Visit by John Paul II
Pope John Paul II loved the mountains. During his 1995 visit to Sliezsky dom he consecrated a cross which you can still see here.
Born as Karol Wojtyła, John Paul II travelled the Tatras both on the Slovak and Polish side already as a young man.
Though no one will ever count all the trips he had made to the Tatras in his youth, he found the time to visit his beloved mountains as the Pontiff, too. During his official visit to Slovakia in 1995, he managed to make room in his busy schedule and, despite his deteriorating health, came to Sliezsky dom to salute his beloved High Tatras.
His official visit to the Tatras is commemorated by the members of the Vysoké Tatry parish at a July mass celebrated every year in the village of Starý Smokovec, and at a memorial service directly in Sliezsky dom.
Watch the video from the holy mass commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Holy Father’s visit to Sliezsky dom.
The cross consecrated by the Pope still stands above the terrace of Sliezsky dom, watching all year long over the mountain guides and everyone who have decided to push their limits to the next level and conquer Gerlach.
