Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn is the prominent painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated by the faithful in the Chapel of the Gate of Dawn
in Vilnius
, Lithuania
. The Renaissance
painting, completed possibly in the first half of the 17th century, is an unusual portrayal of Madonna
as she is depicted without infant Jesus. The artwork soon became known as miraculous and inspired a following. A dedicated chapel was built in 1671 by the Discalced Carmelites
. At the same time, possibly borrowing from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the painting was covered in expensive and elaborate silver and gold clothes leaving only the face and hands visible. In the following centuries, the following grew stronger and Our Lady became an important part of religious life in Vilnius. The following inspired many copies in Lithuania, Poland, and diaspora communities worldwide. The chapel was visited by Pope John Paul II
in 1993. It is a major site of pilgrimage in Vilnius and attracts many visitors, especially from Poland.
It is believed that the painting was commissioned by the government of Vilnius. It was customary to place paintings or sculptures of various saints in niche
s of walls hoping that they would protect the building. The governor of Vilnius ordered two paintings, depicting Lord Jesus the Savior ("Salvator Mundi
") and Blessed Virgin Mary. Both of them decorated the Gate of Dawn
of the Vilnius city wall
– a defensive structure with no religious importance at the time. Our Lady was placed much in the same place as it is now. It was place in a small niche, protected by shutters from rain and snow. Narrow and steep stairs led to a small balcony for the faithful, where they could lit candles and pray. The painting of Lord Jesus decorated exterior of the gate. In 1650 Albert Wijuk Kojałowicz published Miscellanea, listing all miraculous paintings of Mary, but did not mention Our Lady.
In the mid-17th century the Discalced Carmelites
built the Church of St. Teresa and their monastery near the Gate of Dawn. In 1655 the city was captured, looted, and depopulated during the Battle of Vilnius
of the Russo-Polish War
. Likely the city government, short of funds, transferred maintenance of the gate and the paintings to the Carmelites. The painting of Lord Jesus was moved the Carmelite monastery and later to Vilnius Cathedral
(a fresco of Jesus was painted in its original niche in the 19th century). In 1671, the monks established a wooden chapel, devoted to Our Lady, next to the gate tower. Around the time the painting was covered in expensive silver clothes. By that time, the painting was already an object of public veneration and the chapel dedication ceremony was attended by many prominent figures of the time: Chancellor Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac
, Grand Hetman Michał Kazimierz Pac, senators of the general sejm
, and others.
In May 1715, the wooden chapel burned down, but the painting was saved and placed in the Church of St. Teresa. In 1720 a new brick chapel, which survives to this day, was dedicated in presence of four bishops, a number of senators, and a large crowd of the faithful. In 1761, monk Hilarion published a book titled Relacja o cudownym Obrazie Naijświętszej Marji Panny etc. It is the primary source for early history of the painting and also the first collection of various miracles attributed to Our Lady. In 1773 Pope Clement XIV
granted indulgence
to the faithful, designated the chapel as a place of public worship, and established a charitable society. At the turn of the 19th century, Tsarist authorities
demolished the city wall and all city gates except for the Gate of Dawn and its chapel. In 1829, the chapel underwent restoration and acquired elements of late Neoclassicism
. Since the entrance to the chapel was from inside the Carmelite monastery, women could not go inside. One devoted woman sponsored construction of a two-storey gallery on the side of the street in 1830.
In 1927, major restoration works were completed under bishop Romuald Jałbrzykowski. With permission from Pope Pius XI
, the painting was solemnly crowned as Mother of Mercy by Cardinal Alexander Kakowski, Archbishop of Warsaw, on July 2, 1927. The ceremony was attended by President of Poland Ignacy Mościcki
, First Marshal Jozef Pilsudski
, Primate of Poland August Hlond, 28 bishops, and other dignitaries.
planks 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in) thick. As usual for Northern Europe, a very thin layer of chalk priming was applied to the planks before painting in tempera
. Later Our Lady was repainted in oil paint
. Some restoration work was completed in mid-19th century. Major restoration works were completed in 1927.
The painting depicts complex personality and devotion to Mary. Her head is gently leaning to her right, her eyes are half closed, her hands are crossed in devotion; this reminds that she is a virgin, humble servant of the Lord, merciful mother and patron of the people. At the same time, her head is surrounded by sun rays and her body is usually covered in elaborate gold and silver clothes and crowns; these are the symbols of her divine and majestic role as the Queen of Heaven
. The painting also reminds of Tota pulchra es
(You are all beautiful), an old Catholic prayer.
