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Sumela Monastery, founded in honour of the Virgin Mary, stands 300 metres high overlooking the Altindere Valley near Trabzon in Eastern Turkey. The monastery was founded in the 4th century AD, but reached its current form in the 13th century.
Sumela Monastery, founded in honour of the Virgin Mary, stands 300 metres high overlooking the Altindere Valley near Trabzon in Eastern Turkey. The monastery was founded in the 4th century AD, but reached its current form in the 13th century.
Deurmotief. Granaatappel staat voor vruchtbaarheid, druiven symbool voor het bloed van Christus en het kruis, symbool van de Kristenen.
We hadden het geluk om een namiddagdienst bij te wonen. Priesters werken en studeren ter plaatse. Voor de lokale en heel devote bevolking is er steeds een priester in de dichte nabijheid.
The monastery of Tatev (Armenian : Տաթեվ, Russian: Татев) - established in 895 - is located in the Tatev village. The term "Tatev" usually refers to the monastery. The monastery always performed an important role in the history of the region, becoming its political, spiritual and cultural center.
The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, 117 km (73 mi) south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of 1,147 m (3,763 ft) above sea level, inside of the Rila Monastery Nature Park. The monastery is named after its founder, the hermit Ivan of Rila (876 - 946 AD).
Tsambika Monastery, Rhodes, Greece
There is a legend attached to the Monastery of Tsambika. Legend has it that if a women is having problems conceiving a child she must walk barefoot to the monastery and pray to the Virgin Mary for a child.
The last monastery in Bukovina we visited. We got there just before a large group of tourists arrived, so for a few minutes at least if was very peaceful.
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Arrábida Monastery, Arrábida, Portugal
This Monastery was built in the 16 th century and consists of the Old Monastery (located on the uppermost part of the hillside), the New Monastery (halfway down), the Garden and the Bom Jesus Shrine, set in the property’s 25 hectares. In addition, there are the adjacent but separate quarters of the Duke of Aveiro and the houses where the pilgrims stayed.
The Monastery was founded in 1542 by Brother Martinho da Santa Maria, a Castillan Franciscan.
This church at Sucevița (Soo-che-veetsa) is renowned for this 'Ladder of Virtue', as well as for its 'Tree of Jesse'. It was built in 1585 by Ieremia Movilă (voivode of Moldavia, r 1595-May 1600, and Sept. 1600-1606), Gheorghe Movilă and Simion Movilă (prince of Wallachia r Nov. 1600-June 1601 and Oct. 1601-July 1602; and prince of Moldavia r July 1606 until his death in Sept. 1607). The church contains both Byzantine and Gothic elements, and some elements typical to other painted churches of northern Moldavia. Both interior and exterior walls were painted with murals in @ 1601 (wikipedia) in "brilliant reds and blues with an undercoat of emerald green." (RG)
- In this 'Ladder of Virtue' "flights of angels assist the righteous to paradise, while sinners fall through the rungs into the arms of a grinning demon. The message is reiterated in the 'Last Judgement' in the porch (reputedly left unfinished b/c the artist fell to his death from the scaffolding), where angels sound the trumpet and smite heathens with swords. Turks and Jews can be seen lamenting, and the devil gloats at the bottom-right." The Beast of the Apocalypse has 2 heads, and "angels pour rivers of fire and tread the grapes of wrath." (RG)
- "The 'Tree of Jesse' is a lush composition on a dark blue background. ... 'The Veil' represents Mary as a Byzantine empress beneath a red veil held by angels, while the 'Hymn to the Virgin' is illustrated with Italianate bldg.s and people in oriental dress. In a mural with ancient philosophers clad in Byzantine cloaks, Plato bears a coffin and a pile of bones on his head, in tribute to his meditations on life and death." In the narthex, "the lives of the saints end in burning, boiling, spit-roasting, dismemberment or decapitation - a gory catalogue relieved somewhat by images of rams, suns and other zodiacal symbols." (RG)
- Ieremia and Simion lie in marble tombs carved with floral motifs.
