An Assumption in Bled
By Ringo Boitano

he secret to a successful marriage is for a husband to carry his bride up all 99 steps to the Church of the Assumption on the Island in Bled, Slovenia. If only someone would someone would have told me about this Slovenian tradition 20 years ago. But after stepping off a "Pletna" --- a gondola-like boat known only in Bled --- and staring up the sharp vertical incline, I could see that this would be no easy task. Plus the bride must remain silent for the entire 99 step journey. Perhaps it was better for me to have just left well enough alone.

Located in the Balkan nation of Slovenia (pop: 2,007,711) in Central Europe --- once part of the former Yugoslavia and now a member of the European Union --- Bled has long been a local tourist destination. Former Yugoslavian head of state Marshal Tito had a getaway constructed on the mainland, overlooking the lake and island. Historians believe that the little alpine forested island probably had a special meaning during prehistoric times as a sanctuary. In the early Middle Ages it was an Old Slavic cult area, where 124 graves with skeletons were found. According to a legend, the temple of the ancient Slavic goddess Živa once stood in the place of the renovated 17th century Baroque church.

As I caught my breath at the top of the stairs and entered the church I could see examples of both its beauty and renovations. A wooden statue of the Virgin Mary rests on the central altarpiece, adorned with rich gold-plated carvings. Like the church and monumental staircase, the island's other buildings and walls have been painstakingly preserved to maintain their 17th century authenticity. Another tradition is for visitors to ring the "wishing bell" above the church nave three times. Legend has it, if you can hear the bell's three echoes in the distance; your wish will come true. My wish? To return to Bled for a week, of course.

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