On September 15, Slovakia commemorates the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, the country’s patron saint. To mark this occasion, we have prepared a special programme exploring the origins of this powerful tradition, the meaning of “sorrow” as an expression of love, and the depth of maternal love as the strongest human emotion. The broadcast will revisit Mary’s story, the long-standing pilgrimages to the national shrine in Šaštín, and the historic visit of Pope Francis, who met with the faithful there during his pastoral journey to Slovakia.

The programme is built around STVR’s archival interviews with prominent figures from the church, academia, and public life. Listeners will hear insights from Martin Kramara, priest of the Žilina diocese and former spokesperson of the Slovak Bishops’ Conference; Benjamín Kosnáč, Roman Catholic priest active in Bratislava with international missions; Mons. Marián Bublinec, parish priest in Krupina; Roman Kečka, university lecturer and religious studies scholar from Comenius University; Dária Miezgová, psychologist from the Community of the Beatitudes; and Štefan Chrapa, musician and editor of religious broadcasting at Slovak Radio.