Thousands of pilgrims flocked to Șumuleu Ciuc in Romania on Saturday to partake in the liturgy for what is believed to be the most significant Catholic Pentecost event in central and eastern Europe.
Following the tradition, some of the faithful stopped first at the Franciscan cathedral to pray before walking up the Șumuleu hill to the open-air altar where the mass was held.
Many of the pilgrims who set out a few weeks ago had travelled almost a thousand kilometres on the Via Mariae, a spiritual journey that begins in Austria’s Mariazell, and follows a cross on the map of central Europe before ending in Harghita with the grand procession of Catholic Pentecost.
Most faithful in attendance say that they pray for understanding, health and peace.
One of the routes, called the Way of the Cross, starts near the Franciscan church and features 14 crosses symbolising the points where Jesus stopped on his way to be crucified on Golgotha.
“This is why I come here. I believe in the Virgin Mary, she does miracles. And besides, it is very beautiful,” one believer said.
“Everybody from all entire Europe has been coming here for hundreds and hundreds of years. And this is why I come as well. I am very happy to come here along with my entire family,” he added.
Another pilgrim said he came to attend the Mass. “I have also attended it in the last two years, and I like it. I like to see people from Europe coming here.”
The pilgrimage to Șumuleu Ciuc dates back some 450 years. It is linked to a historical event in 1576, when Prince John Sigismund of Transylvania attempted to impose the Unitarian religion on the Roman Catholic population of the region — a plan that ultimately failed.
According to local authorities, more than 300,000 people attended the religious event last year. The late Pope Francis undertook the same trip in 2019.
