Aglona Basilica is the center of pilgrimage and of Catholicism in Latvia. The famous Basilica is located in the village of Aglona between the cities of Daugavpils and Rezekne, Latgale – Eastern region of Latvia.

In 1699 landlords Ieva and Dezibel Lastovicka called here the monks of the Dominican order from Vilnius, and in a wonderful location in the middle of the lakes Ciresu and Ages the Church was erected of wood. In 1768-1789, on the site of the old Church was built a brick Church in the Baroque style together with the adjacent structure of the monastery. The Basilica was built in honor of the assumption of the virgin. The icon of the blessed virgin Mary was placed above the main altar. It was created in the XVII century by an unknown artist.

In 1863, the Russian authorities had prohibited the admission of new novices in the Catholic order. At the end of the XIX century in Aglona did not last the Dominican, and the Church came under the management of diocesan priests. In 1920 he was ordained the first Bishop of silt Latvia – Anthony Springwich who turned Aglona in the centre of the Archbishopric of Riga reborn.

In July 1944, when the offensive front, the priest managed to take the icon and save it in the barn on the farm. Later the icon was returned to the altar of the Church.

In 1980 Aglona Church celebrated its 200th anniversary. And for this occasion, Pope John Paul II granted it the status of "basilica minoris", which means "minor Basilica".

Two-tower Baroque Church is a three-nave pillar Basilica, whose chancel (elevation for the altar) closed polygonal apse. The lower tier of the majestic main façade, oriented to the South, accented multi-column framing portals, which resembles a theatrical scenery. In the decoration of the cross of arches, vaults, walls and pillars of the interior are used mainly lokalnie jewelry created by a plaster layer in grisaille technique. The supports of the arches of the aisles, which have a strong base and pedestals, interpreted as part of the arches and lack of imposts and capitals.

In the composition of the Central altar bunk enabled letner, window openings and spherical ceiling of the apse. The altar stands a beautiful location-scale of order elements, supplemented by figures of saints, localName putti decorations in the style of classicism. Classicism is seen in the construction and decoration of the side altars located on the transverse axis of the temple and of the Department. The interior painting has been preserved of the late XVIII – early XIX centuries, wooden sculpture and the body (the nineteenth century).

Under the office of the Dean of Andras Agonimia in 1992-1993, the Basilica and the adjacent territory were reconstructed. In January 1993 the Church was established choir "Magnificat", consisting of 40 participants (organists, musicians, doctors, teachers from all over Eastern Latvia), conductor and artistic Director of which was the organist Ieva Lasmane. The choir's repertoire consists of more than 200 works. This is spiritual chorales, cantatas, Psalms, masses, and secular music. The choir participates in all major religious holidays. During the meeting of the Taize movement in late 1993 – early 1994 the choir "Magnificat" was in Munich. In 1996, at Easter, the choir visited the Holy places of Europe: Zakopane in Poland, Altering in Germany, Lasalette and Lourdes in France, Montserrat in Spain.

September 9, 1993 in Aglona was visited by Pope John Paul II. He celebrated a Pontifical Mass, which was attended by about 380 000 pilgrims.

The biggest holiday of the Aglona Basilica is 15 August – the Day of the assumption of the virgin. Visit it annually, about 150,000 pilgrims.