WARSAW, Poland (OSV News) — In a powerful show of faith and unity, Poland has launched its third nationwide pilgrimage of the Black Madonna — a beloved icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa. The “peregrynacja” began in late August in Sosnowiec, drawing thousands as the replica image arrived, and before it visits all Polish parishes, decades will pass.
When the replica of the revered icon of Our Lady was carried on the shoulders of firefighters into the cathedral of Sosnowiec Aug. 30, the church filled with thousands who had come to welcome her — transforming the parish into a living shrine.
It marked the beginning of the third national peregrination of the icon through Poland’s nearly 10,000 parishes.
The tradition of ‘peregrynacja’ — a pilgrimage of the replica of a historical icon of the Jasna Góra shrine — has deep roots in Polish Catholic life. The first such national pilgrimage began in 1957 under the leadership of Blessed Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, the iconic Primate of Poland who was beatified in September 2021.
At the time, the communist regime tried to suppress the “peregrynacja,” even “arresting” the original icon between 1966 and 1972. Undeterred, the faithful carried the empty frame through parishes, drawing enormous crowds.
That first round of visits lasted 23 years. A second pilgrimage began in 1985 and, due to Poland’s growing number of parishes and unforeseen interruptions, like the COVID-19 pandemic, continued for 40 years.
Now, a third round has begun and on Aug. 26 — the feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa — the icon’s replica set out on its long journey.
The idea is simple but profound: Mary leaves her shrine and goes to her children. “They don’t have to travel to Jasna Góra,” Pauline Father Mariusz Tabulski told OSV News.
“It is Jasna Góra that comes to them.”
For Father Tabulski, this pilgrimage is personal.
“I first experienced the peregrination myself in 1987 when Our Lady came to my parish in Bialystok,” he recalled. “I still remember it vividly — a sea of people, the icon lifted high on people’s shoulders. It was unforgettable.”
Years later, as a member of the Pauline fathers’ general council, he was entrusted with coordinating the second peregrination between 2014 and 2020. Today, he serves as prior of the Pauline monastery in Kraków’s historic Skalka and as secretary of the Polish bishops’ Marian Commission. “I have witnessed how this pilgrimage changes people — priests, families, even those who had been far from the church,” he said.
Priests report confessions from those who had not entered a church in decades. Communities organize rosary circles, prayer groups, and charitable initiatives.
“It’s a spiritual ploughing of the soil,” Father Tabulski explained. “The icon’s 24-hour stay in each parish mobilizes people. It reminds them they are not alone in their struggles — Mary and Christ are with them.”
When the icon’s visit to the Archdiocese of Warsaw was closing in 2018, now-retired archbishop, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz made a startling admission.
“He said, ‘I must confess to you — I thought this was an outdated formula, something from the 1950s. But I was wrong. Seeing how people pray, how pastors lead, how communities are renewed, I realized it has immense power today,'” Father Tabulski recalled the cardinal saying.
Bishop Artur Wazny of Sosnowiec, also admitted to initial doubts. “I wondered if this was truly a program for our times,” he told OSV News.
“But after just two weeks, I am convinced it is Mary’s program, and it is worth embracing.”
He recounted meeting a man who had traveled by freight train in 1957 to attend the inauguration of the first pilgrimage in Czestochowa.
“Now, decades later, Mary came to his parish. He told me with tears that it felt like the completion of a circle,” Bishop Wazny said.
The bishop noted that the Sosnowiec cathedral had not seen such crowds since its consecration. He also emphasized creative efforts to reach young people.
“In October, we will hold a large retreat in a sports arena, with the icon present. We will also host a Cana-style celebration for married couples — including those in irregular situations — to show that the church is a home for all.”
Just days short of his official start in the diocese in June 2024, Bishop Wazny announced he had established Poland’s first independent diocesan investigation commission of clerical abuse cases. The start of peregrination in his dioceses is also set to send a message of renewal.
The Black Madonna is not just a painting for Poles — officially named the Queen of Poland by King Jan Kazimierz in 1656, she has accompanied generations through war, occupation, and social upheaval.
The spiritual fruits of the peregrination are already evident for Bishop Wazny. He noted increased confessions after the visit of the icon in his diocese, even among those absent from the pews for decades.
“People are returning to grace, rediscovering prayer,” he said. Parishes report new prayer groups formed, renewed interest in pilgrimages, and heightened engagement in charitable activities.
The peregrination also challenges priests. “Mary comes to remind them of their mission,” Bishop Wazny said.
The logistics of the peregrination are carefully planned. Pauline fathers transport the icon in a specially designed vehicle, dubbed the “chapel truck.” After a night of prayer in a certain parish, the icon is passed on to the next community.
This rhythm will continue for years — perhaps decades — until all of Poland’s parishes have been visited.
“The heart of this pilgrimage,” Father Tabulski stressed, “is leading people to entrust themselves to Mary. That is what lifts them up to face life’s trials with faith.”
