Kalwaria Leżajska

The Leżajsk Calvary

Summary: Since 1993 a Calvary has existed in the Leżajsk Sanctuary. In consists of the following prayer trails: The Way of Jesus Christ (30 stations), The Way of the Holiest Virgin Mary (30 stations) and The Way of the Dead (15 stations), altogether connected with 42 objects. The idea of the Leżajsk Cavalry originated during the process of working out the plans of using the forest adjoining the monastery, already before 1984. The idea came into life in 1993, in effect of successful reclaim actions initiated by the Leżajsk monastery. New stations were marked with crosses. Since 1993, summer services and offices as well as August devotions (13 August - The Procession of the Falling Asleep; 15 August - The Procession of the Assumption) have been held there. Pope John Paul II blessed the corner stones of the future chapels in March 1995 and April 1996 at St. Peter's Square in Rome. A detailed plan of the forest had been made before the actual design works started. The Way of Jesus Christ consists of: "The Way of Capturing", "The Way of the Judgement", and "The Way of the Passion". The Way of the Holiest Virgin Mary comprises three basic consideration trends: the prophets' prediction related to the birth of Virgin Mary, Her worldly life, and Her glory in Heaven. These considerations are based on the mariology of Vatican Council II, ancient Christian tradition and the piety propagated by the Bernardine monks. From the early days they preached, prayed and sang in Polish, often using the texts which were written in the poetic circle of Blessed Władysław of Gielniow. All those texts reflect the dramaturgy of canonical Gospels, the ancient Jacob's Protogospel and Assumption Gospels. The Way of the Dead enables the consideration of the religious aspects of the most important stages of a human's worldly pilgrimage and stresses the necessity of praying in intention of all those who passed away. It also reminds that all believers must be patient in expecting the fulfilment of God's eschatological promises. The route of the service runs next to the area of "Josephat's Valley". Similarly to many Polish 17th century Calvaries, all prayer trails were laid out on a hill slope and in a gorge in the western part of the forest. They correspond to such landmarks of Palestinian Jerusalem as: Mount Zion, Mount Moriah, Mount of Olives, Golgotha and the Valley of Cedron. The topography of "The Leżajsk Calvary" results directly from the similarity of the basic elements of landscape. These features make it a unique miniature of the "Holy Town", a reality which, in terms of space, has been separated from the rest of the world and is characterised by a specific, religious microclimate. "The Leżajsk Calvary" is a unique treasure of the Sanctuary, an area visited by so many pious visitors, a true "jubilee gift" of the 400 years of revelations.

Peregrinus Cracoviensis, 1999, z.7, s. 73-86.

Instytut Geografii i Gospodarki Przestrzennej UJ

ISSN 1425-1922

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