Our Lady of the Kalwaria Dolores

Marian title of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska (Little Poland)

La devoción a Our Lady of the Kalwaria Dolores (Matka Boża Kalwaryjska) is attached to the very origin of the sanctuary of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, founded in the early 17th century in the region of Little Poland, south-west of Krakow. The creation of the complex is due to the voivoda (governor) of Krakow, Nicholas Zebrzydowskiwhich was 1600–1602 decided to build a "Calvary" inspired by the topography of Jerusalem, with a convent for the Bernardines and multiple chapels of the Passion. The convent of the bernardinos (officially Order of Minor Friars of San Francisco) was established there in 1602 and has guarded the sanctuary ever since.

Main data

Origin and history

La devoción a Our Lady of the Kalwaria Dolores (Matka Boża Kalwaryjska) is attached to the very origin of the sanctuary of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, founded in the early 17th century in the region of Little Poland, south-west of Krakow. The creation of the complex is due to the voivoda (governor) of Krakow, Nicholas Zebrzydowskiwhich was 1600–1602 decided to build a "Calvary" inspired by the topography of Jerusalem, with a convent for the Bernardines and multiple chapels of the Passion. The convent of the bernardinos (officially Order of Minor Friars of San Francisco) was established there in 1602 and has guarded the sanctuary ever since.

La documented history of the Marian image venerated today is a few decades later. To 1641 el noble Stanisław Paszkowski He gave to the Bernardines a picture of the Virgin with the Child, of type Hodegetria (the Virgin who shows the way), who was placed in the conventual church. It soon began to be attributed to this image numerous favors and healings, so it began to be honored as a miraculous image of Our Lady of Kalwaria. The title of "Mother of God of Kalwaria" was growing in popular piety, associated both with the mystery of the Passion (by "Polish Jerusalem") and with the pains of Mary at the foot of the cross.

As regards traditions and legends, various local sources refer to stories of extraordinary healing and graces obtained before the painting since the mid-17th century, which moved the ecclesiastical authority to officially recognize the miraculous character of the image and to promote the development of the sanctuary. Pious interpretations that connect Poland's historical suffering with the Dolores de María venerated in Kalwaria, especially during the Polish parades and the wars of the 18th and 19th century, although these links belong to the spiritual reading of history and not to specific documents.

The image and the sanctuary

The image of Our Lady of the Kalwaria Dolores es un Marian icon of type Hodegetriawho represents the Virgin with the Child Jesus in arms, in front position. This is a painting on table (wood), late-style - early baroque, with features that remember the Eastern iconographic tradition adapted to the Polish taste of the 17th century. The Virgin holds the Child on the left arm and presents it to the faithful, while the Child usually holds the book or gesture of blessing, according to the derived copies and representations. Although the title highlights Mary as Doloredthe iconography of the painting does not show the scene of the Piety, but the connection with the Dolores comes from its insertion into the whole Passion and from the spirituality of the sanctuary.

The sanctuary is located in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, in the voivodship or department of Pequeña Polonia (Małopolskie)in southern Poland. The set is formed by the convent and sanctuary of the Bernardines and by a wide system of cross roads and chapels that reproduce the scenarios of the Passion and some mysteries of the life of the Virgin, so it is known as the "Polish Jerusalem". The main church, generally dedicated to the Passion of the Lord and Our Lady of Kalwaria, was built in style baroque with subsequent contributions and houses the altar with the miraculous image. In the year 1999, the landscape-architectural complex of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska was registered by the UNESCO in the list of World Heritage, as one of the most notable sets of landscape pilgrimage in Europe.

The sanctuary is attended by the Polish province Bernardina and has official recognition as Marian sanctuary of national relevance, very linked to the figure of San Juan Pablo IIwho was there pilgrim from his youth and returned as Pope stressing the spiritual importance of the place for Poland. It is not recorded in the usual Spanish sources that the church has explicitly received the title of minor basilica; if such a title exists, it is not clearly documented in the references consulted, so it is indicated. no consta.

Sponsorship and coronation

Our Lady of Kalwaria is one of the most important Marian shrines in Poland and is actually considered a place of patronazgo espiritual for the region of Small Poland and for many faithful from all over the nation. The sanctuary is closely linked to the local Church of Krakowwho recognizes him as one of his main centers of pilgrimage and Marian piety.

The miraculous image of Our Lady of Calvary was canonically crowned in the 19th century. The coronation took place in 1887with crowns approved by the Holy See, and was performed following the usual rite of the time for images considered miraculous. The sources consulted mention the coronation, but do not clearly identify the name of the pontiff who authorized the act or the pontifical delegate who officiated the ceremony, so that, while maintaining rigour, it can only be affirmed with certainty the coronation year (1887) and character canonical of the act; the other details no consta in the sources verified in Spanish.

Party and devotion

In the shrine of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska the main Marian celebration linked to this advocation is located around the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, el August 15, extending in a large 8th or time of Marian pilgrimages. On those dates many pilgrims come to honor Our Lady of Kalwaria, participate in the processions with the icon and renew the personal and family consecration to the Virgin. In addition, the sanctuary organizes the traditional ones every year Holy Week "Pasions"with representations and processions that go through the chapels of the Via Cruces, where the figure of Mary Dolorosa appears spiritually linked to the path of the cross.

La inflow of pilgrims is very significant: it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of faithful visit Kalwaria Zebrzydowska every year, with peaks of participation during Easter and in August, around the Assumption. Expressions of piety include community prayer, processions with traditional Polish songs in honor of the Virgin, sacramental confession, participation in the Eucharist and the offering of exvotes in gratitude for the favors received. Among the most entrenched traditions is the path of the Passion and Marian chapelswhich allows us to meditate on the mysteries of Christ and Mary walking through the forest landscape surrounding the sanctuary.

Devotion has received a particular impetus thanks to San Juan Pablo IIwho, from his youth (like Karol Wojtyła) was on the pilgrimage to Kalwaria, and who being Pope returned in apostolic visit, highlighting how he learned there to unite the suffering to the cross of Christ from the hand of Mary. This has consolidated the sanctuary as a reference place for those who seek to live their own pains together with the Dolores de la Virgen.

Link to the Rosary

The sources consulted do not document a specific and own relationship of this advocation with the Rosary (such as an official title "of the Rosary" or apparitions specifically linked to this sentence), and should therefore be clearly stated that does not contain a particular rosarian link in accessible documents.

However, by the nature of the sanctuary and its spirituality, the prayer of the Rosary has an ordinary and deep place in the devotional life of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. As a sanctuary of the Passion and the Dolores of Mary, invite

Verified sources of this update

La página oficial of the Shrine Pasionista-Mariano de Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is incorporated as a direct source for the present description of the sanctuary and its pilgrimage life. This reference does not make the traditions about the image an approval of supernatural phenomena: the documented history, tradition and legend remain differentiated in this form.