Braslav. Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is a majestic temple located in the center of Braslav next to the Castle Hill, with which, according to some versions, it is connected by secret underground passages. The construction of the church began in 1824. In 1897, it was enlarged and rebuilt in the neo-Romanesque style. Now you can even notice the differences between the old and new masonry. This gives the church even more charm.

The actions of the Second World War did not bypass the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. During the occupation of Braslav, the rector of the church was shot by the Nazis for helping Jews. In 1950, the church was closed and turned into a grain storage facility. And only in 1967 did it reopen its doors to parishioners. Beforehand, repairs and restoration work had been carried out here.

The temple has a gable roof, and the main facade is decorated with a three-tiered bell tower. The building is made of stone combined with red brick. The walls have a very unusual architectural feature, which was called the "Braslav mosaic". When erecting the church, instead of the usual lime mortar, a mixture with decorative small stones was laid between the large stones, which create the illusion of a mosaic. The interior decoration is also striking in its beauty. On the eastern wall, there is a sun inscribed in a circle and a vase with flowers. These drawings have survived since the time of the temple in 1824. Local residents are proud of the organ located in the walls of the church, which was created at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church has had a monastic House of Sisters for over 80 years, founded in 1939. The sisters actively participate in religious life, help the elderly, sick and infirm, look after the church and prepare it for the holidays.

Another feature and the main pride of the church is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Queen of the Lakes” or “Valadarka of the Lakes”, as the locals often call it. In 2009, the icon was crowned and became the 7th icon in Belarus and the first in the Vitebsk region to be awarded such an honor.

On August 22, 2009, the Braslav Catholic parish of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary experienced a majestic and significant event – the coronation of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Queen of the Lakes with papal crowns. Preparations for this celebration had been underway for a long time. Both clergy and lay people from different parts of Belarus, primarily from the Vitebsk diocese, and also from abroad took part in it. The crowns for the icon of the Mother of God were made in Krakow according to the design of the artist Fr. Antoni Poloniak. On February 18, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated them on St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.

According to various estimates, between five and ten thousand Catholic believers from different cities of Belarus and a number of other countries gathered in the square near the church. Many pilgrims came to worship the Braslav shrine on foot. Ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions, about 30 hierarchs of the Catholic Church from 11 countries, as well as representatives of the Greek Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches attended the ceremony.

The golden crowns were first placed on the infant Jesus and then on the Mother of God depicted on the icon. Then Bishop Vladislav Blin of Vitebsk performed the act of dedication of the Vitebsk Catholic diocese to the care of the Mother of God of Braslav, the Lady of the Lakes, after which the icon was raised high above the yacht-altar for all believers to see. After this, believers from different countries presented sacrificial gifts to the icon. Among them were golden rosaries, several golden cups, altar cloths, portraits of Pope John Paul II, icons, and candles.