) of precious metals may have been borrowed from Eastern Orthodox. The clothing of Our Lady is composed of three gilded
silver parts, each completed by different artists at a different period. The head and shoulders were covered in 1670–1690; the chest piece was adapted from a different painting in 1695–1700; the bottom of the painting was completed by 1730s. The clothes are richly decorated in floral motifs: roses, tulips, narcissi, carnation
s, and at least six other species. The flowers were references to hortus conclusus
(enclosed garden), a symbol of Mary's virginity and purity.
The head of Our Lady is adorned with two crowns. Two little angels lower the large Rococo
-style crown with colored glass inlays upon the smaller Baroque
crown. Some argued that the two crowns, resembling royal and ducal insignia, represented Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania
respectively. In 1927, duplicate crowns were made of pure gold, donated by the people, and were blessed by Pope Pius XI
. On July 2, 1927, the coronation ceremony took place and painting received the title of Mother of Mercy. The gold crowns were lost, possibly during World War II.
Sculptures of Mary's parents – St Joachim and St Anne – stand on both sides of the painting between the altar columns.
(1784–1864), the painting was acquired by Algirdas
, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1345–1377), as a war trophy from Crimea
. This note, based on dubious sources, along with dark colors of the painting that resembled Byzantine icons
, inspired 19th-century Russian historians to claim that the painting was Orthodox
and not Roman Catholic. This theory was popularized in various articles, brochures, studies and is sometimes quoted today. Others claimed that the painting was commissioned by King of Poland Sigismund II Augustus
and depicted his wife Barbara Radziwiłł.
With silver cloth covering the entire painting, except for the face and hands, it was very hard for art historians to determine in what period the painting was created. In 1927, the silver cover was removed for the first time in decades. The painting was analyzed and restored. Based on the new data gathered during the restoration, Mieczysław Skrudlik came to a conclusion that the painting was completed around 1630–1650 and linked it with another painting in the Corpus Christi Church in Krakow
, created by artist Luke in 1624. Mary Kałamajska Saeed in her 1990 thesis argued that Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn was a work of a local artist and was inspired by contemporary Flemish
mannerist
painter Marten de Vos
through an engraving of Thomas de Leu (1580).
. The Swedes, who were Protestants, mocked the painting, forbade songs and prayers, and partied around the Gate of Dawn. One soldier even shot at the painting (the hole can still be seen on the right sleeve). In an early morning of the Great and Holy Saturday, heavy iron gates fell and crushed four Swedish soldiers – two died instantly and two later from injuries. The next day, during the Easter
, the Lithuanian Army successfully counterattacked near the gate. The commander, grateful for the victory, bestowed the chapel with a large silver votive offering
. The painting is also credited with other miracles: subduing a city fire in 1706, punishing a Russian soldier for an attempt to steal her silver clothes in 1708, and numerous miraculous healings
. Other stories of various miracles were kept by the Carmelite monks, but those books did not survive.
Votive offerings became a tradition. They are usually small silver objects (hearts, crucifixes, figures of praying people, images of cured eyes, legs, arms). Several times (1799, 1808, 1810) some of these objects were taken down and melted into liturgical objects. In 1844, there was a total of 785 offerings. Twelve years later, in 1856, the number almost doubled to 1,438. From 1884 to 1927, a journal of new offerings was kept. During that time it registered 2,539 new gifts. Currently, there are about 8,000 silver votive objects in the chapel. The large crescent moon
, located right beneath Our Lady, is also a votive offering. Its origins are unknown, but it bears an inscription in the Polish language and a date of 1849. The moon incorporates well with the silver cloth, adding additional parallels with the Woman of the Apocalypse
, described in the Book of Revelation
as a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Today this holy image is venerated by Roman Catholic and Orthodox
faithful of many countries whose origins lie in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, including Lithuania
, Poland
, Belarus
, Ukraine
and their diaspora
s worldwide. In Lithuania itself there are 15 churches as well as Lithuanian parishes in Montreal
and Buenos Aires
devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Gate of Dawn. On February 26, 2007, Parish of Our Lady of Vilnius (Aušros Vartų Parapija) was closed by the Archdiocese of New York. The sanctuary had featured an icon of Our Lady, painted by the artist Tadas Sviderskis in the 1980s.
