On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the statue of Mary in Șumuleu-Ciuc, a commemorative exhibition entitled "500 years of the statue of Mary in Șumuleu-Ciuc- Worship of Mary in Transylvania" will be opened in the framework of the Miercurea Ciuc City Days at the Szekler Museum of Ciuc.

The Year of Mary, proclaimed by the Franciscan Fathers, draws attention to the importance of the statue of Mary in Șumuleu-Ciuc.  The statue, as the jewel of Șumuleu-Ciuc and its defining emblem, is closely linked to the history and present of the city of Miercurea Ciuc.

The exhibition presents the relics of the statue of Mary - the metal crowns and sceptre donated by Bishop Ignácz Batthyány, the clothes of St. Mary in which she was clothed until the mid-20th century - which are on display to the public for the first time. 18th and 19th century engravings of the statue, alongside Franciscan sources and archival documents, bear witness to the ecclesiastical recognition of the Miracle Worker, the Virgin of Mercy.

The influence and practice of the veneration of Mary at Șumuleu-Ciuc is still felt today, as evidenced by the Pentecostal celebrations.

All this is presented in a broader context, the context of Marian devotion in Transylvania. Objects, original altar-sculptures and pictures will be on display, revealing the diversity of Marian worship in our region.

The opening of the exhibition will take place on 30 July 2015 at half past five in the afternoon at the Szekler Museum of Ciuc. The guests will be welcomed by Attila Antal, Deputy Mayor of Miercurea Ciuc and Mihály Bőjte, Franciscan Prior of Șumuleu-Ciuc. Dr. András Kovács, art historian, and Erzsébet Muckenhaupt, museologist, will open the exhibition and give a professional presentation. The choir of the Șumuleu-Ciuc Church will perform.