Date

Thursday 17th October 2019

Holy Places Visited

  • Kostol Svätej Alžbety (Modrý Kostolík) [“Church of Saint Elizabeth (Blue Church)”], Bratislava (exterior)
  • Kostol Svätý Ladislava [“Church of Saint Ladislaus”], Bratislava (exterior)
  • Kostol Svätej Alžbety [“Church of Saint Elizabeth”], Bratislava
  • Heydukova Ulica Synagóga [“Heydukova Street Synagogue”], Bratislava
  • Kostol Nanebovzatia Panny Márie (Blumentálsky Kostol) [“Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Blumental Church)”], Bratislava

Distance Travelled

Stayed in Bratislava

Route

We visited the famous “Blue Church”, dedicated to Saint Elizabeth and built in the Art Nouveau style at the beginning of the last century.

We walked on, visiting a church dedicated to Saint Ladislaus and a very ornate church, again dedicated to Saint Elisabeth, who is widely venerated in Austria, Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.

We then visited the “Heydukova Street Synagogue”, where we met Dotty and Jim, a couple from the United States, and were welcomed into the Synagogue by Ivan. He kindly showed us around the active Synagogue and talked about the history of Judaism in Slovakia along with his moving, personal experiences.

That afternoon we walked to the Nové Mesto [“New City”] area of Bratislava. On the way we passed the “Fountain of Peace” and joined an afternoon service in the Neo-Romanesque style Blumentál Church. That evening we watched a ballet performance and I spoke to some Jehovah’s Witnesses while we waited to enter the venue.

Many thanks to Ivan for welcoming us and to Claire and Graeme for joining the pilgrimage for a fourth consecutive day.