METE SACRE DI PELLEGRINAGGIO

In this land where ancient Slavs worshiped their goddess of fertility on an island in the middle of a lake, every town, village and accessible hilltop, has a church, each of which is distinguished by special features. Many appeal as a consequence of their architecture and artworks, while a number remain places of pilgrimage.

Brezje

The Basilica of the Virgin Mary near Radovljica is the best known pilgrimage site in . The Chapel at the heart of this sanctuary features early-19^th century frescoes, including a painting of the Virgin Mary, by Leopold Layer. The main pilgrimages take place on 24^th May, 15^th August and the first Sunday in September.

In 1988 Pope John Paul II honoured the church with the epithet of basilica minor. Other popular pilgrimage destinations in the region include the in Lesce, and the Church of St. Benedict in Podbrezje, together with its 13 chapels representing the Stations of the Cross.

Bled

Bled’s first tourists were pilgrims visiting the Church of the Assumption; built on an island in the middle of the lake it is accessible by ferry and thence the pilgrimage staircase. It stands on an ancient pagan site of worship, and, like many of this nation’s churches, its monumental architecture was constructed over several centuries.

Standing on Roman remains, today’s predominantly Baroque church has a Gothic base, further to which fragments of 15^th century frescos also survive.

Poljanska and Selška valleys

The St. Ema Pilgrimage Route connects the Church of Three Kings in Žiri, the of on Ledinica, the of (Tilen) at Javorje near Škofja Loka, the Church of the Annunciation at Crngrob (also near Škofja Loka), the Church of the Blessed Virgin in Železniki and the in Sorica. The route also leads further into linking places related to life and work of the 10^th Century Ema.

Cerklje

The impressive Baroque Church of the Annunciation and the adjacent former Velesovo Monastery in Adergas near Cerklje were once an important place of pilgrimage and devotional centre of the Gorenjska region.