In Poland the biggest church devoted to Our Lady is the Marian Basilica
in Gdańsk
. Other shrines of the holy icon are found in Poland (Białystok, Drogosze
, Kętrzyn
, Olsztyn
, Skarżysko-Kamienna
and Wrocław), United Kingdom
(Kidderminster
), United States
(South River, NJ), and Australia
. Copies of the painting can also be found in Church of Saint-Séverin
in Paris and St. Peter's Basilica
in Vatican.
Gate of Dawn
The Gate of Dawn is a city-gate of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.- History :It was built between 1503 and 1522 as a part of defensive fortifications for the city of Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania...
in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. The Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
painting, completed possibly in the first half of the 17th century, is an unusual portrayal of Madonna
Madonna (art)
Images of the Madonna and the Madonna and Child or Virgin and Child are pictorial or sculptured representations of Mary, Mother of Jesus, either alone, or more frequently, with the infant Jesus. These images are central icons of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity where Mary remains...
as she is depicted without infant Jesus. The artwork soon became known as miraculous and inspired a following. A dedicated chapel was built in 1671 by the Discalced Carmelites
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
. At the same time, possibly borrowing from the Eastern Orthodox tradition, the painting was covered in expensive and elaborate silver and gold clothes leaving only the face and hands visible. In the following centuries, the following grew stronger and Our Lady became an important part of religious life in Vilnius. The following inspired many copies in Lithuania, Poland, and diaspora communities worldwide. The chapel was visited by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in 1993. It is a major site of pilgrimage in Vilnius and attracts many visitors, especially from Poland.
History
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
s of walls hoping that they would protect the building. The governor of Vilnius ordered two paintings, depicting Lord Jesus the Savior ("Salvator Mundi
Salvator Mundi
Salvator Mundi, or Saviour of the World, is a subject in iconography depicting Christ with his right hand raised in blessing and his left hand holding an orb surmounted by a cross, known as a globus cruciger...
") and Blessed Virgin Mary. Both of them decorated the Gate of Dawn
Gate of Dawn
The Gate of Dawn is a city-gate of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.- History :It was built between 1503 and 1522 as a part of defensive fortifications for the city of Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania...
of the Vilnius city wall
Vilnius city wall
thumb|Vilnius city wall in the 16th centuryThe Vilnius city wall was a defensive wall around Vilnius, capital city of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was built between 1503 and 1522 for protection from the attacks by the Crimean Khanate at the beginning of the Muscovite–Lithuanian Wars...
– a defensive structure with no religious importance at the time. Our Lady was placed much in the same place as it is now. It was place in a small niche, protected by shutters from rain and snow. Narrow and steep stairs led to a small balcony for the faithful, where they could lit candles and pray. The painting of Lord Jesus decorated exterior of the gate. In 1650 Albert Wijuk Kojałowicz published Miscellanea, listing all miraculous paintings of Mary, but did not mention Our Lady.
In the mid-17th century the Discalced Carmelites
Discalced Carmelites
The Discalced Carmelites, or Barefoot Carmelites, is a Catholic mendicant order with roots in the eremitic tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers...
built the Church of St. Teresa and their monastery near the Gate of Dawn. In 1655 the city was captured, looted, and depopulated during the Battle of Vilnius
Battle of Vilnius (1655)
The Battle of Vilnius, battle of Wilno, or battle of Vilna was the invasion by Russian and Cossack forces of Vilnius , the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, that occurred between the 7th and 9th of August 1655...
of the Russo-Polish War
Russo-Polish War (1654–1667)
The Russo-Polish War of 1654–1667, also called Thirteen Years' War, First Northern War, War for Ukraine was the last major conflict between Tsardom of Russia and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1655 and 1660, the Second Northern War was also fought in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth,...
. Likely the city government, short of funds, transferred maintenance of the gate and the paintings to the Carmelites. The painting of Lord Jesus was moved the Carmelite monastery and later to Vilnius Cathedral
Vilnius Cathedral
The Cathedral of Vilnius is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania.It is situated in Vilnius Old Town, just off of Cathedral Square. It is the heart of Lithuania's Catholic spiritual life....
