28/09/2026
The Golden Window of Einsiedeln!
Showing its Bernini-Baroque influence from the Asam brothers, the Western entrance glows like an eternal sunset.
The colourful arches flow out from the Marian shrine, which draws over 800,000 pilgrims every year!
The pilgrimage to Einsiedeln is unusually not linked to a Marian apparition, but a monastic tradition to visit this church. The Chapel of Grace is believed to have been consecrated by Jesus himself, as one of the earliest churches in Switzerland - this drew monastic pilgrims. Later in the Middle Ages, it became a Marian pilgrimage.
Outside the Abbey is a golden statue of Mary, with fountains of water flowing from it. The tradition is that to complete the pilgrimage, you must sip from all the water spouts around this statue, the water is from natural sources in the nearby mountains.
The Black Madonna!
This Abbey is a popular African pilgrimage sight, with a pan-African pilgrimage at the end of August every year. It’s mostly Eritrean pilgrims, as this church famously volunteered to house refugees from their during mass fleeing in 2015.
They host a Mass in Ge’Ez language, although the country is mostly Orthodox there is an official Eritrean Catholic Church too which maintains local traditions.
The story behind the Black Madonna is unclear, it may have originally been white & darkened by candle soot. But history affirms the locals wanted it to stay black throughout restoration work. It’s seen as an affirmation of the pan-raciality of Mary & the Church.
The colourful Pulpit glowing in the sunlight! ☀️
This was painted by the Asam brothers, the colour palette is beautiful and feels like a Bavarian Baroque work.
Dome in a Star, can you see it?
The glowing sanctuary and high altar. This church is quite big, you might struggle to see what’s happening at the altar from the nave, but you can walk up close as a visitor to see it!
