Loretto church fair draws 25,000 visitors

About 25,000 people attended Loretto’s traditional church fair for the Feast of the Assumption, ORF reported. The turnout was particularly striking because the municipality has fewer than 600 residents.

Loretto has been a traditional pilgrimage destination for almost 400 years. The Baroque basilica attracted many worshippers for the Assumption, including some who had made the journey for the 50th time.

Pilgrimage appears to be gaining popularity again, according to Bishop Ägidius Zsifkovits. He said it offered people a chance to find peace during a stressful time. The number of visitors to pilgrimage destinations has risen in recent years.

For many visitors, the pilgrimage was also an opportunity to attend the church fair. Outside the church walls, the event hosted the largest market in the state. Almost 600 people registered for lunch within the monastery walls.

For market traders, the Loretto fair is the most profitable event of the entire year.