(a fresco of Jesus was painted in its original niche in the 19th century). In 1671, the monks established a wooden chapel, devoted to Our Lady, next to the gate tower. Around the time the painting was covered in expensive silver clothes. By that time, the painting was already an object of public veneration and the chapel dedication ceremony was attended by many prominent figures of the time: Chancellor Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac
Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac
Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac was the Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.He was the brother of Michał Kazimierz Pac, the Great Lithuanian Hetman who sponsored St Peter and St Paul's Church in Vilnius, a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. After their deaths, the influence of the Pac family...
, Grand Hetman Michał Kazimierz Pac, senators of the general sejm
General sejm
The general sejm was the parliament of Poland for four centuries from the late 15th until the late 18th century.-Genesis:The power of early sejms grew during the period of Poland's fragmentation , when the power of individual rulers waned and that of various councils and wiece grew...
, and others.
In May 1715, the wooden chapel burned down, but the painting was saved and placed in the Church of St. Teresa. In 1720 a new brick chapel, which survives to this day, was dedicated in presence of four bishops, a number of senators, and a large crowd of the faithful. In 1761, monk Hilarion published a book titled Relacja o cudownym Obrazie Naijświętszej Marji Panny etc. It is the primary source for early history of the painting and also the first collection of various miracles attributed to Our Lady. In 1773 Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV , born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was Pope from 1769 to 1774. At the time of his election, he was the only Franciscan friar in the College of Cardinals.-Early life:...
granted indulgence
Indulgence
In Catholic theology, an indulgence is the full or partial remission of temporal punishment due for sins which have already been forgiven. The indulgence is granted by the Catholic Church after the sinner has confessed and received absolution...
to the faithful, designated the chapel as a place of public worship, and established a charitable society. At the turn of the 19th century, Tsarist authorities
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
demolished the city wall and all city gates except for the Gate of Dawn and its chapel. In 1829, the chapel underwent restoration and acquired elements of late Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
. Since the entrance to the chapel was from inside the Carmelite monastery, women could not go inside. One devoted woman sponsored construction of a two-storey gallery on the side of the street in 1830.
In 1927, major restoration works were completed under bishop Romuald Jałbrzykowski. With permission from Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
, the painting was solemnly crowned as Mother of Mercy by Cardinal Alexander Kakowski, Archbishop of Warsaw, on July 2, 1927. The ceremony was attended by President of Poland Ignacy Mościcki
Ignacy Moscicki
Ignacy Mościcki was a Polish chemist, politician, and President of Poland . He was the longest-serving President of Poland .-Life:...
, First Marshal Jozef Pilsudski
Józef Pilsudski
Józef Klemens Piłsudski was a Polish statesman—Chief of State , "First Marshal" , and authoritarian leader of the Second Polish Republic. From mid-World War I he had a major influence in Poland's politics, and was an important figure on the European political scene...
, Primate of Poland August Hlond, 28 bishops, and other dignitaries.
Description
The original painting is 163 by 200 cm (64.2 by 78.7 ) and was painted by an unknown artist on 8 oakOak
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...
planks 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in) thick. As usual for Northern Europe, a very thin layer of chalk priming was applied to the planks before painting in tempera
Tempera
Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast-drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium . Tempera also refers to the paintings done in this medium. Tempera paintings are very long lasting, and examples from the 1st centuries AD still exist...
. Later Our Lady was repainted in oil paint
Oil paint
Oil paint is a type of slow-drying paint that consists of particles of pigment suspended in a drying oil, commonly linseed oil. The viscosity of the paint may be modified by the addition of a solvent such as turpentine or white spirit, and varnish may be added to increase the glossiness of the...
. Some restoration work was completed in mid-19th century. Major restoration works were completed in 1927.
The painting depicts complex personality and devotion to Mary. Her head is gently leaning to her right, her eyes are half closed, her hands are crossed in devotion; this reminds that she is a virgin, humble servant of the Lord, merciful mother and patron of the people. At the same time, her head is surrounded by sun rays and her body is usually covered in elaborate gold and silver clothes and crowns; these are the symbols of her divine and majestic role as the Queen of Heaven
Queen of Heaven
Queen of Heaven is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Christians, mainly of the Roman Catholic Church, and also, to some extent, in the Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox churches, to whom the title is a consequence of the Council of Ephesus in the fifth century, where the Virgin...
