Basilica of St Mary and St Bartholomew in Piekary Śląskie - Piekarska Calvary

Information about the pilgrimage site

The history of the Miraculous Picture of Our Lady of Piekary dates back to the 17th century, when, influenced by folk tales, the image, which had previously been in one of the side altars, was moved to the main nave. From then on, piety flourished and with it an influx of pilgrims of various nationalities.

The fame of the painting and the place was enhanced by a plague, first in 1676 in Tarnowskie Góry, when pilgrims from there came to Piekary to pray for rescue, and then in 1680 in Prague, when Emperor Leopold asked the caretakers of the Piekary church to bring the painting. In 1683, King John III Sobieski stood at the foot of the painting, praying for victory at Vienna, to which he was heading with his army. Interestingly, in 1702, for safety reasons, the painting was taken to Opole, where it remains to this day, but a cult developed in Piekary around an identical copy.

In the first half of the 19th century, as more and more groups of pilgrims flocked to the place, Father Alojzy Ficek, an advocate of the cult of Our Lady of Piekary and protector of the church, decided to build a new, much larger church. Built in the neo-Romanesque style, the church still stands in Piekary today. The main altar was moved from the old church, as was the miraculous image of Our Lady of Piekary, whose nickname is the Mother of Justice and Social Love.

Over the years, a tradition of pilgrimages to Piekary has developed for all people from Upper Silesia and the surrounding regions, and although pilgrims can be found there all year round, there are two occasions which enjoy special interest and an equally special liturgical setting. We are talking about the so-called state pilgrimages, which are particularly distinguished from pilgrimages throughout the country. On the last Sunday in May, men and young men make a pilgrimage to Piekary Śląskie, while on the Sunday after 15 August (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) – women and girls. Among the many pilgrims, it is noteworthy that Piekary Śląskie was visited by Cardinal Achille Ratti (later Pope Pius XI) and Pope John Paul II during his numerous pilgrimages to his homeland.

Tourist attractions in the vicinity

Piekarska Calvary – established at the end of the 19th century, the Calvary is a park with numerous rosary chapels, Stations of the Cross and a miraculous spring. An important part of the Calvary is also the Calvary Church. The area on which the Calvary extends covers about 10 hectares, and although its main use is for cultic purposes, it is also a place for numerous walks by local residents, their families and many visitors.

Sanctuary Museum – opened in 2009 to mark the 350th anniversary of the cult of Our Lady of Piekara. The exhibition is divided into three halls: the main hall, the papal hall and the Calvary hall. For details about the tour: https://piekary-bazylika.pl/muzeum-sanktuaryjne/.

Liberation Mound and battle shelters – the mound was erected to commemorate the Silesian uprisings, while the shelters date from the Second World War and are very popular with visitors to Piekary.

In the Katowice conurbation – Rybnik, Zabrze, Bytom and Katowice – many sights and attractions await visitors.

Other tourist attractions in the vicinity of the pilgrimage site can be found on the website of the Municipal Information and Tourist Centre in Piekary Śląskie: https://info.piekary.pl/ and Śląskie. Tourist Information of the Silesian Voivodship.