The shrine of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is one of the most often visited pilgrimage sites in Poland. More than a million pilgrims visit the shrine every year.

The Shrine has a twofold purpose. Firstly, the shrine is dedicated to reflection on the Passion and Death of our Lord, Jesus Christ. In fact, the most frequented event is the celebration of the Holy Week liturgies at Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. The second purpose is reflection on the dormition and triumph of Our Lady.

The Sanctuary in Kalwaria is situated on the slopes of Lanckorona mountain (at 530m) and the Żar mountain (at 572m) and is approximately 44km south west of the city of Krakow, Poland. The Sanctuary comprises a baroque basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, a Franciscan monastery and of a group of churches and chapels in baroque and mannerist style located on 6 square kilometers and surrounded by the picturesque landscape of the Beskidy mountains. The whole complex resembles the holy places in Jerusalem via its topographic and architectural composition. Thus it is said to be a specific copy of Jerusalem’s Via Dolorosa with its chapels established to reflect upon the Passion of Christ and on Our Lady’s Life.

The sanctuary was founded by Mikołaj Zebrzydowski, Governor of Krakow in 1602. He entrusted the sanctuary to the care of Franciscan Order of Friars Minor (OFM – who are informally called Bernardines in Poland). The first OFM monks came to Kalwaria in 1604 when the building of the church and the monastery began. The first re-enactment of Our Lord’s Passion, based on the annual re-enactment in Jerusalem, was held in 1607. The Bishop of Krakow, Piotr Tylicki, consecrated the church dedicated to the name Our Lady of the Angels on the 4th of October 1609.

The creation of Passion sanctuaries and the building of copies of Mount Calvary in Europe began in the 15th century. The first was created between 1405-1420 in Spain, near Cordoba based on the initiative of a Dominican – Alwarus. Shortly thereafter these recreations appeared in Germany (Lí¼beck in 1468) and in Italy (Sacro Monte near Verallo in 1493). These sanctuaries were establish as a response to the increase in common piety at the end of the Middle Ages and based upon the difficulties pilgrims faced in reaching Jerusalem, which was recaptured by the Turks. After the Council of Trent (1545-1563) the devotion towards these sanctuaries was renewed and more were established. They were founded in great numbers in the 17th and 18th centuries in Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and also in Poland. Other Polish passion sanctuaries were created at Pakosc (1668), Wejherowo (1649), Kalwaria Paslawska (1668), and Góra św. Anny (beginning of 18th century).

Mikołaj Zebrzydowski commissioned a priest, Feliks Zebrowski, who was a mathematician and astronomer to establish the layout of the Calvary re-creation. Zebrowski measured the area for the future chapels. While the distances covered were longer than in Jerusalem, they were dealt with in such a way so that the locations of chapels in accord with the overall proportions of Jerusalem, but on a larger scale. Paul Baudarth was commissioned to design the chapels and he supervised the building himself. The chapels were built between 1605 and 1617, in the following order: Pilate’s Praetorium, Christ’s Sepulcher, Gethsemane, The Seizure, Annas’ House, Caiaphas’ House, Herod’s Palace, Our Lady’s Tomb, Our Lady’s Hut, Bearing the Cross, The Assumption, Last Supper Room, Maria’s Heart, 2nd Fall (Western Gate), St. Ralph, and The Hermitage of Five Polish Brothers with a chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene.

After Mikołaj Zebrzydowski’s death in 1620 the work was continued by his son, Jan, who, in the years 1623 through 1641, built five additional Passion chapels (Eastern Gate, The Kidron Chapel, 1st Fall of Jesus Christ, The Cyrenian, and Veronica), eight Marian chapels (1632): four of Mary’s Dormition and four of Mary’s Triumph. He also rebuilt and enlarged the chapels erected by his father: The Crucifixion (1623) and Mary’s Tomb (ca 1623). Jan also built the so called —Gradusy— (steps) next to Pilate’s Praetorium (1633) and the Chapel of The Discovery of the Holy Cross as part of St. Helen’s hermitage (1623-1632).

Jan’s son, Michał Zebrzydowski continued the work. It was due to him that the monastery was enlarged on the northern side (1654-1655) and that the chapel at the southern wall of the church (today’s presbytery) was added to hold the miraculous image of Our Lady. The chapel is believed to be one of the most beautiful architectural objects in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. After the death of Michał Zebrzydowski the Czartoryski family inherited the care over Kalwaria and made additional improvements.

