Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Leśniów

The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Leśniów, Patroness of Families, is in Leśniów, part of Żarki, at Leśniowska 99. It is a monastery of the Pauline Fathers with a church in which a figure of the Virgin Mary is venerated. The complex is in the heritage register, and the church is dated to the 16th century.

History of the place

According to published studies, a wooden church may have stood here as early as 1325. In 1706 the owner of the estate, Józef Męciński, gave the Paulines the church with a wooden monastery. The brick monastery was built from 1755 to 1768. Its architecture combines Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements, and the building is made of brick.

The legend of the spring

Tradition links the beginnings of the cult with the year 1382. Duke Władysław of Opole, on his way to Opole, is said to have stopped at this spot with the image of the Virgin Mary from Bełz, later known from Częstochowa. When the travellers ran out of water, a spring is said to have gushed forth here, and its water healed the sick and wounded. This is a folk tale, not an established historical fact. The “Źródełko” (little spring) is still by the sanctuary.

Interior and coronation

The Baroque main altar from 1730 holds the figure of the Virgin Mary. The church has preserved Rococo choir stalls and balustrades, as well as 19th-century side altars of St Joseph and St Paul the Hermit. The figure was crowned in 1967 by Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, in the presence of the future Pope John Paul II. The original crowns from 1746 were stolen in December 2010, and in July 2011 a new coronation took place with new crowns.

What else is on site

The sanctuary's website describes regular services, a monthly Lourdes blessing, family counselling and a garden with a small animal enclosure called “Noah's Ark”. The Pauline monastery and novitiate operate at the sanctuary. In Żarki itself you can also look in at the Museum of Old Crafts, and in the area at Mirów Castle.

Practical information

• Address: Leśniowska 99, Żarki.
• This is an active place of worship, so it is best to limit sightseeing inside during services; Mass times are given on lesniow.pl.
• The sanctuary's website also offers a virtual walk around the church and its surroundings.