Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ludźmierz
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Ludźmierz in Ludźmierz, Poland is home to Our Lady of Ludźmierz, known as the Shepherdess of Podhale or in Polish Gaździna Podhala. The cult of Our Lady of Ludźmierz is strongly identified with the Góral people who live in the surrounding Tatra Mountains.
History
A simple wooden monastery was built soon after, along with a number of other buildings used in agriculture. These buildings which burnt down in 1796, had been practically abandoned since 1245 due to the high frequency of raids by bands of Tatars and thieves and the monks moved to nearby Szczyrzyc. However the Cistercians ministered to the parish in Ludźmierz until 1824, when it came under the care of Diocesan priests.[1]
In 1869-77 the old wooden church was dismantled, and in its place the current
The basilica has a 26-voice organ, which was brought from the 12th-century church of St. John in Oldenburg in Holstein. They replaced a 15-voice instrument by Tomasz Fall from 1892, unused since 2017.[2]
Papal prophecy
Perhaps the most well-known story regarding the shrine is an incident during the
Statue of Our Lady of Ludźmierz
The figurine of Our Lady of Ludźmierz, which has drawn throngs of pilgrims since the Middle Ages was originally placed in one of the church's side altars, and it wasn't until 1776 that the statue made its way into the main altar. The statue of Our Lady of Ludźmierz is thought to be about 600 years old. The wooden statue itself is about 125 cm in height, and a replica is situated next to the "miraculous spring" next to the sanctuary.
Multiple copies of the figure have spread all over the world, from the Pfarrkirche of St. Johannes Baptist in
Medieval legend
There is a medieval legend from about 1400 that refers to the Shepherdess of Podhale or the Gaździna Podhala which refers to a Hungarian merchant on his way to Nowy Targ who after having lost his way in the nearby swamps, was miraculously led out by a mysterious lady to the church. When he understood that this mysterious figure had been Mary, the mother of Jesus, he attempted to kneel to give thanks in prayer when a miraculous spring burst forth. He pledged to commission a statue that would depict Mary as he'd seen her and bring it back to the church[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b "Historia Sanktuarium" [History of the Sanctuary]. Sanctuary of Our Lady Queen of Podhale in Ludźmierz. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
- ^ "Bazylika Wniebowzięcia NMP Ludźmierz (małopolskie)" [Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ludźmierz (Lesser Poland Voivodeship )]. Musicam Sacram Association (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-02-07.