- There's a votive image of Doamna Elisabeta Movilă in the nave, princess consort of Moldavia by marriage to Ieremia and regent from 1607 to 1611 on behalf of her son Constantin I, and her son Alexandru from 1615 to 1616. Described as proud, ambitious and beautiful, she supported her husband against his brother Simion, and after his death her sons against their rivals, often with Polish military help. Political instability caused by the Moldavian succession crisis resulted in Ottoman attack in 1616. She and her sons led an army against the Turks, but were captured in battle and taken to Constantinople. Her sons were forced to convert, while she was held and later died in the sultan's harem, "by God's will" according to the chronicles. (Wikipedia) See her at the 1.25:00 min. pt. and see the frescoes in the opening credits in Neamul Șoimăreștilor, 'The Family of the Falcons' (1965) in this link. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLSy4hzncK0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev61f8wclag
- The interior court of the ensemble (100 x 104 m.s2) is surrounded by 6 m. high, 3 m. thick white-washed walls with a tower at each corner. Sucevița had been a princely residence as well as a fortified monastery, and was a centre for the production of manuscripts, and then for printing. I climbed a hill behind the monastery to get a view of the compound from above.
- There's a museum today in what was once the council chamber, which displays tapestries, the tomb covers of Ieremia and Simion Movilă, illuminated manuscripts, etc. (I would've toured it, unless it wasn't open in 2000, I don't recall).
- I met western tourists rarely in my travels in Romania, even here at these world-famous, albeit remote, monasteries. I was here in April and May, not high season. But I recall an American couple that I met here at this church, the result of one of those May-Dec. 31st romances. twitter.com/beberexha/status/1454569430243938309 She was a lovely, gracious young blonde, quietly confident in how beautiful she was, but very religious. Her husband, a portly, much older man, was a preacher, Pentecostal or Baptist I think, who wore a very concerned or disapproving expression throughout the duration of my fairly brief discussion with his young wife (who wasn't being flirtatious in any way). He must have worn that expression often.
- From Sucevița I hitched or walked less than 10 clicks further up the 17A to the 2E and then north to the historic Putna (Poot-nah) monastery. Soon after I arrived and while touring @, I met and befriended a young monk (Putna's a home for monks, not nuns) whose English was quite good, and who showed me @ some. At one point, after supper, he and I and his friend, another monk with a long black beard in a black robe (all the monks are robed), briefly left the enclosed monastic complex just after dark to walk into the town of Putna to see the famous, ancient wooden church of Dragoș Vodă, aka 'Dragoș the Founder', said to be the oldest church in Moldavia (1346). Built by its namesake, the founder of Moldovia, it was relocated to Putna by Ștefan cel Mare out of harm's way in 1468, as the Turks were on the rampage at that time. www.flickr.com/photos/tudorseulean/2763165162 Again, it was late and I don't recall if it was open. The 2nd monk, my friend's friend, was stooping some as we were walking and was looking @ and back over his shoulder a fair bit. He said he hadn't seen that church before as he wasn't supposed to leave the compound where he'd been living as an initiate for at least a few years, and was a bit concerned that he might get caught. ! (But he and his friend were laughing too.) That moment was the first time he'd left the compound in @ 3 years! (See what a trippy trip I was having in Romania?)
- I slept at the monastery that night (again, as a 'pilgrim'), and the next morning before I left, my new, very kind and generous friend gave me a little bottle of Myrrh from Jerusalem to take with me, and which I still have and value today.
- "Putna Monastery lacks the external murals of the painted monasteries, but as the first of the great religious monuments of southern Bukovina and the burial place of Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen III, 'the Great'), it's rich in historical associations and is as important to Romanian patriots as to the Orthodox faithful. Following his conquest of the Kilia citadel, Stephen chose the site of the monastery by firing an arrow from the steep hill which now bears a white cross. Construction of the church began on July 10, 1466; it was completed w/in 3 yr.s, consecrated w/in 4 on Sept. 3, 1470, burnt down and rebuilt in 1484, 1536, [destroyed in 1653 by the Cossack army of Timuş Hmelniţchi, son-in-law of Prince Vasile Lupu, rebuilt again /b/ 1653 and 1662 by Vasile Lupu and co. {wikipedia}] and in 1691, ravaged by war 3 x in the 17th cent., repaired in the 18th, damaged by an earthquake and restored again in 1902 and from 1955 to 1988. The Treasury tower is the only bldg. surviving intact from Stephen's time. "The first superior was Archimandrite Ioasaf from Neamt, the first important monastic centre in Moldavia, who arrived accompanied by calligraphers, the first teachers of the new monastic school which followed the example of that in Neamţ", but which soon became one of the most significant cultural centres in the country. There's a bust of Romania's national poet Eminescu inside the entrance [which I don't recall]. He gave a speech here in Aug. 1871, "on the occasion of the monastery's quadricentennial.: "Let us make Putna the Jerusalem of the Romanian people, and let us also make Stephen's grave the altar of our national conscience." (RG)
- The church "is plain and strong, its facade defined by cable mouldings, [intricately carved stone tracery], blind arcades and trefoil windows." (RG) It "houses the tombs of Stephen the Great [which I'm sure I saw but don't recall] and of several of his family members, and is today a place of pilgrimage. The icon veils and tombstones are held as fine examples of Moldavian art in Stephen's time." (wikipedia)
- "Outside the church stand 3 bells, the largest of which, cast in 1484, was only used to herald events such as royal deaths, and was last rung in 1918, when it was heard as far away as Suceava [37 km.s away?]. Hidden from the communists for almost 50 yr.s, it only reappeared after the revolution of 1989." (RG)
- www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGjrXB2-mII
- The monastery has a museum which I would've toured but don't recall, which displays "one of the world's most impt. collections of 'Byzantine embroidery'" (RG), many icons, illuminated manuscripts, etc.
