Thalwieser Katalin a woman from Switzerland loved the Einsiedeln Madonna. She brought a copy of it with her when she settled in Pesthidegkút. That was in the 18th century. This is how the story of Máriaremete begins.
Máriaremete is now a part of Budapest. It is in the II. district. Once it was part of the independent Pesthidegkút.
Katalin felt she owed her happy marriage to the Virgin Mary. So she hung the image on an oak tree near the village. People often prayed before it.
Around 1800 a woman from Buda prayed before the image. She regained her sight. News of this miracle spread. Pilgrimages to Máriaremete began.
Ignác Terstyánszky the village landlord built a chapel there. First it was wooden then stone. This attracted even more pilgrims to the miraculous image.
The large church you see today was built in 1899. Ferenc Schömer designed it in the neo-Gothic style. Máriaremete remains a popular pilgrimage site. Many residents of Budapest visit. People come from other parts of Hungary too.
Marble plaques surround the altar. They show gratitude for answered prayers. These plaques prove the living devotion to Mary.
The sanctuary holds the old tree trunk. The image once hung on it. The gilded frame of the image dates back to the 18th century. It reflects the growing devotion to Mary. The name “remete” comes from Einsiedeln in Switzerland. That is the original site of the cult.
An interesting votive offering survived from the 19th century. It shows the Óbuda silk reeling mill. It was offered after the great flood of 1838.
Máriaremete offers spiritual refreshment. People seek it away from the city’s noise. A row of poplars lines the path to the church. It greatly enhances the atmosphere. The church’s address is Templomkert 1 Budapest.
The main pilgrimages are on Trinity Sunday and the Day of the Little Lady. That’s on September 8. The Máriaremete church is special. Its sanctuary keeps the tree trunk where the image hung. The old neo-Gothic altar with the statue of the Virgin Mary remains. It is now a side altar.
The shrine received parish status in 1945. Servite fathers served the church and its faithful. They did so until their expulsion in 1950.