Dear friends
We want to share with you the news about an upcoming publication by our Religious Family: a pilgrim’s guide to Poland following the footsteps of John Paul II in his native land.
We began with this project due to the particular relationship that our Religious Family has with St. John Paul II, and aiming at further making known his extraordinary person, following the footprints of the Saint prior His papacy.
Apart from including historic, geographic and cultural information, the guide offers in particular John Paul II’s words and actions related to each of the suggested places of visit. In this way, our guide can be useful not only in order to prepare a pilgrimage, but as an actual source of deeper knowledge of the life and teachings of the Saint, and especially for the pastoral with young people.
The next World Youth Day in Krakow 2016 is indeed a lovely chance to use the guide. Therefore, we are almost finishing its publication, bearing in mind the spiritual aspect that a pilgrimage of this kind should be marked by.
Here you will find a presentation of the guide where it is further explained what inspired us to create the guide and the guide’s uses. The text is available in Spanish, Italian and English and it includes photos in colour, maps, useful information, etc.
We would like to ask you to spread this piece of news as much as you can and to promote its purchase in those places where you perform pastoral activities: dioceses, churches, youth groups, schools.
To make an order or for any questions regarding the guide you can contact us at:
-Sister Maria del Pilar:
cel: +39 327 874 5319 (what’s app)
email: m.pilar@servidoras.org
-Sister Maria de Montserrat:
cel:+39 338 897 8569 (what’s app/viber)
email: sec.generalicia@servidoras.org
Dear Pilgrim,
You are about to start your journey following in the footsteps of Saint John Paul the Great in his homeland, Poland. We hope that these pages will be an instrument to thank the Lord for the gift granted to His Church and the world through the person of this great saint. You will travel to the places related to his life, a life that had the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary as its principal characters. We hope that through contact with the places you will visit, they will become a stimulus so that you also decide to be completely guided in your life for the love of God, to become a saint.
Presentation of the Pilgrim’s Guide
The present guide is born during a pilgrimage in Poland, in 2013, following the footprints of John Paul II, whose life gave us an eloquent testimony of the extraordinary richness with which is imbued his homeland. After visiting this great nation, its vast cultural and spiritual heritage, but chiefly the places related to the great leading figure of the Polish Pope, we though it important to create a guide to benefit others. Due to the trouble that non-Slav speaking pilgrims have to understand Polish, we considered it necessary to provide information in other languages. We worked with dedication to publish simultaneously the guide in Spanish, Italian, and English.
The main goal of this work, as stated in the Introduction, is “helping pilgrims find in each place the spiritual legacy of Pope John Paul the Great”. A vast number of his quotes, highlighted for easy reading, connect each place with John Paul II and gather his valuable teaching.
Undoubtedly, Saint John Paul II is the more emblematic Polish leading figure of our times. Poland is proud to have given the Church a Saint Pope that was face with harsh historical times for his country. Indeed, this profoundly catholic land particularly suffered persecution, but managed to hold tight to its ideals when faced with ideologies that sought to make Poland give up its most genuine Christian roots, its culture and faith. From his place, Karol Wojtiła knew how to help in the defence of these values. The aim of the guide is making known those places connected to his vast work (as a student and worker) in favour of these principles, but above all his work as a shepherd of the souls, as a priest and afterwards Archbishop of Krakow.
To this end, the guide includes information of the cities in which he lived, studied, worked, taught and practised his fertile priestly and episcopal ministry. It also includes many references to the visits made to his country while being a Pope. This way, the guide provides a description of the main places related to this great national and universal leading figure, John Paul the Great of our times.
In addition, to complete this spiritual journey, in each of the places the most important figures and saints are mentioned, telling a brief story of their lives. There is also information about some of the cities the pilgrims might visit because of the relevance they have for the Polish people and that are also connected to Saint John Paul II. The footnotes provide information that complete the main text, with references sites that can be consulted.
An itinerary of visits is suggested, following a chronology according to John Paul II’s life. Pilgrims can easily use the guide for the itinerary they consider proper. To this end, the most important cities are highlighted in different colours.
In order to show pilgrims their way in the city, a civic reference is included under each of the places suggested. Maps of the places are available, which can come in very handy. Also, some of the cities and monuments described are illustrated with pictures.
Finally, we would like to point out the relevance of the guide in view of the next Krakow 2016 – World Youth Day. We think it will be of great use for those willing to combine the World Youth Day with a pilgrimage, within the framework of Saint John Paul II’s spirit, who loved young people so dearly and from Heaven still intercedes for them.
Introduction
The content of this pilgrim guide is organized according to the cities in Poland which were most related to the life of John Paul II.
Its main purpose is to help the pilgrim encounter the Spiritual Legacy of this great Pope at each of the places. There are text boxes throughout the entire guide containing quotes to accompany each place with memories that the saint has left us, especially in his works Memory and Identity, Gift and Mystery, and Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way as well as some of his homilies, which contain a heritage of teaching and truth that enlighten future generations.
The guide also contains biographical information about numerous Polish saints. Many of these saints played an important role in the life and formation of Saint John Paul II. Some of them were beatified or canonized by the Polish Pope.
In addition, historical and artistic information is provided regarding the places to visit, which are closely linked to the profound faith of the great Polish people.
