The well known and eagerly visited religious practise places create a circle around Tarnów, located not further than 30 km from its centre.
The Blassed Virgin Mary Sanctuary in Tuchów
Is the target of many pilgrimages from all around the world. Many ask the Divine Mother for help, with their health, their everyday life, studies, work, marriage. Especially, people suffering bad eyesight go there. A week long pardon celebration starts on July 1st, gathers thousands of believer in Virgin Mary. More about Tuchów's Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary of Devine Mother of Unfailing Hope in Jamna
The icon depicting Devine Mother with her Child was made as a memoire to September 1944 events, when the Germans battled the First Battalion 16th infantry regiment of the National Army “Barbara”. Despite, the enemy’s forces were nine times bigger than the partisans’, they managed to escape from the siege. Those, seeking refuge found it in basements in the village. The villagers were convinced that the Germans wouldn’t shoot an innocent woman with her child. Unfortunately, they were wrong. The whole village was pacified. The painting of Virgin Mary was also destroyed. When the Dominicans came there, and father Jan Góra found out, what happened, he asked Małgorzata Sokołowska to paint a portrait of Mother Mary, referencing the horrible events. Thus the icon was created. Both the mother and her child depicted there on a green background, are covered by a dark blue cloak, and are surrounded by golden halos.
On the 3rd of June 1998 during a general audience on the St. Peter’s Square, pope John Paul II, placed on Mary’s head simple, golden diadems.
Now, to Jamna pilgrims come to think and gain new, positive energy.
Karolina Kózka’s Sanctuary in Zabawa
Zabawa is an old chivalrous village located around 20 km from Tarnów. It was there, where Karolina Kózka was born and where she was kidnapped and killed in the woods by a Russian soldier, when she was just 17 years old. From the beginning, the crime was recognised as martyrdom by the parson and residents of the village and history proved them right. The Church established that Karolina’s death was due to her defending her faith. Her beatification was led by John Paul II in Tarnów on July 10, 1987, during Pope’s third visit to Poland.
The list of graces received through Karolina Kózka continues to grow longer and her attitude can be a role model for the youth during the hard time of adolescence.
Sanctuary in Odporyszów
There, in front of the portrait of Virgin Mary, famous for its graces, gather believers from locals and pilgrims from all around Poland. The main painting in the altar of Mary and her Child is famous due to three revelations. The first one is supposed to have happened in 1572, during the assault of the Cossacks and Tatars on the neighbouring villages. Only a small group of people managed to flee to the nearby forest in Odporyszów, where a wooden cross was located. There, during prayer the painting appeared on the cross. The witnesses took it as a sign, attacked the enemy and won. The second revelation happened during Cossack-Tatar assault in 1654. The third one took place during the Swedish Deluge, when people seeking protection within the bulwarks, saw the Virgin Mary, who gave them the courage to fight. At the end of the XVII century, silver dresses were placed on the painting. Tarnów’s Bishop Franciszek Lisowski coronated the painting on August 15, 1937. During the World War II the artwork was kept in the basement of Tarnów’s cathedral for safekeeping.
Annually in August, a sobriety pilgrimage to the Sanctuary takes place.
