By Paul Suski –
As I was praying for Poland, I heard the words: I bear a special love for Poland, and if she will be obedient to My will, I will exalt her in might and holiness. From her will come forth the spark that will prepare the world for My final coming.” (The Diary of St. Faustina, 1732)
More than 90 percent of Poland’s 38 million citizens are Roman Catholic. The Polish nation played a pivotal role in the defense of Christian Europe against the threat of Islam in the 17th century and the threat of communism in the 20th century. Certain groups of laypeople and clergy affirm a deep-seated belief that Poles will significantly contribute to the victory of a Civilization of Life over the Culture of Death.
I therefore begin by aiming to explain briefly the special role of Our Lady in the history of the Polish nation from a prophetic perspective. The notion of chosenness seems to be historically rooted. It explains all events in the light of the role and position of the Polish nation in God’s plans. This trend took on new luster after the election of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla as pope.
Praiseworthy Beginnings
The Reign of Our Lady over Polish nation starts with the christening of its first ruler Mieszko in 966. In other words, the baptism of the Polish prince leaves behind its undocumented pagan Slavic past and constitutes a crucial element in European Christian Heritage. From that moment on, Our Lady and Her Son Jesus Christ take special care of all Poles.
The oldest Polish national anthem “Bogarodzica” (Mother of God) originating in the 13th century becomes the sign of national devotion to Our Lady. It was solemnly sung before the victorious battles of Grunwald (1410), and of Warna (1444). No other nation has ever honored Our Lady in that way.
It turns out that these were not Poles who came up with the idea of the enthronement of the Mother of Jesus as Queen of Poland. On 14th of August, 1608 Fr. Giulio Mancinelli an Italian Jesuit experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary who asked him: “Why do you not call me Queen of the Polish? I greatly cherish this kingdom and I intend great things for it, as its sons burn with particular love for me .” During the subsequent sighting in 1610 he heard “I am Queen of Poland, I am Mother of that nation, which is very dear to me. The statement of Nuncio Pignatelli (known as Innocent XII) refers to this special event “Happy nations, which have such a history as Poland, I do not see a more fortunate country than yours, for you are the only one which Mary wanted to be Queen, and this is the honor of all honors and immeasurable happiness; I only hope you will understand this “.
This could mean that in Heaven Our Lady had enjoyed the title Queen of Poland long before she was officially declared as Queen of Poland. God has never addressed these words “I bear a special love for Poland “to any other nation but the chosen people of Israel. “Since the Jewish nation`s mission was to produce the Messiah, Jesus Christ thus the Polish nation is chosen to prepare the World for the final coming of the Christ “– says Fr. Augustyn Pelanowski OSPPE, a meritorious preacher and confessor of the Jasna Gora monastery. “Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing fruit” (Matt. 21:43).
The Miracle of Black Madonna
July 1655 – Not encountering any resistance, three Swedish armies with a total of 55,000 soldiers crossed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth border. The actions of the invader were directed against its national identity and the religiousness of the nation. They destroyed religious symbols, killed priests, and nuns fled to the south in fear of them.
Polish King John Casmir went into exile in Silesia. The situation looked utterly bleak. However, in response to a dramatic request of the King for military assistance, Pope Alexander VII replies “Mary shall help you. Why are you asking me for help and not Her, since she wants to be Queen of Poland? Devote yourselves to Her, sacrifice yourselves to Her and make Her your Queen…”.
In November of the same year, General Müller with Swedish troops and German mercenaries surrounded the monastery of Jasna Gora in order to loot and desecrate the place. The Swedish command treated that resistance point as totally insignificant and even contemptuously named it a “hovel”. Amazingly, about 70 monks and 160 local volunteers including 50 gunners endured the 37 day siege of 2250 enemy soldiers, who unlike the defenders have strong and numerous cannons at their disposal.
According to different sources the invaders latter claimed to have seen a female figure vested in blue walking on the walls of monastery. The sight of Her induced a savage fear. Scarcely had the cannon and muskets thundered when that mysterious figure covered Jasna Gora with a dense fog.
