Poland’s national shrine revolves around the Byzantine icon of the " Black Madonna."The painting’s real origin is unknown, but it is said to date from the 6th to 14th century. Many legends revolve around its miraculous history, one being that around 1430, the icon was stolen by a Hussar knight after a attack on the fortified monastery. It was a stormy night, and as the lightning flashed, a shaft of light blinded the knight, his horse refused to move, and the knight threw the painting to the ground and stabbed it. Immediately a spring erupted and remains to this day. Indeed, many pilgrims take the water, as they do in Lourdes, France. The icon was restored, but the marks on the virgin’s face remain.
Then, in 1655, Swedes overran Poland but were unable to breach the walls of the monastery. Their cannonballs kept bouncing back, inflicting casualties on the shooters. The siege continued a month, but the small number of monks, soldiers, and knights battled on against 10,000 Swedes. The end came when a picture of the icon appeared in the sky above the monastery. The Swedes fled, and the Black Madonna was revered as Queen of Poland.
I first became aware of this icon when I was a student nurse in London and noticed that most Polish patients had a copy of the icon at their bedside and heard many tales of miracles {it would be a miracle today if anyone had time to talk to patients}, and so when we found ourselves in Krakow, I too decided to make the pilgrimage of the Polish patients.
The shrine is a 15- to 20-minute walk from the train station {left out of station, left at main road}. You can’t miss seeing the slender towers that are the focal point of the town.
The icon is located in the Chapel of the Mother of God that is attached to the beautiful baroque basilica. The chapel began as a wooden shrine in 14th century and was rebuilt from the 17th to 20th centuries. The oldest Gothic part features the icon, which is mounted on a 1650 ebony-and-silver altar and is covered with a sliding silver panel that is raised and lowered twice during the day, and the ceremony is a must-see. The panel slides very slowly to drums and a trumpet fanfare, a very spiritual experience; one can feel the hopes and prayers of the pilgrims. The chapel's walls are lined with votive offerings (crutches, glasses, jewellery, etc.), and there are even more in the sanctuary's treasury.
Within the grounds are several museums. The Knights Hall features paintings depicting important events relating to the monastery, the Swedish siege, the Hussite raid in 1430, and a lovely copy of the icon. The Arsenal houses an extensive collection of armor, paintings, swords, and medals. The Treasury, built in 1649 over the sacristy, showcases votive offerings, jewelry and liturgical vestments, and a drawing by Jan Matejko. My favorite was the museum. It houses documents from the foundation of the monastery articles donated by Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa’s Nobel prize, photographs, gold and silver jewelry, and a poignant bread rosary made by a concentration camp prisoner.
Tower Apart from its value as a national monument, the Jasna Gora complex, because of its situation, offers a commanding prospect of the Warta Valley, especially from the high, slender tower that rises above the surrounding town to a height of 348 feet. Built in 1906, it is the tallest church tower in Poland.
We did not explore the town due to time constraints, but the grounds of the shrine and museums can fill up, and it takes half a day to walk around the outside of the walls. They are awesome up close, and the whole area is set in lovely parkland.
This shrine was a great favorite of John Paul II; he placed the assassin’s bullet in the crown of the icon. I have visited many shrines and always as a pilgrim. At every shrine I found a purpose, a genuine piety and a single-mindedness, which all contributed to a very powerful atmosphere. The spiritual climax after long pilgrim marches is really something to witness. Only the most cynical could remain unmoved. For my part, I didn’t experience a difficult journey; instead, I enjoyed a very pleasant train ride, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
Other historical buildings worth seeing in Czestochowa include the Gothic church of St Sigismund and two early baroque churches built by the Pauline monks in the mid-17th century.
Raising of Screen: 6am and 1:30pm; Sunday 3pm; winter 2pm and Saturday, Sunday, and holidays
Lowering: Noon and 1pm; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays at 7:15pm
Information center: Summer 7:30am-7pm; Winter 8am-5pm
Tower: 8am-4pm, 2 zlotys
Arsenal and other museums: Summer 9-5pm; Winter 9-4pm
Admissions 2-5pm
Train ride: duration 2 hours, cost return 34zlty {two persons}
Photography not permitted in the chapel.