Częstochowa Black Madonna tours

Spiritual tour to the centre of polish faith

Famous Black Madonna of Częstochowa (also known as Our Lady of Jasna Góra after the name of the monastery site in which it has been kept for six centuries) is a revered icon of the Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa in the south central Poland. It’s a wooden, four-foot-high painting. The Virgin directs attention away from herself by gesturing with her right hand toward Jesus as the source of salvation. In turn, the child extends his right hand toward the viewer in blessing while holding a book of gospels in his left hand.

Legends about the Madonna:

The story of creating the Icon.
The icon of Jasna Góra was painted by Luke the Evangelist on a tabletop built by Jesus himself. The icon was discovered by St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine and collector of Christian relics in the Holy Land. The icon was then enshrined in the imperial city of Constantinople, according to the legend, where it remained for the next 500 years.

The story of the scars on the Black Madonna’s right cheek.

The Hussites stormed the Pauline monastery in 1430 (probably 50 years after the icon’s arrival to Poland, plundering the sanctuary and stealing the icon. After putting it in their cart, the Hussites tried to get away but their horses refused to move. They threw the portrait on the ground and one of the plunderers drew his sword upon the image and inflicted two deep strikes. When the robber tried to inflict a third strike, he fell to the ground in agony and pain and died. Another ending of the story says that when the robber struck the painting twice, the face of the Virgin Mary started to bleed. In a panic, the scared Hussites retreated and left the painting.

The story of why the Black Madonna of Częstochowa is so famous.

In 1655 Swedish troops were about to invade Częstochowa. A small group of Polish soldiers prayed fervently before the icon for deliverance. Suddenly, much bigger and stronger enemy retreated. Because of that miracle, in 1656, King John Casimir named the painting Our Lady of Częstochowa „Queen of Poland” and made the city the spiritual capital of the nation.

The personal devotion of Saint John Paul II.

The pope was a fervent devotee of the Virgin Mary and of her icon at Częstochowa. He prayed before the Madonna during his historic visit in 1979, several months after his election to the Chair of Peter as John Paul II. A lot of people believe that the Virgin Mary helped him to became the head of Christian church.

What more is worth seeing during Częstochowa Black Madonna tour.

Not only the icon of Black Madonna of Częstochowa is worth to see. Jasna Góra Monastery- home to the beloved miraculous icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa is also the national shrine of Poland and the centre of Polish Catholicism. The large baroque Monastery of Jasna Góra dominates a hilltop in Częstochowa and is always bustling with pilgrims and worshippers. The monastery’s treasury is a rich storehouse of votive offerings given to the Black Madonna over the centuries, from the 14th century to the present. Gifts range from swords and scepters to rosaries made of dried bread in concentration camps.
[READ ABOUT CONCENTRATION CAMPS]

Choosing our VisitBus Black Madonna tour is the best way to move from Kraków to Częstochowa. The distance is 140km/88miles and the driving takes not more than 2 hours. The tour will start from the agreed place in the centre of Kraków around 8:30 AM. Our English speaking driver will take care of your comfort. For your disposal we have:

Air conditioned car.
Child seat for children under 150 cm.
Bottle of water during travelling.
DVD with cartoons for children.
Payment accepted in PLN, USD, EUR or GBP.
All the taxes, insurance and the fuel costs are included.

The sightseeing of Jasna Góra Monastery takes around 4 hours. You have a possibility to ask for an English (and other languages) speaking guide- however, it’s not necessary. After an interesting day, the driver will take you back to any place in the centre of Kraków – like your hotel or restaurant.

Transfer route on Google Maps:

Kraków Airport