POLAND: Our Lady of Kalwaria
The Polish town of Kalwaria
Zebrzydowska is an historic place of pilgrimage, 33 km south-west of Krakow.
It was established in the early 17th century by the Zebrzydowski family
following the sighting of three crosses on their estate. When other miracles
followed, an envoy was sent to Jerusalem to obtain drawings of the holy
places in order to create a Calvary centre where pilgrims could retrace the
Passion of Christ. With 42 churches and chapels, scattered across the hills,
and 37 Stations of the Cross in a nearby forest, Kalwaria is one of the most
important places of pilgrimage in Europe. Central to worship is the Bazylika
Matki Bozej - the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin, a Baroque-style shrine
with a silver-plated icon of the Virgin over its high altar. A painting of
Mary and Jesus in the chapel is said to have been shed tears for more than
500 years. There are fourteen mid-19th century confessionals in the
cloisters and outside, a statue of John Paul II who was born nearby. and who
visited frequently, as a boy, and later as the Pope. The town itself
developed to provide services for the thousands of pilgrims who come to
visit the hill-top shrine and to trace the 15-km Calvary Paths. The most
frequented event is Holy Week when the traditional Passion play is performed
before huge crowds. Kalwaria Zebrzydowska was inscribed on the World
Heritage list in 1999