Urška – the seer
Mother Mary appeared on Mount Skalnica, now called Sveta Gora (Monte Santo), in 1539 to Uršula Ferligojnica and instructed her: “Tell the people to build me a house here and ask me for mercy.” Uršula was imprisoned by the secular authorities several times in the dungeon of the Solkan manor house, from which she was always miraculously rescued. People began to make a pilgrimage to Mount Skalnica, where they built a wooden chapel and prayed in front of the statue of Mary, which, according to the visionary’s description, was made by the brothers Francesco and Pietro Floreani from Vidmo.
Mother Mary Queen of Sveta Gora
The church in the Gothic-Renaissance style was blessed by the Vicar General Egidij Falcetta. The Ogle Patriarch Marino Grimanipa gave it a gracious image of the Mary, the Mother of God in 1544, the work of the Venetian painter Jacopo Palma the Elder, which replaced the previous statue. The golden crown was awarded to those Marian images that had been worshiped for a long time and were famous for miracles.
Saint Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi (1181 – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian friar and founder of the Franciscan Order, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianity. Francis is associated with patronage of animals and the environment. It became customary for churches to hold ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of 4 October. In 1565 Archduke Karl II entrusted Sveta Gora with its monastery and church to the Franciscan order to care and maintain.
Spiritual and religious landmarks
For everyone on internal quest
Basilica of Our Lady
The first church after the apparition of Mary on this mountain was designed in gothic-renaissance style, whose construction began in 1540 and was standing on Sveta Gora until WW1 when it was completely demolished in mombardements. In 1907 that church was proclaimed a Basilica by Pope Pius X. The current basilica with the monastery and supporting buildings was rebuilt by the Franciscan order from 1924 to 1928 in the neo-baroque style, which are now all protected national monuments of culture. Besides religious services, the basilica is a host to concerts and exhibitions.
Chapel of Apparition
Built at the location of the apparition of Mother Mary to Urška, the chapel is the focal point of prayer to Virgin Mary which has granted innumerous miracles to the sick and the troubled. The chapel is accessible from within the basilica behind the main altar and houses the wooden gold-plated sculpture of Mother Mary. Being heated during the cold winter months, it is where the morning and evening masses are held on working days from November to April.
St. Francis statue
The statue of St. Francis of Assisi is located approximately 10 minutes walk from the Basilica through a beautiful and mystic forest. Located at a plateau with expansive views from the Alps to the Adriatic sea, the monument is engraved with various sayings and blessings of St. Francis. It is a great place to visit and experience the presence of holiness and humility, reminding you to surrender your life and problems to the higher authority.