Crashing Czestochowa

Day 5: Jasna Góra Monestary in Czestochowa, Poland

En route from Warsaw to Krakow, we stopped by Czestochowa to visit the Black Madonna shrine in Jasna Góra Monestary. Founded in 1382, this place is considered an important pilgrimage point and spiritual capital for all Roman-Catholic Poles (90% of the population).

The interior of Jasna Góra Monestary.

Renovations.

It's better than working by candlelight like the good old days. :p

The Black Madonna icon is Poland's holiest relic and it is believed that the Virgin Mary in this portrait can magically heal and protect those who believe in and worship her. Various offerings given to the Black Madonna as proof and a show of appreciation of her help.

Crutches! People also gave jewels, intricately brocaded cloths, tapestries... but those were in the Treasury and I wasn't allowed to take photos there.

Didn't find a bejeweled wheelchair... :p

We were taken to the Black Madonna shrine as part of our tour, but Mass and a priest ordination was going on at that time. I can't tell you just how awkward that whole ordeal was... even if I were a Roman Catholic, inserting myself into a rite of ordination feels super intrusive unless I was friend or family. Well, the imagine a bunch of Americans with cameras hanging off their necks filing through the hall, some taking photos and forgetting to turn off their flash. In the meantime, a priest is singing some holy text and hundreds of devout Poles are praying in the back of the church (and giving you the evil eye?). It was just weird and embarrassing. And of course I didn't stand out at all, being an Asian female and obvious tourist.

My hidden camera skillz. I think the man sitting in the lower left corner is the one being ordinated as we're passing through.