Story

The year was 1715, when the people of the Gornji Grad area were experiencing great hardship. There was a severe famine and livestock were suffering from rinderpest. People were baking bread from the bark of pear trees and the young vines of grapevines. Many died. They tried to help themselves in this severe ordeal by "witchcraft" and empty faith (Stegenšek 1905, 28).

The then Dean of Gornji Grad, Ahacij Steržiner, helped the people as much as he could. Among other things, he also thought about how he could avert and prevent spiritual misery. He decided and, with the permission of the Bishop of Ljubljana (Franz Karl Kaunitz), placed a picture of St. Francis Xavier, the great wonderworker and intercessor in the death struggle and storms, on the altar of St. Mary in the old church of St. Barbara in Radmirje (Kokalj 1990, 134).

Zealous preachers made people aware of the new saint and encouraged them to recommend him. Many people were healed of illnesses in a wonderful way through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier. Word of the miraculous cures spread and pilgrims came to Radmirje from near and far (Munda 1957, 2).

In return for the requests, various European courts donated many valuables. The treasury of the beautifully preserved church still displays precious vestments. Among the most precious is the Mass mantle, a gift from Empress Maria Theresa, a large handmade work, which she herself is said to have been involved in, made from her wedding dress.

Not far from the church, about 20 minutes' moderate walk uphill, the Maronsheg family lived in those days on a small farm, called Lukez. According to the archives of the birth register of the parish of Radmirje, from the years 1782-1839, 7 children were born to father Mathias in two marriages; Franz Xaver, Joseph, Franz, Elisabeth, Ursula and two Antons.

Life was difficult for this family. Unimaginable for today. The descendants of this farm have been gone for a long time. However, the wall of the granary that the family used to store their grain has survived to this day. Particularly interesting is the huge stone of this wall, visible in the cellar of today's house, which stands on the site of the granary.