The restoration of the church
After the Catholics regained the church lands in Šiluva (in 1622), Fr. Jonas Smolka-Kazakevičius became the parish priest.
In 1623–1624, after a small wooden church had been built, the Šilinės indulgence feast began to be celebrated in Šiluva once again.
The Catholics had to expend considerable effort to recover the confiscated church property, and as a strong wave of the Reformation was sweeping across Lithuania, it was likely not expected that the small church would soon become too cramped.
For, as noted by the first historian of Šiluva, M. Svietkauskas, people began to travel in great numbers, in groups, to the feast of the Blessed Virgin. Crowds flocked to the revived indulgence celebrations. In 1629, 11,000 communicants were distributed during the days of the indulgence feast.
Therefore, the following year Kazakevičius began the construction of a new church. Like the first, it was built of wood, but it was much larger and more ornate, in the then-popular cruciform church style. This style or form was characteristic of the period of restoration, emphasizing the significance of the Cross. The church was completed in 1641.
The construction of the brick church
In the mid-18th century, two indulgence feasts in Šiluva were especially renowned—the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated on September 8, and the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated on July 2, which was also well known in Žemaičių Kalvarija. Bishop Antanas Tiškevičius, in his report to Rome, wrote that on these occasions people came to Šiluva not only from all over Samogitia but even from Vilnius and other nearby dioceses, wishing to pray before the renowned image.
Therefore, in 1760, the construction of the brick church in Šiluva was begun.
On 22 October 1774, Bishop Jonas Lopacinskis forwarded to Rome a request by Canon Tadas Bukota to grant permission to crown the image of the Virgin Mary with the Child, “renowned from ancient times for special graces and miracles.”
In 1775, permission to crown the image of Mary was received from the Chapter of Rome. However, the coronation of the image was postponed until 1786, likely in the hope of consecrating the new church on the same occasion. In addition, with the permission of Pope Pius VI, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary indulgence feast began to be celebrated throughout an octave—from 8 to 15 September.
On 15 September of the same year, by a papal bull, Pope Pius VI granted the church of Šiluva the title of an infulated provostship. From that time on, the parish priests of Šiluva, as infulated prelates, were permitted during liturgical services to wear a mitre, a ring, to use a pastoral staff, and other episcopal insignia.
On 8 September 1786, the new masonry Catholic church—the present Basilica of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary—was consecrated. It was consecrated by Tadas Juozapas Bukota, who had become the suffragan bishop of Samogitia (assistant to the bishop).
The coronation of the image
The coronation ceremonies of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child, which began on 8 September 1786, lasted for three days. Around thirty thousand people gathered for the celebration, including three senators, many nobles, and high-ranking state officials even from Poland. According to some sources, five bishops took part in the ceremonies; according to others, as many as twelve.
The image was crowned by the Bishop of Samogitia, Prince Steponas Jonas Giedraitis. On this occasion, in a letter he wrote, he joyfully urged: Salutate Mariam, quae multum laboravit in vobis (“Greet Mary, who has done so much for you.”)
The faithful, it seems, readily responded to this exhortation of the bishop. No occupying authority could stop the pilgrims flocking to the indulgence feast.
People were drawn to Šiluva not only by the indulgence feast itself, but also by the ever more widely spreading news of the apparition of Mary in Šiluva and by the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child hanging in the church, renowned for its graces since 1622.
Processions
Already from the 17th century, people were accustomed to going to Šiluva in groups, travelling in processions. A 1677 report by the Jesuits to Rome, addressed to the Superior General of the order, describes the custom of the students of the Kražiai College to undertake an organized devotional pilgrimage to Šiluva each year. The Jesuit college operating in Kražiai since 1616 had chosen the Mother of God of Šiluva as its patroness. Therefore, at the end of the academic year, the students of the college would all go together to Šiluva to give thanks to the Mother of God.
Pilgrims travelling in an organized manner to the indulgence feasts would pray and sing along the way, carrying crosses, church banners, small altars, beating drums, and playing horns. Such processions were usually led by the parish priest, dressed in liturgical vestments. They are already mentioned at the end of the 17th century by the parish priest of Šiluva, J. Skirmantas.
