If you are near Timisoara, in the Holy Week of Catholic, Protestant and Reformed Easter, you could visit one of the most famous places of the Catholic tradition of Banat. The Basilica Maria Radna from Arad District is located at the confluence of the Banat and Transylvania, and all who live in the western part of Romania know it as one of the most famous places of pilgrimage, in particular for the veneration of the Virgin Mary.
Legend says that the icon of the Mother of Jesus remained intact after the fire caused by the army Turkish in 1695.
His legendary story reminds different periods and eras, from the Turkish occupation to the communism, and then to nowadays. The Franciscan friars have kept alive, from 1325 until 2003, the tradition of venerating the Virgin Mary so that it becomes, in time, a symbol not only for the regional Catholic world, but also for the visitors from other religions.
In the Holy Week, the Basilica of Maria Radna, situated on the bank of Mureș River, expects Christians to a religious program specific to the Easter period. Starting with the Holy Thursday with the Mass in memory of the Last Supper, processions continue with the Way of the Cross and rituals specific to the Great Friday. The Mass of the Resurrection is planned Saturday from 19.00.
On the first day of Easter the Mass begins at 8:00 am and on Monday from 10:00 am is the last Mass. The program is available on the website mariaradna.com/web/stiri. Respecting the multilingual tradition Banat, all information is available in Romanian, German, Hungarian and English.
In addition to a visit of a religious nature, the area is also interesting from the point of view of tourism. The most attractive places are Lipova and the fortress of Șoimoș that is seen from below and that opens a beautiful view towards the brook Mureş and the plain of Arad. Bibliography: mariaradna.com/web/
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