CHURCH OF MÁRIAPÓCS (MÁRIAPÓCSI KEGYTEMPLOM)

The magnificent Greek Orthodox church boasts a sublime 15 m high iconostasis, surrounded by gilding. On his first visit to Hungary in 1991, John Paul II came here to contemplate this supernatural masterpiece. The building was renovated in 2010. But the church of Máriapócs is a place of pilgrimage that attracts thousands of worshippers every year, drawn by the reputation of the "Black Madonna" or weeping icon.

The miracle of tears. In 1696, at Máriapócs, an icon of the Virgin Mary is said to have shed real tears for several weeks. The phenomenon was observed by dozens of devotees, some of them non-Catholics, reinforcing its credibility. Clear tears would have flowed from the painted face, with no apparent natural explanation. The event would have had a profound effect on the population, in a context of war and uncertainty, and would have been perceived as a sign of Mary's maternal compassion. The image was then transferred to St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna by order of the Emperor, while a copy left behind wept again in 1715 and again in 1905. These events, interpreted as miracles, are said to have given Máriapócs the status of a major pilgrimage site. For many, the Virgin's tears express the suffering shared with mankind, offering comfort and hope to those who come here to pray. The original is still in Vienna.