Levoča

LEVOČA. - City in Slovakia, founded in 1245 and the center of a German colony. The ancient center of the county of Scepusium (Spiš), today it is a city of historical interest (well-preserved walls, ancient houses, museums, a fine town hall from 1615).

For the history of sacred art, the following are important: 1) the parish church of St. James from the 14th century. More than its Gothic architecture, the wooden altars are precious, especially the high altar, by the master Paul of L. 2) The church formerly of the Minorites, then of the Jesuits, from the 14th century, of Gothic architecture, but with a Baroque-influenced interior from the 18th century. Beside it is preserved the ancient Gothic convent with precious frescoes from the 15th century, recently discovered. 3) The church of the Minorites from 1715 is also Baroque.

In the religious life of Slovakia, L. is important as a place of great pilgrimages to the sanctuary of the Madonna on the Marian Mountain, where in the large Neo-Gothic church (from 1903-14) a miraculous statue of the Madonna from the 15th century, in Gothic style, is venerated. The most memorable feast was on July 2, 1947, when, in the presence of 130,000 pilgrims, the bishop of Scepusium consecrated his diocese to the Heart of Mary.

Michele Lacke