On Thursday, October 11, the travelling Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa came to Salzburg, Austria. She was solemnly greeted in the Greek Catholic Church of St. Apostle Mark, the Evangelist. The meeting was prepared by the Center for Byzantine Prayer of St. Nicholas of Myra and St. Mary of Egypt.
After welcoming the Icon and bringing "Her" inside the church, Fr. Andreas Bonnenberger, the director of the Center, led the Akathist, which is the oldest sung prayer of the Church in honor of the Mother of God (Theotokos), according to the Byzantine Rite.
After singing the Akathist, the pilgrims were invited to move to the Roman Catholic Church of St. Blaise, where the Holy Liturgy of the Mass was celebrated. At the same time, a silent veneration of the Icon was held at the church of St. Mark. John Reves, the assistant of the Byzantine Prayer Center, gave a lecture on the spirituality of the icon in the Eastern Church and its reference to the sanctity of life.
Next, the veneration continued with a performance by the schola from the Salzburg Life Centre, as well as the choirs of the Byzantine Prayer Center and the parish of St. Mark. They sang hymns and songs in honor of the Mother of God, in the tradition of the Eastern and the Western Churches, praising Mary together.
After the blessing was given by Fr. Andreas Bonnenberger, the Icon of Czestochowa was retrieved from the church, while the hymn "Holy God We Praise Thy Name" was sung.
Our Lady spent the night in the Chapel of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Salzburg Life Center, where She was surrounded by great reverence and prayers for the intention of the defense of life. Her presence among Christians of both, the East and the West, renewed a great willingness to act in defense of life in everyone.
The next morning, the faithful bade Our Lady farewell and the Icon left to visit Innsbruck.