Thousands of pilgrims poured into Șumuleu Ciuc in Romania on Saturday for the biggest Catholic Pentecost ceremony in Central and Eastern Europe.
Following the centuries-old tradition, some of the faithful stopped first at the Franciscan cathedral to pray before walking up 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 Mariazell, Austria, and follows a cross on the map of Central Europe before ending in Harghita with the grand procession of Catholic Pentecost.
The majority claim 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 places where Jesus stopped on Golgotha.
“This is why I come here. I believe in the Virgin Mary, she does miracles. And besides, it is very beautiful! one man 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 Sumuleu Ciuc dates back 450 years and is linked to a historical event in 1576, when the prince of Transylvania, John Sigismund, tried to impose the Unitarian religion on the Roman Catholics of the region – of the Secler seats of Ciuc, Gheorgheni, and Cashin— an attempt that ultimately failed.
According to local authorities, more than 300,000 people attended the event last year.