Pilgrimage tourism in the Podkarpackie region

In Christian culture, pilgrimages to the Holy Land set an example for journeys to religious places. In the past people used to visit Bethlehem, Jericho, the Jordan, the Dead Sea and the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and this frequently was the most important journey in their lives. This in fact has not changed, however nowadays pilgrims also travel to places located in Poland, e.g., to Jasna Góra Monastery, or to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Bieszczady in Jasień (Ustrzyki Dolne) or to Kalwaria Pacławska near Przemyśl.

The word ‘Calvary’ is the equivalent of the Hebrew word ‘golgotha’, meaning ‘skull’. The latter is the name of the hill near Jerusalem where executions were carried out and where, according to the Gospels, Christ was crucified. According to tradition, by walking all the way from the city to Golgotha, with prayer and meditation, one could  receive  ‘indulgence’ (i.e. pardoning of sins). Later, sites carrying the same symbolism were created in various places in Europe. For this purpose the Stations of the Cross were built outside towns on hills which symbolised the Golgotha. Initially their number varied, however eventually the Way of the Cross would contain fourteen stations. Later representations of the Way of the Cross, in the form of paintings, frescoes or bas-reliefs, were commonly  created in churches.

Traditions of pilgrimages to the Holy Land today are kept up by those travelling e.g. to Kalwaria Pacławska in the Podkarpackie region. The village is home to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Calvary and the Finding of the Holy Cross, administered by the Franciscan Monks. The monastery, sanctuary and pilgrim house are located on a hill covered with forest. Pilgrims climb up the hill on foot, stopping at the Stations of the Cross. The Way of the Cross at Kalwaria Pacławska attracts many tourists every year, especially on Good Friday. On this occasion, the scenes from the New Testament are played by actors who proceed along the Way accompanied by the pilgrims.

Kalwaria Pacławska opens a long list of destinations in the Podkarpackie region which are eagerly visited by those who wish to explore places related to religious heritage of Poland.

One of these places is located in the vicinity of Trzciana near Dukla.  In the nearby forest on Zaśpit hill you can visit the hermitage of St. John of Dukla from the 15th century. Before he became a renowned preacher in Lviv, he lived as a hermit right here in the Low Beskids, in the shadow of Mount Cergowa. Today the site commemorates that period in his life. Visitors can see here a chapel, a retreat house, the holy spring in the nearby grotto as well as the so-called ‘hermit's house’. John of Dukla was canonised by Pope John Paul II in 1997. In Dukla there is also a sanctuary devoted to the hermit in the church administered by Bernardine monks.

In the region there are also many churches and sanctuaries that cultivate the memory of Marian apparitions. One of these is the Sanctuary of Our Lady of La Salette in Dębowiec, the village which is also home to La Salette Missionaries in Poland. Pilgrims visiting the Sanctuary and the Basilica can reflect on the meaning of the apparition which took place in 1846 in the French Alps. You can find more information about the place at www: sanktuarium.saletyni.pl

Another itinerary followed by those into pilgrimage tourism leads to churches which hold relics of saints. For example, the Rzeszów Cathedral guards a reliquary with a drop of John Paul II's blood; the sanctuary in Strachocin near Sanok holds relics of St. Andrew Bobola, who was murdered by Cossacks in 1657, and who had been born in this village; in Terliczka near Rzeszów you can visit relics of Padre Pio, known for his miracles; in Dukla there are relics of St. John of Dukla. In the Podkarpackie there are many places holding relics or artefacts related to holy men. In many cases, these are small churches frequently overlooked by other tourists. For pilgrims, however, these are important destinations. The itinerary includes Brzozów, Przemyśl, Stara Wieś, Jaśliska in the Low Beskids and many more.

Visitors to the Podkarpackie region, interested in religious customs and traditions, can also participate in various events, such as festivals related to the patron saints of the specific churches. For Catholics participation in such religious celebrations means they receive indulgence i.e. they are pardoned for their sins. In some cases, the strictly religious event is accompanied by other festivities. A big celebration of this type is held on the first Sunday of October in Łopienka in the Bieszczady Mountains. Another one is held annually on a weekend closest to 22 of May in Olchowiec, an old village of Lemko people in the Low Beskids. On this occasion you can participate in the mass at the tserkva, and then enjoy concerts, try local foods and have fun. Because of this Kermesz in Olchowiec is an excellent event for those who want to explore traditions of the people once inhabiting this area.

Elimelech Weissblum, one of the most renowned tzaddikim of Hasidism, died in Leżajsk in 1787. His ohel (tomb chapel) is visited by many Jewish people who come here from all over the world on the anniversary of his death. The grave of Elimelech of Lizhensk is the main, but not the only destination on the itinerary followed by Hasidic Jews coming to the region. They also pay visits to the graves of Menechem Mendel and Tzvi Hirsh in Rymanów, Naftali Horowitz in Łańcut, Tzvi Elimelech in Dynów and Naftali in Ropczyce. These and many other places, such as the numerous Jewish cemeteries, are visited by many tourists each year, especially by those who believe that prayer in holy places is the source of all graces and blessings.

Pilgrimage tourism generally is the same as spiritual journeys leading to various geographical areas and to specific places carrying a mystical meaning. This type of journey may be linked with visiting places or simply with the very process of moving. Indeed, a hiking trip in the countryside of the Podkarpackie along the local section of the Via Regia, part of the Way of St. James leading towards Santiago de Compostela in Spain, may be a good example of a spiritual journey that also leads to beautiful landmarks.

The same is true of the Papal Trail. Running along the Main Beskid Route (red) from Magura Wątkowska to Komańcza (approx. 100 km), the Papal Trail is an excellent option for those tourists who want to spend time in the wilderness and meditate on the meaning of the teachings left by John Paul II, the great pope who was also a passionate hiker and who loved visiting these areas in his youth.

For travellers who want to take a break and find a quiet place for meditation there are also some options in the Podkarpackie region. For instance spiritual retreats and various weekend events are organised by the Jesuit Monastery in Stara Wieś and Franciscan Monastery in Kalwaria Pacławska.