- This region's a great one for anyone who loves horses.: www.youtube.com/watch?v=px7YTLtuwI4
- From Putna monastery I walked or hitched up to the 2E and then hitched @ 40 clicks SE to the city of Suceava.
Wall paintings.
Stakna Monastery.
Stakna Gompa of Ladakh is situated on the right bank of the Indus River, at a distance of approximately 25 km from the town of Leh. The name, 'Stakna' literally means 'tiger's nose'. The monastery was so named because it was built on a hill, which is shaped just like a tiger's nose.
Stakna Monastery of Leh Ladakh owes its inception to Chosje Jamyang Palkar, the great scholar saint of Bhutan. It formed a part of the many religious estates offered by the Dharmaraja Jamyang Namgial to the saint, around 1580 AD.
The central image inside the monastery is that of the sacred Arya Avalokitesvara from Kamrup (Assam). Stakna belongs to the Dugpa order and serves as the residence of approximately 30 monks. The successive reincarnations of the Stakna Tulku continue to serve as the incumbents of the monastery, preserving the teachings of the Dugpa order. Stakna Gompa also has a number of monasteries attached to it, namely Mud and Kharu and those of Stakrimo, Bardan and Sani in Zanskar.
On entering the central courtyard, one comes across the Dukhang (main assembly hall). The head lama got seven feet high, silver gilted chorten erected inside the Dukhang, in the 1950s. The chorten comprises of a statue of the Buddha as well as numerous Buddhist texts. The left wall of the Dukhang is adorned with three new paintings, those of the Tsephakmad (a Buddhist deity), Sakyamni (the Historical Buddha) and Amchi (the Medical Buddha).
The wall opposite to the Dukhang entrance is also painted with three images, those of a Bodhisattva, Padma Sambhava (8th century Indian Buddhist scholar and translator of Buddhist texts into Tibetan) and Tshong-san-gompo (an early king of Tibet). To the right of the hall are the statues of Sakyamuni (Past Buddha), the Present Buddha and Maitreya (Future Buddha). And, the throne of the head lama of Stakna lies on the left side of the Dukhang
Alaverdi St. George Cathedral (first half of the 11th century) is located 18 km from the town of Telavi in the Alazani-River valley. Earliest structures of Alaverdi Monastery date back to 6th century. The present day Cathedral is part of an 11th century Georgian Orthodox monastery. The Monastery was founded by the monk Joseph [Abba] Alaverdeli, who came from Antioch and settled in Alaverdi, then a small village and the former pagan religious centre dedicated to Moon. At the beginning of 11th century, Kakhetian King Kvirike the Great built a cathedral in the place of a small church of St. George.
Alaverdi is the highest cathedral in Georgia (up to 50 meters). It dominates the surrounding landscape in a fertile river valley against the backdrop of the Caucasus Mountains.
Po Lin Monastery is a Buddhist monastery, located on Ngong Ping Plateau, on Lantau Island, in Ngong Ping, Hong Kong.
The Ngong Ping 360, consisting of the Ngong Ping village and a gondola lift running between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping, was built near to the Po Lin Monastery.The monastery has boasting many prominent architectural structures, such as the Main Shrine Hall of Buddha, the Hall of Bodhisattva Skanda.