The Commemoration of the Passion of Christ is focused on the Way of the Cross along the “Avenues of Jesus Christ’s Passion” and the celebrations that occur during Holy Week. Marian devotion is focused on the chapels along “Our Lady’s Avenues”, the annual commemoration procession during the dual feasts of Our Lady’s Dormition and Triumph, and in visitation with the miraculous image of Our Lady of Calvary which has existed since 1641. It should be noted that devotion to Our Lady is a complement to the praise, glory, and worship due Jesus Christ. These devotions harmonize with each other. Mary’s Mysteries intermingle with the Mysteries of Jesus Christ.

The Commemoration of the Passion of Christ along the —Kalwarian Avenues— is modeled on the pilgrimages that take place in Jerusalem. These commemorations along the Kalwarian Avenues developed along with the sanctuary’s construction. There is a specific ritual of commemorations containing various meditations, prayers and songs said and sung successively at 28 stations recalling Christ’s Passion.

The celebration of Passion begins on Palm Sunday with Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey. On Holy Wednesday evening the scenes of the feast at Simon’s and of Judas’ treason are performed. Maundy Thursday brings a midday passion procession intercepted by scenes and sermons lasting a few hours. The celebration begins with washing the feet of the Apostles, which is traditionally performed by the monastery Superior. The ceremony is followed by scenes along the Avenues: —Prayer at Gethsemane—, —Seizure of Christ—, —Caiaphas’ judgment— and Peter’s denial—. On Good Friday morning the next part of the Passion mystery takes place: —The morning trial at Caiaphas residence’—, —Pilate’s judgment—, —Herod’s judgment—, —Pilate’s decree— sentencing Jesus to death. The scene is the culminating moment of the whole mystery, which gathers most pilgrims. After the sentence the procession moves towards Golgotha (The Mount of Crucifixion) where it finishes with Christ’s Passion and death liturgy and carrying the Blessed Sacrament to the Sepulcher. The pilgrims, who take part in Kalwaria mystery plays, experience the whole service deeply and religiously not as if it were an outdoor theatre performance but as a service allowing each to experience the great Mysteries of Redemption.

Devotion to Our Lady of Calvary had its beginnings at the times of Mikołaj Zebrzydowski. It was Mikołaj Zebrzydowski who procured the title of Our Lady of the Angels for the main church. The Main Altar contains a silver sculpture of Our Lady. The sculpture, bought from Loreto in Italy. Mikołaj Zebrzydowski built two Marian chapels: The Hut and Our Lady’s Tomb while his son Jan added eight more Marian chapels at which pilgrims started holding Marian Avenue services. These services are composed of three parts: Sorrow, Falling asleep and Assumption and it is willingly practiced by pilgrims both during fairs and at other times. Marian devotion started to flourish greatly in 1641 when the image of Our Lady of Calvary was placed in the church.

The image was a gift by Stanislaw Paszkowski of Brzezie, the owner of the nearby village of Kopytowka. The image is supposed to be a copy of the image of Our Lady of Myślenice painted by an unknown Italian artist in the 16th century. Bishop Jakub Zdradzik had the image taken to the vestry from the main altar where it was to stay until its miraculous features could be verified. Many pilgrims continued to receive special graces through the intercession of Our Lady of Calvary. Church authorities represented by Bishop Tomasz Oborski proclaimed the image glorious. In 1656 it was opened to public worship and placed in the main church on the altar of St. Anthony. In the years 1658-1667 Mikołaj Zebrzydowski built a special chapel to hold it and the image was placed in it in 1667. The image made Kalwaria Zebrzydowska an important centre for the Marian devotion. On 15 August 1887 the Kalwaria image was crowned in the so-called Valley of Josaphat, in front of the church of Our Lady’s Tomb by a Bishop of Krakow Albin Dunajewski in the presence of thousands of pilgrims. That fact caused Marian devotion to flourish even more, and increased the influx of pilgrims to the Kalwaria sanctuary.

Based on “Kalwaria Zebrzydowska – A Passion-Marian Sanctuary” by Mikolaj Rudyk, OFM