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Radna,
Romania
(German)
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Maria Radna,
Romania
(German)
Mariarádna/Mariaradna,
Romania
(Hungarian)
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Radna,
Romania
(Official)
Radna,
probably
Romania's
most
important
Catholic
pilgrimage
destination.
Located on
the right
bank of the
Mure River
was first
mentioned in
1440 and
today is
part of the
town of
Lipova (Lippa)
on the other
side of the
river. The
first
Franciscan
monks had
been called
into Lipova
by King Karl
Robert of
Anjou
already in
1325/27. At
least since
1626
Franciscans
also lived
in Radna.
The
pilgrimage
church Maria
Radna dates
back to the
18th
century.
Radna had
become such
a popular
pilgrimage
site during
the early
18th century
that the old
church
became too
small.
Therefore,
it was
decided in
1750 to
build a new
church. In
1756 the
construction
work
started. The
new church
was
consecrated
in 1767 and
the image of
Our Lady was
brought here
from the old
church. The
church was
finished in
1782.
In 1911 the
two towers
were
heightened
and now have
a height of
66 m [right,
no.347]. A
fire in 1923
damaged the
church and
the
monastery.
Between 1948
and 1952
many
monasteries
in Romania
were closed
by the
authorities
and the
members of
these orders
were all
sent to
Radna; the
Franciscans
were only
allowed to
inhabit a
tiny part of
the
monastery.
In 1952 the
monastery
was
transformed
into a home
for elderly
and
handicapped
people.
Today
several
Franciscans
live in the
monastery
again. The
church was
renovated in
1971. In
1992 the
church
received the
status of a
Basilica
minor by
Pope John
Paul II.
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