Zakopane: The Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Krzeptowki
The shrine here is dedicated to Pope John Paul II, but the origin goes back a bit further.
The shrine’s origins can be traced back to 1961 when Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski gave to the Pallottine Order in Zakopane a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, originally donated by the Bishop of Fatima. It was housed in a chapel built in 1951 next to the Pallottine residence in Krzeptowki.
The Shrine today was built as a votive offering in gratitude for the sparing of the life of Pope John Paul II after his attempted assassination in 1981, and completed in 1992 . The church was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in June 1997 during his pilgrimage to Poland.
The altar at which Pope John Paul II celebrated mass in Zakopane during the same pilgrimage was also taken to what is known as the Park of Fatima. Next to the altar stands a statue of Pope John Paul II. In 2005 the chapel was dedicated to and commemorates the death of the Polish Pope.
The shrine in Zakopane attracts around 300,000 pilgrims each year.
