Slovenia Pilgrimage

Within our Blind and partially sighted union, members can choose to participate in some spiritual programs. One of these is an annual pilgrimage, this year was the 20th such event. From 12 to 14 May, 45 blind and partially sighted people and their guides travelled on the route of Slovenian protestant reformer Primož Trubar, who in the 16th century printed the first book in the Slovenian language. Starting out as a catholic priest, born in Slovenia, he became later a protestant preacher and moved to Germany where he continued his fruitful protestant activity.  

We began our voyage in Austria, in Innsbruck, where we spent a few hours walking in the old part of the town and visiting the church of Saint Lawrence, where we had a mass. Our guide Alenka Žibert described to us exactly and authentically many historical monuments and buildings so that blind and partially sighted people could “see” them too. During the trip our spiritual guide Franciscan brother Miha Sekolovnik led the meditation, explaining his deep thoughts and some historic facts from the Bible. His words filled us with peace.

In Germany we visited Kempten, Tubingen and Augsburg, where Primož Trubar lived and worked as a protestant preacher, spending the last 20 years of his life in Tubingen. In each town we saw Trubar's statue as a monument dedicated to his important work. We also visited a church where he worked and where his grave is located, and a house named after him. There we had a short meeting with a group of Protestants. We greeted them with a Slovene song and in return they offered us a nice song in German. 

On the last day we admired the good cooperation between the catholic and protestant communities in Augsburg in the Basilica of Saint Ulrich and Saint Afra. Once in a month they have a common service for both communities, which is not the case in Slovenia.

After the visit of the Fuggerei, the nice social housing complex from the 16th century, still in use to rent for a very low price, we started our return trip home, all filled with rich impressions.

Barbara Krejči Piry


a person discovering the bust of Primož Trubar with their hands