will visit the museum with its many, special nativity scenes, the monastery gallery, and the Peace Park. Afterwards, I will go to the pilgrim shop to buy some souvenirs from this Marian capital of Slovenia.
Posted: 17 April 2020.
Updated: 2 May 2020.
