National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa facts for kids
Shrine pictured from northeast, 2011
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| Location | Doylestown, Pennsylvania |
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| Designer | George Szeptycki |
| Type | Shrine |
| Beginning date | 1953 |
| Opening date | June 26, 1955 |
| Dedicated to | Black Madonna of Częstochowa |
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa is a special Catholic place near Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It is also known as the American Czestochowa. This shrine was started in 1953.
It holds a copy of the famous Black Madonna icon from Częstochowa, Poland. An icon is a religious painting. The original painting is very important in Poland. The heart of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, who was Poland's third prime minister, is also kept here.
Contents
History of the Shrine
Building a Special Place
In 1953, a Polish Pauline monk named Father Michael M. Zembrzuski bought some land. He wanted to build a chapel there. This chapel would be dedicated to the Black Madonna of Częstochowa. His goal was to help Polish-Americans remember their Polish Catholic heritage.
Archbishop John Francis O'Hara of Philadelphia gave permission for the shrine to be built. An old barn was turned into the first chapel. It was moved to a new spot and officially opened on June 26, 1955.
A Big Celebration
The chapel became a larger shrine in 1966. This was to celebrate the thousandth anniversary of the Polish nation. It was a huge milestone for Poland. The shrine was officially dedicated on October 16, 1966. Archbishop (who later became Cardinal) John Krol led the dedication. The President Lyndon B. Johnson and his family were special guests.
The main part of the new shrine was a church building. It was designed by a Polish-American architect named George Szeptycki. This church holds the copy of the Black Madonna painting.
Important Visitors
Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who later became Pope John Paul II, visited the shrine twice. He came in 1969 and again in 1976. His second visit was while he was attending a big religious meeting in Philadelphia.
Adding More to the Shrine
Over the years, more buildings and areas were added. These include a Polish-American cemetery. This cemetery has monuments to important figures like Ignacy Paderewski. It also honors the Polish-Lithuanian hussars (a type of soldier) and victims of the Katyń massacres. The cemetery also has graves of members of the Polish Veterans of World War II.
A monastery and a visitor center were also built. The inside of the lower church was changed to look like the original Jasna Góra shrine in Poland. There is also an outdoor path with the Stations of the Cross. This path shows the journey of Jesus.
Activities at the Shrine
One of the biggest events is the annual feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa. This happens on August 26. After that, there is an annual Polish Festival every Labor Day weekend.
Since 1988, people have made an annual pilgrimage. A pilgrimage is a special journey for religious reasons. This one starts from the Church of Ss. Peter and Paul in Great Meadows, New Jersey. Thousands of people also take part in an outdoor Rosary candlelight procession on October 7. This day is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. The Pauline Fathers and Brothers manage the shrine. They also manage the original shrine in Poland.
Memorials
- Monument to the Unbroken Soldiers in American Czestochowa
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Monument of the Unbroken Soldiers
See also
In Spanish: Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Czestochowa para niños
- Black Madonna Shrine, Missouri
- List of shrines § United States
