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Tom & Sue Day 8 in Poland: Poznan

Dzien Dobry:

8:30 PM to bed, and it was lights out until the sun started to come up at 4:30. Pulled the covers over my head and we slept to 6:30. We had coffee but forgot to get milk so the instant wasn’t so good but it worked and we were out the door by 7:30.

It looked beautiful as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and seemed warm until we went outside……and returned to the room to get our jackets. (Mine gets retired this year, after 10 years of unfailing service, any one need a jacket? Jim)

Today was going to be different, since we had mapped out the old city and the historic and Miraculous Shrines, Churches and Basilicas we were walking to. Our last stop became our first stop, the Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul (on an island) and the Sanctuary of the Miraculous Cross of Christ, since we were in time for mass.

Mass in one of the side chapels
Mass in one of the side chapels

Mass was in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, the only chapel with a tabernacle. After the mass, with no homily and what we call a drive-thru mass, we sat in the main area of the Basilica and prayed our morning prayers as we waited for the opportunity to go in the basement and reverence the Miraculous Cross.

 

 

We could not get past the iron gate, but at least we could look
We could not get past the iron gate, but at least we could look

The basement was an historic trip for this 900+ year old Cathedral. It was interesting but we hungered to reverence Jesus and His Cross. That didn’t happen since an Iron Gate kept us out of this sacred room, which was also a burial place for many of Poland’s great spiritual leaders. We could see it but couldn’t touch it but we did pray before it for all of you.

 

On to the next stop……..we got a little confused with our direction and Susan asked this gentleman on the street if he knew this place. We had everything typed out in Polish so we figured this was a slam dunk. Wrong, as he took Susan’s hand and arm he began to lead her to the corner and point in the direction we should go. Then the fumes of alcohol whiffed thru the air and we weren’t sure if he was coherent enough to guide us. There was a Church right there and Susan said we are going there and he said no and pointed in the direction he wanted us to go. So we shook hands, thanked him and departed and went in that direction and found the next stop. He could have been an Angel for all we know………..for after 10 years of doing this, nothing surprises us.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus known for miraculous healings was right where he told us to go. Hmmmm! The Sanctuary is under renovation and the chapel with the Miraculous image of Our Lady had the usual Iron Gate so we couldn’t get in. Paintings of St. Dominic and St. Catherine were prevalent on the side altars and the frescoes on the wall were being redone. Disappointed we didn’t get to Our Lady, we headed for our next stop, but hunger took over and we stopped in the Old Town Market Square for a bite to eat. The waiter spoke perfect English and not only served us a great breakfast but guided us to the next 2 stops on the list.

The first was the Sanctuary of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus and is the place of Poland’s oldest Eucharist Miracle and there is a Sacred Well in the basement where the story tells that someone tried to drown 3 Sacred Host but they survived. The well is known for its Miraculous powers and especially for the healing of eye ailments. We know  of a you few who need help and are praying for you. Unfortunately we couldn’t get down to the well and we went back an hour later with the same results but have no fear we will try again tonight at 6 on our way to dinner.

Editors note:  Tom and Sue will be visiting many shrines between now and the end of their pilgrimage on June 22, so feel free to send them your prayer petitions and they will place at the various stops along the way.  email tsmelillo13@aol.com

We then found the Minor Basilica of Saint Stanislaus of Poland, the most famous Old Saint in Poland…..they now have St. John Paul II, but there is plenty of room and pride here for both. This is an old and beautiful Baroque style Basilica, so see the photos. There were many tourists here and it was noisy so we went to the Adoration Chapel and spent some quite time with Our Lord and after taking a few more pictures we left. This concluded our tour for now and just in time since the leg cramps we in full bloom.

On the way back to our Apt. we stopped again at the Sanctuary of the most Precious Blood hoping to get in but that didn’t happen so we continued on, and as we passed the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, something compelled us to go in again (If you are all confused don’t worry so were we). We went right to the Iron Gate and it was still there but some people came down from the stairwell on the other side and a priest with a key in hand. Were we going to get lucky, no, not till later, as he told us to come back at 3 or 6. We both said let’s pray our rosary here and we did right in front of a statue of Our Lady and the Iron Gates.

