- Our Lady of Sorrows, Queen of Poland
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Our Lady of Sorrows, Queen of Poland
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Our Lady of Sorrows, Queen of Poland, Our Lady of Licheń, or Virgin of Licheń is a Roman Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary, most likely painted in 1772. The icon is housed at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lichen, in central Poland, which was built to honor it, and receives about 1.5 million pilgrims per year.[1][2]
The framed icon showing the second crown, above the central image.
The framed icon (lower image in red) on the altar of the basilica.Along with the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, located in in Częstochowa, southern Poland, the image is one of the two most venerated Marian images in Poland.
Contents
Description
In the central image, the Virgin Mary has a gold dress, is being crowned by two angels and is surrounded by a ring of stars. Below the image a ribbon carries the inscription: "Queen of Poland, give us days of peace." The image measures 9.5 × 15.5 cm and is on larger panel of 16 × 25 cm. There is a second crown above the image, on the larger panel.
Legend and history
According to legend, a Polish soldier (called Thomas Kłossowski) was wounded in the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 and had a vision of the Virgin Mary who saved him from death and instructed him to look for the image upon his return to Poland. Kłossowski is then said to have looked for and found the image in the woods in Grąblin as instructed.
According to oral tradition, in 1850 Kłossowski and his priest Nicholas Sikatce witnessed several apparitions of the Vrgin Mary who called for repentance and prayer. In the apparitions, the Virgin reportedly predicted war and a cholera epidemic, but also gave hope. During the cholera plague of 1852, the image became famous for performing miracles.
On September 29, 1852 the image was moved to the parish church in Licheń and remained there until 2006. On August 15, 1967 the image was formally crowned by the Cardinal.
The basilica
In 1994 the construction of the new basilica of Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lichen was started to house the image and accommodate the large number of pilgrims. Pope John Paul II blessed the basilica in 1999.[3] The basilica is Poland's largest church, the seventh largest in Europe and eleventh in the world. On July 2, 2006 the image was placed in the main altar of the basilica.
See also
References
- ^ Moved by Mary: The Power of Pilgrimage in the Modern World by Anna-Karina Hermkens, Willy Jansen, Catrien Notermans 2009 ISBN 0754667898 page 99
- ^ Poland by Neal Bedford 2008 ISBN 1741044790 page 401
- ^ Vatican web site: John Paul II at Lichen
Categories:- Roman Catholic Church stubs
- Paintings of the Virgin Mary
- Roman Catholic Church in Poland
- Marian devotions
- Religion in Poland
- Titles of Mary
- National symbols of Poland
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