Czestochowa, Poland - Jasna Gora Monastery

The first stop along our drive from Warsaw to Krakow was the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland. This monastery is known for its painting of the Black Madonna and Lech Walesa's Nobel Peace Prize.

Entry to the Jasna Gora Monastery

Steeple

A monk gave us a tour of the cathedral. This monk lived in Doylestown, PA for 9 years, because he was placed in a church there.

Inside the ornate cathedral

The church was packed, because several dozen children were receiving their first communion.

Chidren receiving their first communion

The Black Madonna is at the front of the nave. Despite the ongoing service, we were able to walk around the church and get close up to photograph the painting.

The Black Madonna is believed to have been painted by St. Luke on a wooden table top from Mary & Jesus's home. As the wood ages, the skin of the mother and child darkens. The painting supposedly has miraculous healing powers, so many people, particularly Poles, go on pilgrimages to see the painting.

The outfits are made for the painting by the nuns. There are several different outfits for the painting, which are changed periodically.

Black Madonna of Czestochowa

One of many copies of the Black Madonna at the monastery

We also saw the treasury, which holds the other outfits for the painting as well as old hand-embroidered tunics worn by the priests and the veil worn by Mother Theresa at her first communion.

The monastery also has Lech Walesa's Nobel Peace Prize. Walesa was a Polish union leader who ended communism in Poland through the movement "Solidarity", which used strikes and peaceful protests. Communism in Poland ended in 1989, and then Walesa became the first president of Poland.

Lech Walesa's Nobel Peace Prize

Photos of Lech Walesa