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This is the most important pilgrimage site in the Timi?oara Diocese.

1241. Short time after the ottoman invasion there had been a number of four villages which contained in their name the toponimyc of Radna. These villages were protected by the Solumnus (?oimo?) stronghold.

1327. Carol Robert of Anjou, the king of Hungary, builds at Lipova a monastery and a church to Saint Louie of Toulouse, his uncle. Both are entrusted to the franciscan order.

1440. The first mention of Radna in a written document. The toponimyc, which now is certain, has in its root the slavic word "ruda", which means "metal".

1520. Around this year, a pious widow builds the first chapel on the hill of Radna. After Banat will be conquered by ottomans, the chapel will serve as a refuge for the faithful and Franciscan monks, from the invaders on the north shore of the Mure?.

1642. Pater Andrija Stipan?i?, an observant franciscan monk from the Bosna Argentina province and priest at Radna, succeeds, after a long pilgrimage on foot made to Istambul and back, to obtain an Embre from the sultan for the renovation of his chapel. During the ottoman ocupation christians were not allowed to raise or repair churches, unless they had a permission, very hard to obtain, from the sultan.

1668. The old Georg Vriconosa donates to the franciscan brothers's chapel of Radna an icon printed on paper in the workshop of the master typografer Remondini of Bassano del Grappam, in Italy. This miraculous icon is venerated to this day.

1695. During the siege of the medieval stronghold of Lipova the ottoman soldiers set the Franciscans's chapel on fire, located on the hill on the other side of the river Mure?, in Radna. Miraculously, the paper printed icon did not burn. It was later found by the faithful through the chard remains.

1709. Following the plague epidemic and the promise made by the people of Arad, the pilgrimage of this city to Maria Radna, as a sign of gratitude for interviening to stop and save them from this terrible plague.

1750. After a thorough investigation, the Church recognizes, officialy, Maria Radna as a place of pilgrimage , recognition made public by the canon Johannes Szlezak.

1756. On july 7th, during Pentecost, takes place the laying of the foundation stone of a new church at Radna, for the old church was already too small. The celebration is run by the high prelate of the Cathedral Capitle of Cenad, located at Timi?oara, Clemens Rossi. The new church endures to this day.

1767. On June 9th, again during Pentecost, the Bischop Franz Anton Leopold von Engl zu Wagrain, solemnly and personaly moves the miracoulos icon from the old chapel to the newly built church, which he had blassed a day earlier.

1768. The archduke Joseph of Austria, the future emperor Joseph II of Habsburg, visits Maria Radna. It was said that he was so impressed by this place of worship, that he stated he would have liked to be the guardian of Radna, if he wouldn't already be archduke, of course.

1770. The miraculous icon receives as a present a priceless gift: a great silver frame from Wien, the craftsmanship of the official gold master of the imperial court, Josef Moser.

1820. The final touches are made to the Basilica. The Archbishop, prime duke of Hungary, Alexander Rudnay, solemnly devotes the church, also presenting two gold crowns to the miraculous icon. The last name of the Archbishop means "of Radna". In his will he wrote that upon his death his heart should be laid to rest near the icon of the Holy Virgin of Radna.

1895. With the occasion of 200 years from the first recorded miracle form Maria-Radna, the church is enriched with a new main altar done from marble of Carrara and replacing the older wooden one.

1911. The two tours of the church of Maria-Radna are each heightened with 30 meters, therefore reaching the total height of 67 meters. This accomplishment is due to Pater Augustinus Prieszter OFM, from who’s intent is also rearranged the hillock with The Path of The Holy Cross, behind the church.

1935. During this year is recorded the highest number of pilgrims from the history of Radna: together with the diocesan bishop Dr. h. c. Augustin Pacha came into pilgrimage over 73000 believers, most of them travelling on foot the entire distance together with the bishop.

1948. Pater Ernst Harnisch OFM becomes the new guardian of the monastery and of the pilgrimage place from Maria-Radna. In troubled and especially hard times for the Catholic faith he has covered for almost half a century the leadership of this so beloved place of pilgrimage.

1951. After the interdiction of monks orders by the communist leaders (1949) all Franciscans from Romania are gathered in very harsh conditions at Maria-Radna. After this date the monks will spread in all the country.

1964. After being imprisoned in the communist dungeons for 13 years, the clandestine bishop Dr. Adalbert Boro? is set free. On his first journey, straight from prison, his steps will take the way to the Holy Virgin from Maria-Radna.

1992. The Holy Father Pope John Paul the Second, offers the pilgrimage church of Maria-Radna the title of Basilica Minor. With this occasion, the titular archbishop Dr. Adalbert Boro? gives to the church of Maria-Radna a new altar, as a mark of gratitude to the Holy Virgin of Maria-Radna for the sheltering provided to the Church and the diocese during the unkind times of the communism.

2003. Starting with this year, from the first of October, the observant Franciscan monks, after a rich and multi-secular presence, depart from the monastery of Maria-Radna due to a lack of brothers. From that moment on the entire activity of this place is given to the diocesan clergy. The first vicar from the diocesan clergy named is father Andreas Reinholz, Canonicus Iunior within the “Capitlulul” of the Cathedral of the Roman-Catholic Diocese from Timi?oara.

Bibliography:

Martin Roos Maria-Radna. Ein Wallfahrtsort im Südosten Europas, vol. I., Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 1998.

Martin Roos Maria-Radna. Ein Wallfahrtsort im Südosten Europas, vol. II., Schnell & Steiner, Regensburg 2004.

*** Maria-Radna ist Päpstliche Basilika, în Katholischer Wandkalender 1993 (Calendarul romano-catolic de perete 1993).

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