At times cannon balls were deflected off the walls and returned to the Swedish camp wreaking havoc. Thus, every day one could hear dying soldiers cry out “Catholic magic”. Reportedly a divine woman appeared to the commanders and ordered them to abandon the siege. The story of this seemingly incidental victory spread like wildfire across Polish lands and galvanized thousands to stand up to the Swedish enemy.
The miracle of the triumphant defense of Jasna Gora is commonly attributed to the Black Madonna and constitutes one of a few of the most explicit instances of supernatural intervention in the history of Poland. By all means the constant prayer of monks in front of the holy image of the Black Madonna, solemn Eucharistic Processions led by the Polish commander Abbot Augustyn Kordecki, the living faith of Polish folk and finally the high morale of the defenders considerably contributed to the victory.
Kordecki later wrote – “The Most dignified Lady of Heaven decided to stay here once and made Jasna Gora the capital of her kingdom”. One must realize that had it not been for Our Lady’s supernatural intervention, Poles would have ceased to be Catholics because the Protestant Swedes had a diabolic scheme which consisted of the total eradication of Catholicism from all Baltic Sea countries. Allegedly, Oliver Cromwell encouraged the Swedish King to do it.
When the Swedes were subsequently driven out from Poland the cult of Our Lady intensified even further. On the 1st of April 1656, King John II Casmir dedicated the entire country to the Mother of God proclaiming her Queen of Poland. As history will show the enthronement of Our Lady was going to play a significant role in preserving the faith of the Polish Nation.
The Queen of Poland Defends Europe
13th May 1683 – a formidable army of 300,000 men is put together under a determined Ottoman leader Kara Mustafa. He sets out from Belgrade to establish the caliphate of Europe. Like the Swedish king Gustav II Adolf, he is also completely certain of his victory. Having learned about the approaching Muslims, heart-broken Emperor Leopold I, leaves Vienna in a hurry and goes to pray before the Holy Shrine in Passau. For the time being Pope Innocent XI sends his legate with a petition to the Polish King John III Sobieski. In the plea the Pope asks the king to come to rescue threatened Christianity.
Initially, King Sobieski is reluctant to engage all his troops to stave off the Turkish threat. In addition, he needs the assent of his Parliament. Quite unexpectedly his personal confessor St. Fr. Stanislaw Papczynski has a vision of Our Lady who assures him of Her intervention. Undeterred by towering obstacles, Fr. Papczynski makes a decision to face the King, the senators and the papal legate to speak out. ”Be assured my Lord, you will be victorious with the Holy Virgin`s name and you will bring immortal honor to yourself, to Polish chivalry and our homeland” he bravely says. Having an army of 20,000 men the King hastens to the relief of Vienna.
Later the King acknowledged that the victory belonged to God alone, stating “Venimus, Vidimus, Deus vicit”. In this way the king did not appropriate it to himself but indicated its ultimate source. Before Sobieski set out, he had stopped to pray at the shrine of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa at Jasna Gora.
During the Mass held on the eve of the battle (11.09.1683) he once again entrusted himself to the patronage of the Queen of Poland. In the 20th century Our Lady disclosed to Fr. Stefano Gobbi the reason why she had chosen the Polish King and not the other one”. In the name of your heavenly Mother, yes, in the Name of Mary, the Turks were defeated, when they laid siege to the city of Vienna and threatened to invade and destroy the whole Christian world. They were far superior in strength, in numbers and in weapons, and they felt that their victory was assured. But I was publicly invoked and called upon; my name was inscribed upon their banners and shouted out by the soldiers and thus, through my intercession, there took place the miracle of this victory which saved the Christian world from its destruction. It is for this reason that the Pope instituted, on this day, the feast of the Name of Mary”.
Paul Suski, based in Poland, has BA in English Language Teaching, MA in political science, three adolescent children and wears a Carmelite scapular.