Pilgrimages to sanctuaries in Warmia and Masuria

Most of us associate Warmia and Masuria with lakes, rivers and forests, but the region is also full of interesting places that are worth exploring, which are related to the history, culture and faith that have shaped the identity of the region’s inhabitants for centuries. The sanctuaries here particularly  commemorate the revelations and miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The faithful have been going on pilgrimage to some of these places for many centuries.

To this day, pilgrims and tourists eagerly go to Gietrzwałd where the Mother of God appeared, to Stoczek Klasztorny where the image of Our Lady – the Queen of Peace – is located, or to Święta Lipka (Holy Linden), a small town near Reszel known for the miracles of Our Lady.

Gietrzwałd – “Warmińska Częstochowa”

In 1877, the Mother of God appeared in Gietrzwałd to two girls from poor Polish families. Since then, the village has become the main pilgrimage center in Warmia, and is now the only place of Holy Mary revelations in Poland, the authenticity of which has been fully confirmed by the Church.

The impact of these revelations on the revival of the Polish national movement in the region was enormous. In Gietrzwałd, pilgrim houses, private accommodation and a restaurant with regional cuisine await visitors to the sanctuary.

Święta Lipka (Holy Linden) – a pearl of the Baroque

According to historical accounts, in the 14th century, the Mother of God appeared to a man condemned to death and instructed him to carve her image out of wood and hang it on the first encountered lime tree. The place where the figurine was hung soon became famous for miracles and healings, and pilgrimages of the faithful began to arrive at the linden tree.

In the 17th century, a Jesuit church and monastery were built here, one of the most valuable baroque complexes in Poland. A great attraction of the church is the organ with movable figurines, the sound of which can be heard during everyday concerts.

Other sanctuaries in the region also deserve attention and visit, including the one in Stoczek Klasztorny with a rotunda church built in the 17th century and a painting of the Mother of God, Queen of Peace, a copy of the work from the Roman Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Our Lady is also revered in the sanctuaries in Krosno, Lipy and Nowe Miasto Lubawskie.

In Zielonka Pasłęcka, there is the Sanctuary of Merciful Christ, whereas in Głotowo – the Sanctuary of the Blessed Sacrament and the Passion of Christ. At the end of the 19th century, the Warmia Calvary was established here – the Way of the Cross, resembling the one in Jerusalem.