The monastery was founded in 1906 by three Zen masters of Jin Shan Monastery of Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province in China who had travelled south to Lantau Island to spread the Buddhist doctrine. The monastery was originally simply a stone thatched house without a name (Sometimes referred to as "The Big Hut") but as more and more monks gathered there a large hut was built to accommodate them. At the invitation of the three Zen masters, Monk Jixiu of Jin Shan Monastery became the first abbot in 1924 changed the name of the hut to “Po Lin Monastery”, Po Lin meaning “Precious Lotus”.
One of the monastery's former abbots was the eminent monk Venerable Fat Hot (1893-1972), who was appointed in 1930 and expanded the monastery greatly. In December 1941, when Hong Kong was under Japanese occupation and the monastery was desperately short of food, Venerable Fat Hot travelled to Guangzhou to publicise Buddhism and beg for alms and during this time founded the Hong Kong Buddhist Association and established a charitable school and Buddhist hospital. He resigned as abbot in 1952 but resumed the post again one year later. Venerable Fat Hot died in 1972 and is buried in the mountain at the back of the monastery. Since then, the monastery has further and been a major draw for tourists and locals since its main hall opened in 1972.
Construction of the Tian Tan Buddha statue, which was completed in 1993 and the opening of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car system and Ngong Ping Village in 2006 have made it one of Hong Kong's busiest attractions and a further major expansion, due for completion in 2014, has been under way since 2007. The monastery is currently home to about 100 monks and nuns.
The main temple houses three bronze statues of the Buddha – representing his past, present and future lives – as well as many Buddhist scriptures.
The area consists of the Po Lin Monastery main temple, Po Lin Monastery interiorTian Tan Buddha, a giant Buddha statue completed in 1993, is an extension of the monastery.
This monastery is also famous for making wooden bracelets that are only sold near the Tian Tan Buddha statue.
Canon EOS 5D, 24-70L
2013
_MG_2538
A landmark church and working monastery for the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The building is widely acknowledged as a classic of mission style architecture.
The Benedictine Sisters came to Tucson in 1935 and moved into the Spanish-Renaissance-style Benedictine Sisters Monastery, which was designed by architect Roy Place, who also designed the old Pima County Courthouse, Tucson's veterans hospital, and some notable campus buildings of the University of Arizona.
Maulbronn Monastery was founded in 1147. The church, built in a style transitional from Romanesque to Gothic, was consecrated in 1178. Most other buildings followed within the 13th century. The complex is believed to be one of the the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastery complex north of the Alpes (some claim "in Europe"). Since 1993 Maulbronn is part of the Unesco World Heritage.
After the consecration, the construction of the abbey continued. Around 1200 the narthex was added and the cloister was started. Some buildings are done in a really remarkable architectural, early gothic style. The person, who built that must have had experiences from Northern France and Burgundy. With all the cistercian connections, it was probably easy to find a medieval "top architect". His name is not known. The name given to him by art historians is "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" (Master of Maulbronn Paradise).
He created not only the narthex ("Paradies"), but as well parts of the cloister and the refectorium. After completing his job in Maulbronn he turned northeast. His typical works can be found as well in Halberstadt and in Magdeburg, but here is, where he started his career in Germany..
Within the cloister, it is visible, where "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" planned and built, as there (near the church) is a very early gothic style. Walking from there the style of the arches changes to high gothic.
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Just a connecting alley between the cloister and the "Infirmatorium", where the sick members of the convent were kept and cared for. This may have been used as well as a chapel and parlatory. The Gothic style reticulated vaulting is just incredible. It looks like a geometrical function.
Maulbronn Monastery was founded in 1147. The church, built in a style transitional from Romanesque to Gothic, was consecrated in 1178. Most other buildings followed within the 13th century. The complex is believed to be one of the the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monastery complex north of the Alpes (some claim "in Europe"). Since 1993 Maulbronn is part of the Unesco World Heritage.
After the consecration, the construction of the abbey continued. Around 1200 the narthex was added and the cloister was started. Some buildings are done in a really remarkable architectural, early gothic style. The person, who built that must have had experiences from Northern France and Burgundy. With all the cistercian connections, it was probably easy to find a medieval "top architect". His name is not known. The name given to him by art historians is "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" (Master of Maulbronn Paradise).