How we made it back to the apt. we don’t know how after walking for at least 6 hours. We went up to the apt to get on our shorts to relax and then to the parking garage to get our pain pills from the just in case bag. (Don’t leave home without it!!!!) We planned to have a drink and nap but here I am typing and Susan is running the business and answering e-mails (are we crazy?).

We went out for dinner and stopped on the way as we passed Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary and the gate was open but mass had just started and we decided not to wait. I took a couple pic’s and we headed for the Market Square. We knew there was a mass at the Sanctuary of the Most Precious Blood and it was right near the square so we went in and prayed until mass was over. Susan went into the Sacristy to ask if we could go down to the well and the priest said no.

So we left and ended up back at the restaurant we ate at last night. We had returned the blankets and we craved some good food. We tried so different polishes and ordered 3 entrees. We were really hungry and nuts , we had trouble finishing 2 so we took a doggie bag, you never know when you will need something to eat!!

After dinner it was back to the apt. and I don’t know how we made it we were so tired. we stayed up to around 8:30 and that’s all I remember.

God Bless you

Love

Susan & Tom

Prayer

Spiritual Mother, today I seek the kindness of your hand in mine. Today, I desire the quiet firmness of your Faith, of your Trust in Resurrection that makes new creation. Comfort me in my doubts. Console me with awareness of the presence of Your Divine Child, who is the Word made Flesh, the Light of the World, the Object of my Desires, the Lord of My Life. Spiritual Mother, Bless His Holy Name for me forever. Jesus, please shine the light of Your Love into every inconvenience I ever encounter. Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, You are the Source of Peace, Jesus. You are my peace.

Poznań – Sanctuary of the Holy Cross in the Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Poznań for a few centuries was a place of veneration of the Holy Cross. Ac­cording to the visitation decrees by Bishop Wojciech Tolibowski dating from 1600 it was a wooden late-Gothic cross which from 1522 had been located on the Wrocławska city gate in Poznań. It was greatly revered by the population bestowed with numerous graces. Because it was exposed to insults, Bishop Florian Czartoryski had it removed to the cathedral – that took place on 7 May 1652. A legend says that on an occasion when a prisoner was led through the Wrocławska Gate, Jesus said from the crucifix: “Let him go, he is innocent”.
The cross was placed in the chapel of the Górka family (currently: Chapel of the Holy Cross), in an altar built of black artifi­cial marble. On its sides we can see figures of the Holy Mother and St. John.
Bishop Czartoryski recognized the crucifix for its miraculous powers. The present crucifix was made of gold-plated sil­ver, but the wooden figure of Christ is un­changed

Poznań – Sanctuary of the Most
Precious Blood of Jesus
The Church of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus is merged within the row of tenement houses at Żydowska Street. In fact it does resemble a regular tenement building. Its history goes back to the 1500s – when in­formation on an act of sacrilege, which had happened in the house of the Świda–Szamo­tulski family at Żydowska Street, spread around town.
The church has two floors. Dur­ing repair work, in its vaults a well was dis­covered – it was believed that communion bread had been drowned in it. To this day the water drawn from the well is considered to have miraculous powers. The upper part of the church represents the Régence style. Particularly noteworthy is the main altar­piece with representations of all persons of the Holy Trinity.

Poznań – Sanctuary of Our Lady of
Miracles

The altarpiece was made of ebony, which highlights the image of the Holy Mother in a silver frame, placed in the altar niche. The image was painted with tempera on lime wood board. The figure of Madonna clad in blue robes is placed against a green background. The Child wearing a red dress is holding a book in his left hand; his right hand is raised in the gesture of blessing. Both faces glow with goodness. The painting is a copy of the image of Virgin Mary from Borek Wielkopolski. Painted in the 1600s, it has distinguishing features of artistic work­shops in Poznań.
According to a notice made by a monk who in his signature used the name Peccator, Friar Tomasz Dybowski, a Fran­ciscan, purchased the image in accordance with the will of his superiors, in 1666 from a burgher from Śródka. It was him who noticed tears on the painting, and soon af­terwards the news spread around the town that some people praying in the Franciscan church were miraculously healed.

May God Bless Each and Every One Of You!

Tom & Susan Melillo
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 (USA)

E-Mail: TSMelillo13@aol.com

 

 

 

 

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