Dabrówka Koscielna, Greater Poland Voivodeship
Encyclopedia
Dąbrówka Kościelna d is a village
in the administrative district of Gmina Kiszkowo
, within Gniezno County
, Greater Poland Voivodeship
, in west-central Poland. It is surrounded by forest areas, and lies in the eastern part of Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park
.
The village has a neo-baroque
Roman Catholic church (the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
), built in 1925 in place of the former wooden church
. The church houses a picture of the Madonna and Child, to which miracle
s have long been attributed (the original picture was displayed on an oak
tree, and was said to glow in the dark), making the village and its church a popular destination for pilgrims
since the 17th century. This tradition continues today, particularly in the form of an annual fair
and mass pilgrimage in September. This takes place on the weekend of the first Sunday after 8 September, which is celebrated as the birthday of the Virgin Mary.
The present picture is actually the fourth copy
of the original, which was destroyed when the then church burnt down as a result of lightning
strike in 1774. A copy survived and continued to be venerated until the subsequent fire in 1925. A further copy (by Poznań
artist Zientkiewicz) was consecrated in 1927. This was removed from the church by the parish priest in 1939 in an attempt to save it from the invading German
forces, but it was lost during fighting near Kutno
, when the house in which it was being stored was destroyed. A further copy (based on surviving prints
) was made in 1949 (by Edmund Szyfter), but it was felt to be of poor artistic quality and was demoted to use in procession
s. The copy currently on display over the church altar
was commissioned in 1955 from the Toruń
artist Professor Leonard Torwirt.
On 15 June 1969 the picture was "crowned" by the addition of gold crowns
on the heads of Mary and Jesus, in a ceremony presided over by the Primate
of Poland and authorized by Pope Paul VI
. The original crowns were stolen from the church, along with other valuable items, in 1989, but new crowns were added at a second coronation ceremony in 1994.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the administrative district of Gmina Kiszkowo
Gmina Kiszkowo
Gmina Kiszkowo is a rural gmina in Gniezno County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. Its seat is the village of Kiszkowo, which lies approximately west of Gniezno and north-east of the regional capital Poznań....
, within Gniezno County
Gniezno County
Gniezno County is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Greater Poland Voivodeship, west-central Poland. It came into being on January 1, 1999, as a result of the Polish local government reforms passed in 1998. Its administrative seat and largest town is Gniezno, which lies...
, Greater Poland Voivodeship
Greater Poland Voivodeship
Wielkopolska Voivodeship , or Greater Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998...
, in west-central Poland. It is surrounded by forest areas, and lies in the eastern part of Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park
Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park
Puszcza Zielonka Landscape Park is a protected area situated to the north-east of the city of Poznań in Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland. It was set up in 1993 and covers an area of . It is made up of parts of the gminas of Czerwonak, Kiszkowo, Murowana Goślina, Pobiedziska and Skoki...
.
The village has a neo-baroque
Neo-baroque
The Baroque Revival or Neo-baroque was an architectural style of the late 19th century. The term is used to describe architecture which displays important aspects of Baroque style, but is not of the Baroque period proper—i.e., the 17th and 18th centuries.Some examples of Neo-baroque architecture:*...
Roman Catholic church (the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Assumption of Mary
According to the belief of Christians of the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of the Anglican Communion and Continuing Anglicanism, the Assumption of Mary was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her life...
), built in 1925 in place of the former wooden church
Wooden church
Wooden church may refer to :*Articular church*Wooden Church , Hungary*Wooden Churches Trail around Puszcza Zielonka, west-central Poland*Wooden Church , Serbia*Carpathian Wooden Churches...
. The church houses a picture of the Madonna and Child, to which miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s have long been attributed (the original picture was displayed on an oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
tree, and was said to glow in the dark), making the village and its church a popular destination for pilgrims
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
since the 17th century. This tradition continues today, particularly in the form of an annual fair
Fair
A fair or fayre is a gathering of people to display or trade produce or other goods, to parade or display animals and often to enjoy associated carnival or funfair entertainment. It is normally of the essence of a fair that it is temporary; some last only an afternoon while others may ten weeks. ...
and mass pilgrimage in September. This takes place on the weekend of the first Sunday after 8 September, which is celebrated as the birthday of the Virgin Mary.
The present picture is actually the fourth copy
Copying
Copying is the duplication of information or an artifact based only on an instance of that information or artifact, and not using the process that originally generated it. With analog forms of information, copying is only possible to a limited degree of accuracy, which depends on the quality of the...
of the original, which was destroyed when the then church burnt down as a result of lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
strike in 1774. A copy survived and continued to be venerated until the subsequent fire in 1925. A further copy (by Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
artist Zientkiewicz) was consecrated in 1927. This was removed from the church by the parish priest in 1939 in an attempt to save it from the invading German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
forces, but it was lost during fighting near Kutno
Kutno
Kutno is a town in central Poland with 48,000 inhabitants and an area of 33,6 km2. Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , previously in Płock Voivodeship . It is the capital of Kutno County....
, when the house in which it was being stored was destroyed. A further copy (based on surviving prints
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
) was made in 1949 (by Edmund Szyfter), but it was felt to be of poor artistic quality and was demoted to use in procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
s. The copy currently on display over the church altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
was commissioned in 1955 from the Toruń
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
artist Professor Leonard Torwirt.
On 15 June 1969 the picture was "crowned" by the addition of gold crowns
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
on the heads of Mary and Jesus, in a ceremony presided over by the Primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
of Poland and authorized by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
. The original crowns were stolen from the church, along with other valuable items, in 1989, but new crowns were added at a second coronation ceremony in 1994.