Živčáková is one of the most significant and most visited Marian pilgrimage sites in Slovakia.
It is located in the picturesque surroundings of Kysuce and every year thousands of believers
and pilgrims flock here to find spiritual strength, inner peace, and health from the local
springs.
The site became famous due to the alleged apparition of the Virgin Mary to a forest worker
named Matúš Lašut in 1958. Since then, Živčáková has become a popular destination for
spiritual tourism and a centre of Marian devotion.
The dominant feature of this pilgrimage site is the Church of Virgin Mary Mother of the
Church, which was solemnly consecrated in 2015. This modern cathedral on Živčák Hill is
the venue for regular spring and autumn pilgrimages, which attract believers from all over
Slovakia and abroad.
One of Živčáková’s greatest attractions are the springs with healing water, to which many
attribute miraculous effects. Pilgrims take the water with them in containers, seeking spiritual
healing and peace of mind here.
How to get there?
There is a properly maintained access road that leads to Živčák Hill (Živčáková hora) from
Korňa, and it is now possible to drive directly to the parking lot near the Marian Church of
Virgin Mary Mother of the Church. The road is narrow with only enough space for one vehicle
at a time, so there are traffic lights at both ends to regulate the flow of traffic. The road is
inaccessible to buses.
There are also several footpaths leading to the top that have been trodden by thousands of
pilgrims over the past decades as they regularly visit sites associated with the apparitions of
the Virgin Mary. The ascent from Turzovka and Korňa takes about 1 hour.
Parking
There is a parking lot right in front of the church.