Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas is coming to Slovenia

Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, a close associate of Pope Leo XIV and Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome, is due to visit Slovenia on 8 September 2026.

Following Holy Mass, which he will preside over in the morning at the famous Marian shrine on Gorca in Malečnik, Cardinal Makrickas will attend the opening of a historical exhibition on the Lavantine–Maribor (Arch)diocese. He will then take part as the keynote speaker in a Marian symposium at the Alma Mater Europaea University of Maribor (Slovenska ul. 17) to mark the 800th anniversary of the Archdiocese of Maribor. He will speak on the role in the present day of the world’s most important Marian shrine, which he leads.

The symposium is organised by the Faculty of Theology of the University of Ljubljana and the Archdiocese of Maribor.

Title of the symposium: Mary as the Dawn of Hope. Eight centuries of Mary’s presence in the territory of the Lavantine–Maribor (Arch)diocese

Speakers:

• Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas: Where Mary is at home, the Church is alive (keynote address)
• Archbishop Emeritus Dr Marjan Turnšek: Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek’s relationship with Mary
• Dr Cecilija Oblonšek: The Slovenisation of Marian liturgical chants in the liturgical books of the Lavant–Maribor Diocese and their liturgical and pastoral use
• Fr Dr Gerfried Sitar, OSB: Marian devotion in the Carinthian region of the Diocese of Lavant: the Basilica of Our Lady of Loreto and the pilgrimage church of Our Lady of Rojach
• Dr Jan Dominik Bogataj: The Mariology of Victorinus of Ptuj

Welcome.