He created not only the narthex ("Paradies"), but as well parts of the cloister and the refectorium. After completing his job in Maulbronn he turned northeast. His typical works can be found as well in Halberstadt and in Magdeburg, but here is, where he started his career in Germany..
It is visible, where "Meister des Maulbronner Paradieses" planned and built the cloister, as there (near the church) is a very early gothic style. Walking around the cloister, the style of the arches changes to high gothic.
There is no Cistercian cloister without a fountain. The fountain is inside a gothic fountain house, that was built within the 14th century. The fountain is probably the most photographed piece of art in Maulbrunn.
Re-established in 1630, the historic Monastery, belonging to the Drukpa Lineage houses some of the most invaluable cultural as well as religious artefacts including images, scriptures, etc. The entry ticket for the monastery-cum-museum was priced at Rs 50.
Sept 2012
Humor Monastery located in Mănăstirea Humorului, about 5 km north of the town of Gura Humorului, Romania. It is a monastery for nuns dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary, or Theotokos. It was constructed in 1530 by Voievod Petru Rareş and his chancellor Teodor Bubuiog. The monastery was built over the foundation of a previous monastery that dated from around 1415. The Humor monastery was closed in 1786 and was not reopened until 1990.
The church has been inscribed by UNESCO on its list of World Heritage Sites, as one of the Painted churches of Moldavia.
The Govora Monastery is an active monastery of the Romanian Orthodox Church , which was of primary importance for the existence of Slavic writing in the Danubian Principalities in the pre- Enlightenment era.
The Chrysobull of September 27, 1485, is the oldest surviving written text attesting to the monastery's existence. This means it was built during the reign of Vlad Dracula . However, there is archaeological evidence that an older building from the time of Mircea the Old may have existed here .
The name of the monastery is not disputed even among Romanian linguists, and it means what is understood in Russian.
In 1637, Matei Basarab established the second printing press in the history of Wallachia in the monastery (after the one brought from Montenegro to Targovishte in the early 16th century ), which was brought from Kiev (a gift from Peter Mogila ). In 1640, the monks Miletiy Macedonian and Stefan Ohridski printed the " Rules of Dialogue " in the monastery printing house, which are actually the Kormchaya Kniga ( The Kormchaya Book ).
Current painting dates from the restoration of the church by abbot Paisie, late 17th or early 18th century.
source: ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B0
This is the largest monastery at Sanchi. There are many other smaller monasteries in this place. All the others are worse than this though. This is the most well preserved one. Pretty good view the monks must have woken up to every day.
Rizong Monastery (Ladakh).
Ladakh at a height of 9,800 feet surrounded by the Himalayas and Karakoram Range houses incredible monasteries in its folds. On your tour to Ladakh you can spot monks in maroon robes silently plodding their ways to the monasteries. Rizong Monastery is situated at a distance of about 73 kilometers from the Leh town. Founded by the great Lama, Tsultim Nima in the year 1831, the Rizong Monastery belongs to the Gelukpa order. Monasteries, which are the centers of worship for the monks, are also great seats of learning. Where 40 monks reside, Rizong Monastery educates monks who have chosen the path to God as their goal on life. Strict rules are adhered to and monks follow a daily course of life following the Buddhist principles and learning the scriptures and texts. A number of shrines are located within the premises of the Rizdong Monastery and a rich collection of scriptures, texts and biographies of great Lamas like Tsultim Nima are preserved here. Books composed by first Sras Rinpoche are also kept here.
Lhatse - Sakya - Shigatse - Tibetan Plateau - Tibet Autonomous Region - China
Narthang Monastery - Sakya Monastery
Narthang Monastery is a monastery located 15 km west of Shigatse in Tibet. Founded in 1153 by one of the disciples of Atisha, Nathang was the fourth great monastery of Tsang with Shalu Monastery, Sakya and Tashilhunpo. Narthang was first famous for its scriptual teaching and monastic discipline. After the fourteenth century it gained great eminence as the oldest of Tibet's three great printing centres (the other being the Potala and the Derge).
The Fifth Panchen Lama took control of the monastery and it continued printing the Buddhist scriptures the Kangyur and the Tengyur up until 1959. Narrthang's five main buildings and large chanting hall were razed to the ground by the Chinese in 1966. They had contained priceless 14th century murals possibly painted by the artist scholars of nearby Shalu Monastery. Today only the mud-brick foundations can be discerned although parts of the Mongolian styled high-fortress walls are still standing.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narthang_Monastery
Shigatse, officially known as Xigazê, is a prefecture-level city of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, It is located within the historical Tsang province of Tibet.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigatse
With jeep on the road.