. The painting also reminds of Tota pulchra es
Tota pulchra es
Tota pulchra es is an old Catholic prayer, written in the fourth century. It is one of the five antiphons for the psalms of Second Vespers for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The title means "You are completely beautiful" . It speaks of her immaculate conception...
(You are all beautiful), an old Catholic prayer.
Casing
The tradition to decorate paintings with clothes or revetment (rizaRiza
A riza or oklad , sometimes called a "revetment" in English, is a metal cover protecting an icon. It is usually made of gilt or silvered metal with repoussé work and is pierced to expose elements of the underlying painting. It is sometimes enameled, filigreed, or set with artificial,...
) of precious metals may have been borrowed from Eastern Orthodox. The clothing of Our Lady is composed of three gilded
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
silver parts, each completed by different artists at a different period. The head and shoulders were covered in 1670–1690; the chest piece was adapted from a different painting in 1695–1700; the bottom of the painting was completed by 1730s. The clothes are richly decorated in floral motifs: roses, tulips, narcissi, carnation
Carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus is a species of Dianthus. It is probably native to the Mediterranean region but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years. It is the wild ancestor of the garden carnation.It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 80 cm tall...
s, and at least six other species. The flowers were references to hortus conclusus
Hortus conclusus
Hortus conclusus is a Latin term, meaning literally "enclosed garden". "The word 'garden' is at root the same as the word 'yard'. It means an enclosure", observed Derek Clifford, at the outset of a series of essays on garden design, in which he skirted the conventions of the hortus conclusus...
(enclosed garden), a symbol of Mary's virginity and purity.
The head of Our Lady is adorned with two crowns. Two little angels lower the large Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
-style crown with colored glass inlays upon the smaller Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
crown. Some argued that the two crowns, resembling royal and ducal insignia, represented Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
respectively. In 1927, duplicate crowns were made of pure gold, donated by the people, and were blessed by Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI
Pope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
. On July 2, 1927, the coronation ceremony took place and painting received the title of Mother of Mercy. The gold crowns were lost, possibly during World War II.
Sculptures of Mary's parents – St Joachim and St Anne – stand on both sides of the painting between the altar columns.
Origin and inspiration
The origin of the painting is not known. According to historian Teodor NarbuttTeodor Narbutt
Teodor Narbutt was a Polish–Lithuanian writer, Romantic historian and military engineer...
(1784–1864), the painting was acquired by Algirdas
Algirdas
Algirdas was a monarch of medieval Lithuania. Algirdas ruled the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1345 to 1377, which chiefly meant monarch of Lithuanians and Ruthenians...
, Grand Duke of Lithuania (1345–1377), as a war trophy from Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
. This note, based on dubious sources, along with dark colors of the painting that resembled Byzantine icons
Byzantine art
Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 5th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453....
, inspired 19th-century Russian historians to claim that the painting was Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
and not Roman Catholic. This theory was popularized in various articles, brochures, studies and is sometimes quoted today. Others claimed that the painting was commissioned by King of Poland Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus I was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the only son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548...
and depicted his wife Barbara Radziwiłł.
With silver cloth covering the entire painting, except for the face and hands, it was very hard for art historians to determine in what period the painting was created. In 1927, the silver cover was removed for the first time in decades. The painting was analyzed and restored. Based on the new data gathered during the restoration, Mieczysław Skrudlik came to a conclusion that the painting was completed around 1630–1650 and linked it with another painting in the Corpus Christi Church in Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, created by artist Luke in 1624. Mary Kałamajska Saeed in her 1990 thesis argued that Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn was a work of a local artist and was inspired by contemporary Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
mannerist
Mannerism
Mannerism is a period of European art that emerged from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520. It lasted until about 1580 in Italy, when a more Baroque style began to replace it, but Northern Mannerism continued into the early 17th century throughout much of Europe...
painter Marten de Vos
Marten de Vos
Marten de Vos , also Maarten, was a leading Antwerp painter and draughtsman in the late sixteenth century.-Biography:Like Frans Floris, he travelled to Italy and adopted the mannerist style popular at the time. De Vos was also highly influenced by the colors of Venetian painting, and might have...
through an engraving of Thomas de Leu (1580).
