This article is available only in Slovak language.
Pilgrimage to Katarínka – starting the 23rd season
On Sunday, April 23, 2017, more than 100 people walked during the White Sunday pilgrimage to Katarínka monastery. The whole event started at the Buková railway station and people wandered through the woods of the Small Carpathian mountains up to Katarínka.
n the ruins of the church and monastery of St. Catherine of Alexandria mass was held at 14 o’clock. It was attended by about 250 visitors. Even despite the cold weather and the wind that accompanied the whole pilgrimage, many enthusiasts came, among whom were adults, children, and also the older generation.
The service was celebrated by the Franciscan Felix M. and the priests concelebrated, Mário B., Miroslav K. from near Dechtice and the Jesuits Martin H. and Ladislav Š.. After the service volunteers were accompanying visitors of Katarínka with their historical interpretation.
Peter H., the founder of the Katarínka project, described this year’s journey as follows: “I think the 18th White Sunday fell very well despite the fact that the whole week before news had reported bad weather. During service we had a nice celebration. We are pleased that many families and also Scouts have come. It was already a classic annual event, and the people were very satisfied, so we are happy too.”
What does winter at Katarínka look like?
These special views capture the atmosphere of our trips to Katarínka in winter.
Last year there was the coldest and whitest “Bielonedeľná púť” (one-day pilgramage to Katarínka on the first Saturday after Easter) in history of Katarínka.
Volunteers’ statement involved in project Katarínka
This article is available only in Slovak language.
Working season 2016 update
The work season on Katarínka is already slowly going to its end. The so-called búračka is taking place, i.e. the camp is taken apart and stored until the next year, when it will be put together again. Currently (in the week between 29th August and 4th September), there is approximately 50 to 60 young volunteers present…
Considering work, it is mainly about realising tasks that were mentioned in advance in the previous news that covered the work plan for year 2016.
It was necessary to restore the capitals of the pillars (picture on the left) while moving the scaffolding multiple times in the nave of the church, as there are 8 pillars in it.
The work on the reconstruction of the segmental arch, which was mainly done in the middle of August this year, is being finished (picture on the left). In the picture on the right, there are two young masons, who underpin one of the walls of the monastery to avoid a possible fall of the wall that could happen otherwise.
In the chancel (picture on the left), south-eastern wall was renewed by filling in missing stones and conserving its stable parts.
In the south-western part, the wall was recreated only from bricks, without any wet binder (picture on the right). The reason for not using groat on this wall is that we can not precisely estimate in which way the wall from the chancel continued. This will have to be discovered by the historical and archeological exploration in the future.
The last carpenter and conservation works in the tower are being finished. More detailed information concerning the opening of the view tower of the church will be published in September or October.
Regular virgilous masses are served throughout the summer at Katarínka, as well as voluntary morning and evening prayers of volunteers, as it was customary for the monks, who lived in this monastery in 17th and 18th century.
Katarínka would not be itself if there were not the people of the “same blood group”, space for acceptance, understanding, self-knowing, getting to know others, adventures, delicious food, relaxation in the nature etc.
