Our Lady of Šiluva

Our Lady of Šiluva is one of the earliest Marian apparitions in Europe, believed to have occurred in 1608 in the village of Šiluva, Lithuania. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to shepherd children, standing on a rock and weeping while holding the Child Jesus. She lamented that the land where her Son had once been honored was now being used for other purposes, a reference to the Catholic faith being suppressed during the Protestant Reformation.

The apparition played a key role in restoring Catholic life in the region. After the children’s testimony, Mary also appeared to a local Calvinist minister and others, leading to the rediscovery of a buried chest containing sacred objects and documents proving the Church’s ownership of the land. This discovery helped Catholics regain the site, and devotion to Our Lady of Šiluva became a powerful force in the re-evangelization of Lithuania.

Today, Šiluva is a major pilgrimage destination, especially known for its Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Chapel of the Apparition, built over the stone where Mary appeared. Our Lady of Šiluva is honored as a symbol of faithfulness during persecution, reminding believers of Mary’s maternal sorrow and her call to remain faithful to Christ even in times of hardship.