St Bridget’s Basilica in Gdansk

Medals can be purchased at the side entrance to the basilica!

St Brigid’s Church in Gdansk – the church in the Old Town, on the Osiek estate, built between 1394-1402, consecrated in 1396 in honour of St Brigid on the site of a former small chapel where the body of the saint was displayed.

The church burned down in 1587. It was rebuilt with the help of the Bishop of Wloclawek, Jan Tarnowski. A Renaissance tower was built in 1616. The church has had a bell since 1617.

In 1817, after the secularisation of the Brigidine Order, it was renamed as a garrison church. It also served as a chapel for prisoners.
In March 1945, the church was set on fire by the Red Army. It was rebuilt in 1973 and the interiors were decorated in 1975. From 1970 to 2004 the parish priest was Father Henryk Jankowski.

The church and parish, due to its close proximity to the Gdansk Shipyard, was associated with the independent workers’ movement. Father Jankowski celebrated Mass during the strikes of August 1980 and has since been associated with Solidarity and its leader Lech Wałęsa.

In 1992 Pope John Paul II gave the church the title of Basilica Minor.