The Jasna Góra Sanctuary is known worldwide as the spiritual capital of Poland. Every year, up to 5 million pilgrims from 80 countries travel to Częstochowa. August is the pilgrimage peak, during which pilgrims from the most remote corners of Poland walk by foot to Jasna Góra. The walking pilgrimages to Jasna Góra are a global religious and social phenomenon, with organized groups from many Polish cities setting off each year in August.
Pilgrims arrive for two major celebrations:
- August 15th – the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known in folk tradition as the Feast of Our Lady of the Herbs. This is the day when bouquets of herbs, flowers, and ears of corn are blessed, and harvest festivals are held in many regions. On this day, Poland also celebrates Polish Army Day, commemorating the victory in the 1920 Battle of Warsaw – the "Miracle on the Vistula," the Polish army's victory over the Soviets in 1920.
- August 26th – the Feast of Our Lady of Częstochowa, when a major indulgence of international significance is held.
The tradition of pilgrimages to Częstochowa dates back to the 15th century, when the Black Madonna painting, restored after being stolen, was ceremoniously transferred from Krakow to the Pauline monastery. The first recorded pilgrimage departed from Gliwice in 1626 – in thanksgiving for the city's salvation. Other pilgrimages followed: from Kalisz (1637), Łowicz (1656), and Warsaw (1711). Over the years, pilgrimages have become a mass phenomenon – religious, social, and cultural.
From June to September, over 200,000 pilgrims on foot come to Częstochowa. Among the 50 pilgrimage routes, some stretch over 600 kilometers, such as the Kashubian Pilgrimage, which takes 19 days to complete. The shortest routes take just a few days, while the longest require almost three weeks of hiking.
Among all pilgrimages, the Warsaw Pilgrimage holds a special place – one of the oldest in Poland, which first set off in 1711. It has continued uninterrupted through partitions, wars, and pandemics.
Pilgrimages take various forms – in addition to walking, there are also pilgrimages by bicycle, running, horseback riding, rollerblading, and others, as well as pilgrimages by military personnel, firefighters, and other professional groups.
The tradition of pilgrimages to Jasna Góra has become Poland's intangible cultural heritage – a living ritual passed down from generation to generation. It invariably combines prayer, music, songs, the hospitality of local communities, and deeply rooted symbols, such as the blessing of herbs and ears of corn on the Feast of Our Lady of the Herbs. Each such event is not only a religious celebration but also a powerful cultural encounter and the cultivation of a centuries-old tradition.
photos: Grzegorz Sowronek, Urząd Miasta Częstochowy
