Assumption celebrations in Aglona reach their peak this weekend
Aglona will host the Feast of the Assumption this weekend, with the main Mass on Saturday led by the papal envoy to the Baltic states.
This weekend Aglona will mark the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of the most important Catholic celebrations in Latvia. The basilica’s programme began earlier in the week: Tuesday was dedicated to the sick, Wednesday to families, and Thursday’s prayers were devoted to peace. Pilgrims from various Latvian parishes have been on the road since early August, with the first groups expected to arrive on Thursday.
On Friday, 14 August, a morning Mass at 10 will honour St. Meinard, Latvia’s second spiritual patron. At 19, Archbishop Zbigņevs Stankevičs will lead the vigil service. Later, at 22, the traditional Way of the Cross will begin in the Sacred Square, drawing thousands of participants. According to police estimates, more than 17,000 people attended last year’s festivities from Friday morning until the end.
The main Mass will take place on Saturday at noon, led by Archbishop Georg Genswein, the envoy of Pope Leo XIV to the Baltic states. In previous years, the service has been attended by Latvia’s top officials, including the president, government members and foreign diplomats. This year, however, President Edgars Rinkēvičs will not take part, as he is on vacation on 15 August.
Aglona Basilica is regarded as one of the most significant shrines in Latvia and Europe, and the feast has been declared an event of national importance. The Baroque church features 60-metre towers, richly decorated vaults and columns, ten masonry altars, 18th- and 19th-century oil paintings, and an organ more than 200 years old. The miraculous icon of Our Lady of Aglona stands above the main altar, surrounded by votive offerings.
Aglona has been known as a sacred site of the Baltic tribes since ancient times; its name is linked to the spruce forests that once covered the area. Historical records connect the site to the tragic events of 1263, when King Mindaugas and his two sons were killed. In 1980, Pope John Paul II granted the basilica the title Basilica Minoris, the only one of its kind in Latvia.
