Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Šiluva

The Basilica of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Lithuanian pilgrimage town of Šiluva, holding the title of Basilica minor within the Archdiocese of Kaunas. Šiluva is one of the most significant Marian shrines in the Baltic region: local tradition holds that the Virgin Mary appeared to shepherd children there in the early 17th century, making it one of the few recognized Marian apparition sites in Northern Europe. The Baroque basilica stands alongside an older chapel marking the site of the apparition, and houses a revered icon of Mary. Pilgrimages peak around September 8th, the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin, drawing worshippers from across Lithuania and beyond.