Page 9 - Nógrád megye 2021

When God created the Nógrád landscape, he must have pilgrims with a modernized outdoor place for hold-
been in good spirits, so we may feel to be on God’s palm ing masses, the renovated Basilica Minor, and with
while staying here. comfortable new hotels and conference venues. It can
Here is the Open-Palm Lookout Tower of Alsótold (part be visited at any time of the year and is really suitable
of the national blue-tour line). Seated on its palm, the for meditation, for a stay of several days, and to hold
sight is unparalleled. spiritual exercises.

The village of Herencsény is not far away, where the mo- In Szécsény, this small town of Nógrád with its jewel-
dern people erected a sacral sign, the Great Guarding lery box beauty, there is also a Franciscan Church and
Cross of the Palóc. It was not intended primarily as a to- Monastery in addition to the castle and the fortress.

urist attraction, but as a symbol of the unity with a truly The novice house of the Franciscan Order of Our La-

liveable depth. And that’s what it became. Come and dy of Hungary operates here, and two Franciscan sis-
take a look! ters’ communities have also found their homes here.

The National Shrine in Mátraverebély-Szentkút is an Namely, the Order of Saint Clare and the Franciscan
800-year-old sacred place full of miracles and legends, Sisters for the Care of the Poor. You can also visit the
a famous pilgrimage site. It is one of the most impor- church and the monastery here.
tant centres of Christianity in Hungary. Th is Franciscan In Nógrád, we can see the manifestations of the Palóc
shrine can be traced back to our King Saint Ladislaus. folk religiosity (Hollókő, Maconka, Mohora, Kalonda,
The place of pilgrimage was built around the miracu- Szurdokpüspöki).

lous spring; today it welcomes domestic and foreign

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