The Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Agłona, called the "Latvian Czestochowa" by Poles, is the most important Catholic sanctuary in Latvia. When the area was still part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Aggona was the northernmost centre of Marian devotion within its borders. Already in its early days, thanks to the miraculous image of the Mother of God, the village became a centre of pilgrimage, which today attracts around 300,000 worshippers a year.

Aggona, which is the capital of a county in the region of Latgale (one of the four historical regions that make up present-day Latvia), is a small town with a population of less than 1,000. Since pilgrimage to the local shrine became possible again after 1989, it has attracted crowds of believers, especially on Assumption Day. In Latvia, where Lutheranism is the predominant religion, this Catholic feast is treated as a celebration of national importance, which is also attended in large numbers by the most important politicians.
Polish history of the "Latvian Czestochowa"

The origins of the Aglonian shrine date back to the late 17th century. At that time, Dadzibog Shostovitsky, the treasurer of Vitebsk, came into possession of the Vyshkovo estate, which was brought as a dowry by his wife Eva Justyna, née Siletskaya Shostovitskaya. In 1700 the Shostovitsky family founded a church and monastery in Vyškovo, to which they brought the Vilnius Dominicans. They chose the wooded hillock between the Egles and Cirišs lakes as the foundation site. Hence the later name of the village - Agłona, which translated into Polish means "fir forest".

The first wooden church was built at the beginning of the 18th century, and in 1751 it was consecrated by Bishop Jozef Dominik Puzyna under the name of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This church burned to the ground in 1766. In its place, a new brick church was erected between 1768 and 1780, which has survived to this day. It is a Baroque-style building, cruciform in plan, with twin towers about 60 m high in the façade and a crypt. A monastery, school and seminary followed.

As a result of the first partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Agana became part of the Russian partition. After the January Uprising, the Dominican monastery was closed down in 1880, and the last monk died in 1891. At the turn of the century, the building served as a prison for priests, and during World War I it was used as a military hospital and barracks. The complex was not destroyed during the Second World War. During the Soviet era, masses continued to be held in the church, but pilgrimages had to take place secretly.

In the interior, many paintings from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, stucco and sculptural decorations and a 19th-century organ prospectus have been preserved. It is furnished with a set of classicist side altars, but the most eye-catching is the two-tiered main altar containing an image of Our Lady of Aglonia, also known as the Queen of the North or the Flower Guide.

Our Lady of Aglona
The image of the Mother of God of Aglona, located in the Aglona sanctuary, dates back to the 17th century. It is the work of an anonymous artist painted on a base of linden wood. Compositionally, it bears a resemblance to the image of Our Lady of Troki. According to Gustav Manteuffel, the image of the Mother of God of Trakai in Lithuania was brought to Aglona at the end of the 17th century because of the wars. An expert copy was made of it and the original returned to Trakai. What differs between the two paintings is their size - the much larger Our Lady of Aglona was painted on a sub-image measuring 132.5x109.5 cm.

The figure of Mary seated on a throne with the Child on her knees is shown against a golden background. In her left hand she holds a branch of a rose with three flowers. The composition of the representation, modelled on a painting of Byzantine provenance, is very static and symmetrical. It is only in the details - such as the arrangement of the robes - that the influence of Western painting can be seen. The image is covered by a dress and crowns made of gilded silver and set with precious stones, which were donated by Michał and Prakseda Dąbrowski in 1875. On a daily basis, the image is covered by a veil; the faithful can only see it on special occasions. On either side are numerous votive offerings - expressions of gratitude for graces received.

Centre of Marian devotion
The existence of the shrine in Agłona had a significant impact on the formation of Latvian Catholicism, in which Marian devotion plays a major role. Agłona itself still remains the spiritual centre of the Latvian Church. The sanctuary's stature is enhanced by its status as a basilica minor, which was conferred on it in 1980, on the 200th anniversary of its construction. Since 1995, the church has been one of the two seats of the Catholic Diocese of Riga-Agona.

Marian shrine in Aglona, Latvia
Between 1992 and 1993, the sanctuary underwent comprehensive renovation and restoration works in connection with the visit of Pope John Paul II. At that time, the monumental staircase in front of the façade was replaced by a field altar with a sacristy underneath. The square in front of the basilica, which can now accommodate around 500,000 worshippers, gained a new spatial layout. Also in the early 1990s, the image of Our Lady of Aglonia underwent restoration.

Unfortunately, successive renovations and time have blurred the visibility of Aglona's Polish roots. Today, Polish-language services are held here only on special occasions.