Kalwaria Pacławska – Jerusalem of the East

An account of such an expedition is included in the diary entitled The Peregrination to the Holy Land, in which the author - Jan Goryński, a moderately wealthy Mazovian nobleman - describes the hardships of the pilgrimage. These mainly involved problems with communication, and with numerous fees required by Turkish guards who were eager to get the money, but less willing to fulfil their obligations. At times, getting some food could also be a problem for the traveller; as Jan Goryński writes - he would not get enough food or would only eat ‘stinking cheese’.

Some old accounts of expeditions to the Holy Sepulchre have survived to our times, Jan Gorczyński's diary being the first written in Polish rather than in Latin, which was common earlier. These memoirs, describing the journey and talking about the places visited, reveal something else: they bear witness to the importance of the Holy Land and its impact on Polish people’s imagination and awareness. Another example of the profound importance of spiritual experience for Poles is Kalwaria Pacławska near Przemyśl.

 It is difficult to prove whether Andrzej Maksymilian Fredro (1620-1679), an eminent Polish politician and writer, travelled to Jaffa in Palestine like many other travellers, to visit the holy sites known to him from stories and biblical accounts. In any case, owing to his efforts possibly associated with the impact of such a journey, in 1665 the construction of a wooden church and monastery began on the hill today holding the Calvary. Three years later the Franciscans moved into the monastery.

Partly owing to the defensive potential of the area, the layout of the town that was being built clearly made reference to the Holy Land. The new buildings were situated on the tallest hill, which was to symbolise Golgotha, or Calvary (the latter being Latin translation of the Hebrew word ‘Golgotha’ meaning ‘skull’).  The other hill nearby became the Mount of Olives. The adjacent valley was supposed to represent the Valley of Josaphat, which meant that the meandering Wiar River at the foot of the hill represented the Cedron, as described in the Bible. Finally, there were also 28 shrines dispersed amidst trees on the slopes of the Calvary. In these locations pilgrims approaching the church meditated on the mysteries of the Lord’s suffering. Particularly the devotions related to the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday were carried out during a grand celebration and that event would attract a lot of worshippers from all over Poland. In fact, nothing has changed to this day. In spite of the passage of time, Kalwaria Pacławska is still a place of great veneration, where worshippers flock in large numbers to get spiritual experiences comparable only to those gained in the Holy Land. 

Today, the Calvary looks different - largely owing to its subsequent custodian, Szczepan Józef Dwernicki, cześnik of Przemyśl (who also built the well-preserved church of the Discovery of the Holy Cross), however its biblical symbolism remains the same. Today, being an eternal memorial, Kalwaria Pacławska still reminds us that one day we will all meet in the biblical Valley of Josaphat. For the time being, the Calvary invites you to this symbolic valley, which stretches at its foot along the lovely Wiar River.

When you come to this area you should also visit the Church of St. Anthony of Padua in Przemyśl, which like the chapels in Kalwaria Pacławska, is in the custody of Franciscan Friars. The crypt of the church holds the grave of Andrzej Maksymilian Fredro bearer of Bończa coat of arms, who initiated the construction of the place that is commonly referred to as ‘Jerusalem of the East’.

There is a certain association between Kalwaria Pacławska and the events that took place in Kamieniec Podolski in 1672. This is when the fortress surrendered to the Turkish army during events whose literary account was included by Henryk Sienkiewicz in his historical novel Pan Wołodyjowski (Sir Wołodyjowski). At the same time, just after the fall of Kamieniec, a painting of the Virgin Mary disappeared from the local Franciscan church. According to legend, the Turks threw it into the nearby Smotrycz River. The story, passed down from generation to generation, also said that Our Lady then appeared in a dream to an old man living by the river. She told him to find the painting and carry it to the Calvary. He did so and during his journey he experienced other miraculous events. This much is said by legend, and there are no historical reports  related to this. It is a fact, however, that later the Franciscans from Kamieniec tried to recover the painting, but at that time it was already known for its benevolent deeds performed at Kalwaria Pacławska, so those in charge of the painting did not agree to give it back. Furthermore, the son of Andrzej Maksymilian Fredro allegedly claimed at the time that his father had bought the painting from the Turks, and this argument was to confirm that Kalwaria Pacławska indeed owned the painting of Our Lady. And so the image can still be seen today in the Calvary church.

This is a unique image of the Holy Mother, differing from the more common representations as she is depicted here with her ear exposed. Because of this pilgrims quickly started referring to her as Our Lady Patiently Listening. This means that she is particularly sensitive to the prayers of those who seek her mediation with the Son of God. Indeed, the painting has become famous for a number of miracles, which shows that the Madonna from Kalwaria  Pacławska listens attentively to both the poorest and the wealthy who kneel before her. Those who prayed to her before she left Kamieniec Podolski included the greatest military commanders as well as monarchs of Poland. Today, the painting of Our Lady Patiently Listening is equally venerated. Each year, celebrations honouring her are held from 11 to 15 August, and during that time Kalwaria Pacławska is visited by thousands of pilgrims from all over Poland and Europe.

Kalwaria Pacławska is the village in which the monastery complex is located along with the chapels and the associated places of worship (shrines, Calvary pathways). The term also refers to the hill (465 m) on which the village is situated, and to the nearby nature reserve.

The first part of the name comes from the Latin translation of the Hebrew word ‘Golgotha’, while the second part comes from the name of the village of Pacław which existed in this area. Apart from the religious landmarks, a complex of small-town buildings has also been preserved here. The historical buildings date from the second half of the 1800s. Of particular interest are the arcaded houses which can receive a large number of pilgrims coming to the village. Because of these attractions, Kalwaria Pacławska is part of the Wooden Architecture Route.

The hill named Kalwaria Pacławska is interesting because of its geographical location. It is the northernmost edge of the Sanocko-Turczańskie Mountains and of the Eastern Carpathians. The Wiar River meandering at the foot of the hill on the northern side marks the beginning of the Przemyskie Foothills which are part of the Western Carpathians.

This location was the reason why the nature reserve was established here. It was delineated in 2001 and comprises a total area of 173 ha on the eastern slopes of the hill Kalwaria Pacławska and on the adjacent hill Magdalenka (393 metres above sea level). The reserve is designed to protect the beech and fir forests and the landscape characteristic for this edge of the Carpathians.

Another interesting fact is that in Kalwaria Pacławska there is a seismic station, part of the international GEOFON network. It registers earthquakes all over the world, both natural ones and those caused by nuclear tests or mining disasters.