The church and parish of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in Ludzmierz is the oldest in Podhale. Already in the 13th century Cistercian monks settled here and began building temples to worship the Virgin Mary. The seat of the Order was then moved to Szczyrzyc but the parish of Ludzmierz still remained under its care. It was administered by one of the designated monks in the name of the abbot. The church and parish of Ludzmierz was managed by the Cistercian Order till 1824.

The Neo-Gothic brick temple, which still exists today, was founded in the late 19th century on the site of the original dismantled church which had been built from larch wood. The main altar, with the late-Gothic figure of Our Lady of Ludzmierz wirth the Baby Jesus, also called the Queen of Podhale, was placed in the new temple. The Gothic figure was carved from wood of the lime tree around 1400. According to legend, the carving was funded by a merchant of Hungarian wine as a gift for his life being saved.

Even in earlier times the figure was an object of universal worship, not only in Podhale but also in the districts of Pieniny and Orawa and even in Slovakia. This was and still remains the most important shrine in Podhale and the destination of many pilgrimages.

Shrine of Our Lady in Ludzmierz (woj. Malopolskie)

www.mbludzm.pl