Skałka na przełomie tysiącleci

Skałka in the turn of the millenia

Summary: Together with Wawel Skałka is an important symbol of the Polish nationality. It points out the historic role of the Church. It is determined not only by the factum sancti Stanislai but also by the personal attitude of the Polish Pope to this place.
The history of the Skałka church (literal translation: Church on the rock) can be dated back up to the turn of the first and the second millenia and because of its continuity it enters the third millenium of Christianity. Skałka would not have gained great spiritual importance within the whole Church and it would not have played such an important national role in Poland if it did not witness the martyrdom of St. Stanisław of Szczepanów, the Cracow Bishop, on 11 April 1079. The unique role of Skałka is spiritually connected to the fact that St. Stanisław was the first canonised Pole. All the previous saints like e.g. St. Adalbert (Wojciech) were foreigners.
Above all this what is crucial is the fact that Skałka serves as a national Pantheon. The tombs of the Polish most illustrious luminaries of culture and science are placed in the crypt of the church. This place is radiant with Polish national character. Wincenty Pol who is buried in the Skałka crypt wrote in his diary: ‘who had not been a Pole before, when entered Cracow became Polish’.

Peregrinus Cracoviensis, 2003, z.14, s. 13-33.

Instytut Geografii i Gospodarki Przestrzennej UJ

ISSN 1425-1922

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