The Tibetan Plateau, also known in China as the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau or the Qingzang Plateau or Himalayan Plateau, is a vast elevated plateau in Central Asia or East Asia, covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province in western China, as well as part of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir state of India. It stretches approximately 1,000 kilometres north to south and 2,500 kilometres east to west. With an average elevation exceeding 4,500 metres , the Tibetan Plateau is sometimes called "the Roof of the World" and is the world's highest and largest plateau, with an area of 2,500,000 square kilometres (about five times the size of Metropolitan France). Sometimes termed the "Third Pole", the Tibetan Plateau is the headwaters of the drainage basins of most of the streams in surrounding regions. Its tens of thousands of glaciers and other geographical and ecological features serve as a "water tower" storing water and maintaining flow. The impact of global warming on the Tibetan Plateau is of intense scientific interest.
San Simon Monastery is a Greek-Orthodox complex built in the 19th century in Jeruslaem. By mediavel tradition it is the burial site of “Saing Simon”, A jewish elder who met and blessed Jesus when he was an infant (Luke 2).
Today the monastery is maintained by a single monk (Theodoritus) and is opened only for Christian pilgrims.
Built in 14th Century, Chorten Kora is one of the most revered monastery in Bhutan dedicated to Bhutan patron saint Guru Rinpoche and is famous for the great circumbation ceremony held every year.
(By Dawa Choden)
A large religious compound right in the center of the city.
It sits on a hill on the oldest area of the city. The building started in the XVII century and is still considered unfinished.
it is the second largest Benedictine monastery after the larger brother of Mafra in Porugal.
Today the compound (which includes the church of St. Nicolò: www.flickr.com/photos/controtono/14413688301/ ) is used by the Foreign Language department of the University of Catania.
The University undertook a gigantic restoration work after the damages made by the WWII bombardments.
another shot here:
Cozia Monastery - Romania
Cozia Monastery, erected close to Călimănești by Mircea cel Bătrân in 1388 and housing his tomb, is one of the most valuable monuments of national medieval art and architecture in Romania.
Cozia features a museum of exhibiting old art: old manuscripts and prints, embroideries and objects of worship.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cozia_Monastery
Interesting te read:
www.romanianmonasteries.org/other-monasteries/cozia-monas...
The Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland, is a famous Polish shrine to the Virgin Mary and one of the country's places of pilgrimage for many the monastery is a spiritual capital. The image of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, also known as Our Lady of Częstochowa, to which miraculous powers are attributed, is one of Jasna Góra's most precious treasures.
Jasna Góra Monastery was founded in 1382 by Pauline monks who came from Hungary at the invitation of Władysław, Duke of Opole. The monastery has been a pilgrimage destination for hundreds of years, and it contains an important icon of the Virgin Mary. The icon, depicting the Mother of God with the Christ Child, is known as the Black Madonna of Częstochowa or Our Lady of Częstochowa, which is widely venerated and credited with many miracles.[3] Among these, it is credited with miraculously saving the Jasna Góra monastery during a siege that took place at the time of The Deluge, a 17th-century Swedish invasion. The event stimulated the Polish resistance. The Poles could not immediately change the course of the war, but, after an alliance with the Crimean Khanate, they repulsed the Swedes. Shortly thereafter, in the cathedral of Lviv, on April 1, 1656, Jan Kazimierz, the King of Poland, solemnly pronounced his vow to consecrate the country to the protection of the Mother of God and proclaimed Her the Patron and Queen of the lands in his kingdom.
Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have both prayed in this Chapel.
Paul VI wanted to use his visit at Jasna Góra to offer to the custodians of the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa the gold rose, the highest distinction to be granted by the pope. His absence prevented this and the golden rose was donated only by John Paul II during his first pilgrimage to Poland. The other rose for Our Lady of Częstochowa was offered by Benedict XVI in 2006
The 6th World Youth Day was hosted in Poland in the city of Czestochowa. The theme for WYD1991 was taken from St. Paul's letter to Romans: "You received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out 'Abba, Father!'" (Rom 8, 15).
Pope Francis will pray here on
on 28 July during WYD
© Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk