Marian shrine in Stoczek Klasztorny in Warmia
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The Marian shrine in Stoczek Klasztorny, in Warmia, dates back to the Middle Ages. An old tradition says that a missionary hung a small statue of the Madonna on a tall oak tree. It depicted Our Lady of Sorrows with her head bowed and traces of tears on her beautiful, sad face. After numerous wars and epidemics, the forgotten statue was found by two girls raking hay (ca. mid-16th century). During the reign of Varmia Bishop Stanislaus Hosius, the parish priest of Kiwit built a modest chapel on the site. The creation of the shrine (in its present form) is linked to the political situation of Poland in the 17th century (wars with Russia, Turkey and Sweden) and to the piety of Bishop Mikolaj Szyszkowski (1633-1643). Seeing how badly his diocese had suffered from the Protestant Swedes and how uncertain the truce of the Republic of Poland appeared, he pledged to build a shrine in honour of the Mother of God if the longed-for peace came. On 12 September 1635, a 26-year truce was concluded with the Swedes in Štumska Village. Bishop Mikolaj Szyszkowski built a round temple with a dome on the model of the Roman basilicas in 1639-1641 as a gift to the Queen of Peace. In 1640, the bishop brought a copy of the image of Our Lady ‘Salus Populi Romani’ from Rome. The image was crowned by the Servant of God John Paul II at Jasna Góra on 19 June 1983.
In 1708-1711, the church was extended and surrounded by cloisters with corner chapels. The vaulting of the cloisters was covered with polychrome made by Krzysztof Meyer of Lidzbark in 1736. A great venerator and benefactor of Stoczek was the Primate of Poland Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. Interned by the communist authorities and imprisoned in a deserted and cold monastery, on 8 December 1953 he made an act of personal devotion to Our Lady, which he later extended to the whole nation in the form of the Jasna Góra Vows in honour of Our Lady.
Whoever has knelt at least once before the picture of Our Lady of Peace in Stoczek Klasztorny, which is one of the sanctuaries that are part of the Holy Places of Warmia, knows that he will never forget this place. Even though many years will have passed, the gaze of the Mother of Peace will continue to accompany her daily life, give her courage and encourage her to participate in the events planned at her shrine. The beauty of the Warmian landscape in the vicinity of Stoczek Klasztorny perfectly underlines the unique architecture of the Baroque temple and garden. The history of the Stoczek shrine shows its great importance in the work of caring for peace in human hearts, in our homeland and throughout the world.