The organized travel of pilgrims to the indulgence feasts and the processions were encouraged by Bishops Merkelis Giedraitis and Merkelis Geišas. To prevent processions from becoming overcrowded at the same time, Bishop Antanas Tiškevičius in 1752 assigned separate days and a travel order for the parishes. The people willingly obeyed the guidance of their shepherds. For during the journey in groups to the indulgence feasts and in the processions, they not only prayed but also witnessed impressive sights. Even hired workers, when negotiating their yearly wages, would secure a few days off in order to visit the famous indulgence feast. Bishop Motiejus Valančius, in The Diocese of Samogitia, wrote—without sparing vivid words:
“Upon entering the town, the young men waved banners, beat drums, blew trumpets, and fired guns, while the elders together with the women sang and called out with fervor; for the parish that entered the town with the greatest commotion and display was considered the most honorable.”
In the time of Bishop M. Valančius, banners were carried by young men on horseback. Hymns were accompanied by drums or horns. In addition to the usual banners, girls in the procession carried small flags that formed a wreath symbolizing the rosary. At the boundaries of the parish stood ceremonial gates, decorated with wreaths, banners, and inscriptions. Travelling pilgrims were greeted there by a local procession with a cross, two banners, and a leading priest. The processions would greet one another, the banners would bow, and the priests of both the arriving and the welcoming groups would deliver a short address, after which the pilgrims, together with those who had come to meet them, would proceed to the local church to honor God. During the indulgence feast, the parish priest took care of the pilgrims of his parish. After spending the prescribed time at the feast, the pilgrims would return home together. Back home, they would share their impressions with family and neighbors, and the entire parish would long live in the spirit of the indulgence celebrations.
Travelling in processions to the indulgence feasts not only fostered people’s devotion and religious fervor but also had certain drawbacks. Bishop Motiejus Valančius wrote:
“There is no work so pious that people would not turn it to ill. The same happened with holy pilgrimages. People, especially those from more distant parishes such as Kalvarija or Šiluva, unable to reach the destination in a single day, almost always spent the night at taverns; staying overnight in groups in the forests, they would sometimes become drunk and commit other misdeeds. Young men, seeking greater commotion, even dared to fire guns inside churches. Having witnessed all this, Bishop Jonas Lopacinskis in 1763 strictly forbade travelling to the indulgence feasts in such a manner.”
Other bishops also no longer encouraged travelling in processions, although some parishes continued to do so on their own initiative. It was also considered problematic to leave a parish without a priest, which often happened when the priest departed with the pilgrims to the indulgence feast.
After 1866, when the centenary of the coronation of the miraculous image was commemorated during the indulgence feast—attended by the Bishop of Samogitia, M. Paliulionis, 40 priests, and 40,000 pilgrims—the occupying Tsarist authorities banned all processions, and this prohibition remained in force until 1905.
The first organized parish processions to the Šiluva indulgence feast resumed in 1906. They drew 50,000 pilgrims. The pilgrim journey to Šiluva in 1906 was described by Žemaitė in "Journey to Šidlava".
“This year has turned out in such a way: priests, leading their parishes, go on foot to the miraculous places—to Žemaičių Kalvarija, to the Great Calvary indulgence feast, to Šidlava, to the Šilinės. People prepare and set out from their homes in groups upon groups, with all the church items, with full solemnity. Well then, may God grant them health! I too will go to Šidlava.
The day dawned sunny, clear, and warm as in the height of summer. From early morning, already prepared, I kept looking toward the road to Kelmė.
“Towards noon I saw from afar—a wave, a shimmering multitude of people approaching; the main road, perhaps half a verst long, was alive and flickering with people. Already the hymns could be heard, they were drawing nearer, and all the splendor became visible; the banners moved along, rattling, a cross adorned with a wreath, lanterns, small white flags, a banner woven of wreaths—the Name of Mary—carried by two men on two poles. These were all borne by men. Behind them, four girls carried a small altar. Four others carried palms, while six, having woven a great wreath—perhaps two fathoms in length—surrounded the parish priest. The priest stood within this wreath, wearing a St. John’s cap, leaning on a staff, moving along like an old man. The beadles, the elders, with rattling staffs, kept order around the priest, clearing the way. A group of singers, walking together with the priest, sang the Litany; further on, another group sang the Hours; further still, a group prayed the Rosary. And so, in groups, along the same road, each sang something different.”