By the coming of spring of 1989,the man who would have predicted the early rebuilding of this church would have been called a fool and victim of his own fantasy. Yet, early the following year, a gleam of hope appeared. 
A pilgrimage held on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption in the Parish Church in Zlaté Hory in August 1989 clearly showed that faith in the border region was still alive and the Virgin Mary spoke to Her people.

Then, bold criticism of the abortion practices of the state began to emerge from Her people, and illegal literature elucidating both the glorious and tragic history of the nearby Pilgrimage Site began to circulate.

In February, 1990 preparatory committee for the renewal of the Pilgrimage Site, sacred to Our Lady, Our Helper was constituted.
On April 22^nd of the same year the Holy Father John Paul II blessed the foundation stone for the new Marian Shrine in the presence of several hundred thousands of enthusiastic faithful.  The decision was made.  Maria Hilf would rise again.

The grounds were cleared and prepared for the first gathering of the faithful. The August pilgrimage in the parish church was followed by a Celebration of The Way of the Cross, leading to the still barren site where once the original church stood. About six hundred faithful climbed the hill. Together with their Bishop, Josef Hrdlička, they gave thanks for the gift of freedom and prayed for the renewed respect for the Mother of God; for deepened belief in Her Son in the whole of our country. The pilgrimage expressed great a desire to protect lives in women´s wombs.

     

The creator of the emblem is  Boleslav Doboš of Zlaté Hory.

The mountain above Zlaté Hory, called God´s Gift, has become the definitive place of prayers to Our Lady, Help of Christians, for all expectant mothers and for the protection of unborn babies.

[Introduction]  [Next]