Mariazell, Austria
God pardons like a mother, who kisses the offence into everlasting forgiveness.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–1887), Protestant minister and author
The Alpine basilica is easily recognized in the Austrian hamlet of Mariazell because of its Gothic central steeple and twin baroque spires. It has an ornate high altar and a sacred shrine that holds the holy Madonna and Child wooden sculpture, which is said to be miraculous. The church has been a popular pilgrimage site from the twelfth century but especially after a fourteenth-century secular court ordered criminals to make the Mariazell pilgrimage to atone for their crimes.
If you feel the need to atone for something, visit the Mariazell Basilica. The basilica is open November 1 to April 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. and May 1 to October 31 from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Fly into Vienna and take the train to St. Polten and then to Mariazell; a bus will take you into the heart of town. Then, walk the short distance remaining. Or, take Route 20 from Vienna southwest to Mariazell, roughly 80 miles.
Confess your sin. Attend the celebration of the Mass and receive the sacrament of penance at this center of Austrian pilgrimage. Let spiritual inspiration further guide you to a method of atonement.
The Mariazell Basilica is central Europe’s most visited Marian shrine. Our Lady of Mariazell is known by many names, including the “Great Mother of the Slavic People” and the “Great Mother of Austria.”