Greek Catholic Archbishop Jonas Maxim Reflects on Lifelong Pilgrimage to Levoča

Jonas Maxim, the Greek Catholic Archbishop and Metropolitan of Slovakia, has shared his personal connection to the annual pilgrimage to Levoča, saying he has been attending the religious gathering since childhood. The archbishop described the experience as deeply formative, noting that the singing from those early visits still resonates with him to this day. The Levoča pilgrimage, held at the Marian shrine on Mariánska hora (Marian Hill) near the historic town of Levoča in eastern Slovakia, is one of the largest religious gatherings in the country, drawing hundreds of thousands of Catholic and Greek Catholic faithful each year. The Greek Catholic Church, which follows Byzantine liturgical traditions while maintaining communion with Rome, has a significant presence in eastern Slovakia, particularly among communities with Rusyn and Ukrainian heritage.