Index
TIMELINE OF THE LIFE OF SAINT JOHN PAUL II | 11 | |
I – WADOWICE | 14 | |
Historical Context of Wadowice | 15 | |
1 – Municipal Museum – Historic Dairy Farm | 16 | |
2 – Family Home of John Paul II | 16 | |
3 – Basilica of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 17 | |
4 – Town Hall and Boys School | 20 | |
5 – Historic Bakery of Karol Hugenhuber | 20 | |
6 – Market Square – John Paul II Plaza | 21 | |
7 – Sanctuary of Saint Joseph – Monastery of the Carmelite Fathers | 21 | |
8 – Church of Saint Peter the Apostle | 26 | |
9 – Headquarters of the Infanty Regiment | 27 | |
10 – Cultural House | 27 | |
II – KRAKÓW | 29 | |
1 – Debniki Neighborhood – House of John Paul II in Kraków | 30 | |
2 – Salesian Church of Saint Stanislaus Kostka | 31 | |
3 – House of Jan Tyranowski | 33 | |
4 – House on Szwedzka Street | 35 | |
5 – House on Komorowskiego Street | 35 | |
6 – The Rhapsodic Theater | 36 | |
7 – Pod Lipkami House | 37 | |
8 – Church of Saint Michael the Archangel and Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr | 37 | |
9 – Cathedral Basilica of Saint Stanislaus and Saint Wenceslaus | 39 | |
10 – Seminary in Kraków | 54 | |
11 – Dean’s House and Museum | 55 | |
12 – Pontifical University of John Paul II | 56 | |
13 – Church of Saints Peter and Paul | 57 | |
14 – Church of Saint Joseph and Monastery of the Bernadine Nuns | 57 | |
15 – Basilica of the Holy Trinity of the Dominican Fathers | 58 | |
16 – Basilica of Saint Francis and Monastery of the Conventual Franciscans | 60 | |
17 – Archbishop’s Palace of Kraków | 62 | |
18 – Kraków Philharmonic Hall – Catholic House | 71 | |
19 – Błonia and Jordan Parks | 71 | |
20 – Jagiellonian University – Collegium Novum | 72 | |
21 – Saint Anne’s Collegiate Church – Remains of Saint John Cantius | 74 | |
22 – Basilica of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary | 75 | |
23 – Market Plaza – Rynek Głowny | 76 | |
24 – Church of Saint Adalbert | 77 | |
25 – Saint Mary’s Basilica – Kosciól Mariacki | 77 | |
26 – Basilica of Saint Florian | 80 | |
27 – Monastery of the Carmelite Fathers | 84 | |
28 – Rakowicki Cemetery | 87 | |
29 – Sanctuary of Saint Brother Albert – Ecce Homo Church | 88 | |
30 – Church of Saint Joseph in Podgórze | 91 | |
31 – Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Kraków – Łagiewniki | 92 | |
32 – John Paul II Church and the “Do not be afraid” Center | 95 | |
33 – Old Bicarbonate Factory “Sołvay” | 101 | |
34 – Zakrzówek | 102 | |
35 – Nowa Huta | 104 | |
36 – Cistercian Abbey of Mogila | 107 | |
37 – Salt Mines of Wieliczka | 107 | |
38 – Benedictine Abbey of Tyniec | 108 | |
39 – John Paul II International Airport | 110 | |
III – NIEGOWIĆ | 112 | |
1 – Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 112 | |
IV – KALWARIA ZEBRZYDOWSKA | 114 | |
V – AUSCHWITZ | 118 | |
VI – CZĘSTOCHOWA | 124 | |
1 – Sanctuary of the Mother of God of Jasna Góra | 124 | |
2 – Stations of the Cross at Jasna Góra of Jerzy Duda Gracz | 134 | |
VII-VIII-IX – BIESZCZADY NATIONAL PARK, TATRA MOUNTAINS AND MANSURIAN LAKES | 137 | |
1 – His Ministry with the Youth and Formation of the Laity | 138 | |
2 – Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Zakopane | 141 | |
X – LUBLIN | 143 | |
1 – The Cathedral of Lublin | 144 | |
2 – Trinity Tower | 146 | |
3 – Market Square | 147 | |
4 – The Dominican Monastery | 147 | |
5 – The Royal Castle and the Chapel of the Holy Trinity | 148 | |
6 – Kraków Gate | 149 | |
7 – Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) | 149 | |
8 – Majdanek Extermination Camp | 153 | |
XI – CITY OF THE IMMACULATE – SAINT MAXIMILIAN KOLBE | 157 | |
XII – WARSAW | 163 | |
1 – Saint Stanisław Kostka Church – Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko | 163 | |
2 – Cathedral of Warsaw | 171 | |
3 – Royal Castle | 178 | |
4 – Archbishop’s Palace of Warsaw – Borch Palace | 178 | |
5 – Church of Saint Anne | 179 | |
6 – Convent of the Uruline Sisters | 181 | |
7 – Library of the University of Warsaw | 181 | |
8 – Presidential Palace | 182 | |
9 – Piłsudskiego Square or Square of Victory | 182 | |
10 – Museum –Collection of John Paul II | 186 | |
11 – Convent of the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy | 186 | |
12 –Pawiak Prison Museum | 187 | |
13 – All Saints’ Church | 188 | |
14 – National Temple of Divine Providence | 189 | |
XIII – LICHEŃ STARY | 191 | |
Shrine of Our Lady of Licheń | 191 | |
XIV – GIETRZWAŁD | 198 | |
Shrine of Our Lady of Warmia | 198 | |
ANNEXES TO THE GUIDE | 202 | |
Stations of the Cross of Cardenal Wojtyła | 203 | |
Useful Sites for Preparing the Pilgrimage | 212 | |
APPENDIX | 215 | |
Apostolic Journey to Poland, Tuesday, June 15, 1999 | 215 |