Festival in Honor of the Icon of the Mother of God Budslav

Today, the ancient town of Budslav welcomes guests once again! Pilgrims from all over Belarus have gathered at the national sanctuary.

This is the traditional, 35th spiritual festival in honor of the Christian relic — the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Budslav. The forum began with a presentation of pilgrims representing more than 120 Catholic parishes across Belarus.

All pilgrims gather at the Church of the Ascension of the Holy Virgin Mary — a church that has been guarding the image of the Holy Mother of God Budslav for over four centuries. Today, every pilgrim approaches her kneeling in reverence.

Joseph Stanevski, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Minsk-Mogilev:

"In July, all streams of our faithful from all places converge here in Budslav. This is a source of happiness. Here lies the pearl of Belarus. Truly, in this place, every person gains new strength for new achievements."

Ahead for those gathered in Budslav are joint prayers and services. Tomorrow, for the first time, during the festive mass in Budslav, a new Vatican representative in Belarus, Nuncio Monsignor Ignazio Ceffalia, will participate. Among the most anticipated events of the festival is the night procession with the image of the Mother of God Budslav, which will take place outdoors at 23:30.

Another important feature of the 2025 festival is that Budslav and the national sanctuary of the Mother of God Budslav are recognized as a Catholic spiritual center. As a result, the church itself, the surrounding territory, and the town will undergo renewal and development to attract more pilgrims and tourists.

And a reminder: on Saturday at 11:30, there will be a live broadcast of the service from Budslav on Belarus 3.