Miracles and votive offerings
In 1761, monk Hilarion published a book, collecting 17 miracles attributed to the painting and Mary. His first recorded miracle occurred in 1671, the same year the first chapel was built. A two-year old child fell from the second floor onto stone pavement and was badly injured. The parents then prayed to Our Lady and the next day the child was healthy once again. In 1702, Vilnius was captured by the Swedish Army during the Great Northern WarGreat Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
. The Swedes, who were Protestants, mocked the painting, forbade songs and prayers, and partied around the Gate of Dawn. One soldier even shot at the painting (the hole can still be seen on the right sleeve). In an early morning of the Great and Holy Saturday, heavy iron gates fell and crushed four Swedish soldiers – two died instantly and two later from injuries. The next day, during the Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, the Lithuanian Army successfully counterattacked near the gate. The commander, grateful for the victory, bestowed the chapel with a large silver votive offering
Votive offering
A votive deposit or votive offering is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for broadly religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally made in order to gain favor with supernatural...
. The painting is also credited with other miracles: subduing a city fire in 1706, punishing a Russian soldier for an attempt to steal her silver clothes in 1708, and numerous miraculous healings
Faith healing
Faith healing is healing through spiritual means. The healing of a person is brought about by religious faith through prayer and/or rituals that, according to adherents, stimulate a divine presence and power toward correcting disease and disability. Belief in divine intervention in illness or...
. Other stories of various miracles were kept by the Carmelite monks, but those books did not survive.
Votive offerings became a tradition. They are usually small silver objects (hearts, crucifixes, figures of praying people, images of cured eyes, legs, arms). Several times (1799, 1808, 1810) some of these objects were taken down and melted into liturgical objects. In 1844, there was a total of 785 offerings. Twelve years later, in 1856, the number almost doubled to 1,438. From 1884 to 1927, a journal of new offerings was kept. During that time it registered 2,539 new gifts. Currently, there are about 8,000 silver votive objects in the chapel. The large crescent moon
Lunar phase
A lunar phase or phase of the moon is the appearance of the illuminated portion of the Moon as seen by an observer, usually on Earth. The lunar phases change cyclically as the Moon orbits the Earth, according to the changing relative positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun...
, located right beneath Our Lady, is also a votive offering. Its origins are unknown, but it bears an inscription in the Polish language and a date of 1849. The moon incorporates well with the silver cloth, adding additional parallels with the Woman of the Apocalypse
Woman of the Apocalypse
The phrase Woman of the Apocalypse refers to a character from the Book of Revelation 12:1-18:1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 And being with child, she cried travailing in birth: and was in...
, described in the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
as a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
Shrines in other locations
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
faithful of many countries whose origins lie in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, including Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and their diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
s worldwide. In Lithuania itself there are 15 churches as well as Lithuanian parishes in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Gate of Dawn. On February 26, 2007, Parish of Our Lady of Vilnius (Aušros Vartų Parapija) was closed by the Archdiocese of New York. The sanctuary had featured an icon of Our Lady, painted by the artist Tadas Sviderskis in the 1980s.
In Poland the biggest church devoted to Our Lady is the Marian Basilica
St. Mary's Church, Gdansk
St. Mary's Church or, properly, Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Roman Catholic church in Gdańsk, Poland, which is the largest brick church in the world. It was begun in 1379. St. Mary's Church (Polish: Bazylika Mariacka, German: Marienkirche) or, properly, Basilica of...
in Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
. Other shrines of the holy icon are found in Poland (Białystok, Drogosze
Drogosze
Drogosze is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Barciany, within Kętrzyn County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland, close to the border with the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia...
, Kętrzyn
Ketrzyn
Kętrzyn , is a town in northeastern Poland with 28,351 inhabitants . Situated in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship , Kętrzyn was previously in Olsztyn Voivodeship . It is the capital of Kętrzyn County...
, Olsztyn
Olsztyn
Olsztyn is a city in northeastern Poland, on the Łyna River. Olsztyn has been the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in the Olsztyn Voivodeship...
, Skarżysko-Kamienna
Skarzysko-Kamienna
Skarżysko-Kamienna is a town in northern Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship in Poland by Kamienna river, to the north of Świętokrzyskie Mountains; one of the voivodship's major towns...
and Wrocław), United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
), United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(South River, NJ), and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Copies of the painting can also be found in Church of Saint-Séverin
Saint-Séverin (Paris)
The Church of Saint-Séverin is a Roman Catholic church in the Latin Quarter of Paris, located on the lively tourist street Rue Saint-Séverin...
in Paris and St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
in Vatican.