Unique wooden Church – a place full of energy
Nature31. July 2021
In this article, I would like to introduce to you a place that fascinates me with its mystery.
Wooden Church of St. Ladislav is a place of pilgrimage with an indescribable atmosphere, which is complemented by a miraculous spring – the spring of St. Ladislava.
Wooden Church of St. Ladislava
This tourist destination is located on Jasovská planina, near the villages of Debraď and Drienovec. Church of St. Ladislav lies at an altitude of 420 m above sea level. It is located near to Ladislav’s spring. The sacral building was built on the site of the destroyed church in 1563.
We attribute to this place several apparitions of the Virgin Mary and miracles, therefore the spring and the chapel became a place of pilgrimage. In the middle of the chapel stands a majestic oak tree, which protrudes over the built wooden beams, which are slowly overgrown with climbing plants. In the chapel there is an altar made of stone and a stone rosary, and behind it stands a wooden cross with the corpus of Christ.
Apparitions at the spring of St. Ladislav
In 1952, signs appeared near the spring of St. Ladislav. Two women were walking to the spring when the Virgin Mary appeared to them in the middle of a huge cloud, holding little Jesus in her arms.
Later, another eyewitness described another event as follows: “The whole forest bathed in golden-yellow light, the sun lost its blinding glow, and appeared in white light as holy guests. The western part of the forest was dominated by a terrible red. “Roses fell round and round.”
On the basis of such events, pilgrimages began at this place. However, it has been banned in 1959 and the chapel, built on the ruins of the former church, was set on fire. Nevertheless, people continued to come to the source with two goals: to glorify Mary and to pray for freedom of religious expression.
History of the church
The first written mention of the church is from the beginning of the 16th century. In 1570, the chapel was destroyed by the Turks. The chapel was taken care of by the church and so it slowly began to disintegrate. Its ruins could be seen at the beginning of the 20th century. After World War II, a chapel was built on the site of the original church, which was allegedly burned down by the ŠTB in the 1950s.
After 1989, the church began to organize the pilgrimage and celebrations again. In the years 2006 – 2007, a symbolic wooden structure in the shape of a former building was built on the medieval foundations of the chapel. As the chapel is located in the Slovak Karst, they used ecological and natural materials for the construction.
The legend about Ladislav’s spring
The place is associated with the legend of the Hungarian King Ladislav I. Saint, who prayed during his return from a hard fight on the dry plain and asked for a a spring to save his dying and tired army. The king then thrust his sword into the ground, creating the sign of the cross and started to pray. As he drew his sword, water gushed from the ground. That is why this water spring is known today as Ladislav’s spring. Spring is still very abundant and does not dry out even in the greatest droughts. Near to the spring stands a church dedicated to St. Ladislav.
How do I get to the St. Ladislav’s church
The spring and the chapel of St. Ladislav can be reached by marked hiking trails from the villages of Debraď, Drienovec or from Moldava nad Bodvou, Drienovské lazne and from Jasov.
If you would like to share your experiences of visiting the St. Ladislav’s wooden chapel, do not hesitate to contact me and send me an e-mail to info@showmeslovakia.eu.