First Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
Prince Ladislaus of Opole was assigned jurisdiction over Red Ruthenia in the fourteenth century. Tradition tells us that while visiting these lands, he found an ancient miraculous Icon of Our Lady in a private chapel of the Belz castle. Unfortunately, during one Tartar siege of the castle, the Icon was damaged by an arrow. Once the siege was over, Ladislaus decided to transfer the Icon to Silesia, a region on the western boundaries of the Polish lands, to safeguard the Icon further.
Urged by inspiration, the Prince invited the Pauline Fathers from Hungary to come to Częstochowa in 1382. He built a temporary wooden shrine on the hilltop, known since then as Jasna Góra (Bright Mountain), and entrusted Our Lady’s picture to care for the white-robed monks.
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For your presence in the miraculous picture at Jasna Góra for 600 years,
— We beseech You, O Lady of Jasna Gora, Our Mother.
We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For the numerous graces and miracles flowing to us through your hands throughout the ages,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For your wondrous guidance of our Nation,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For your faithful care overall polish emigrants on all continents of the world,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
O Lady of Jasna Góra, Glorious Daughter of our Heavenly Father,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Glorious Mother of the Son of God,
— We love you and venerate you.
O gracious Help of our Nation,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
O great Mother of God, Beloved by every Pole in your Jasna Góra image,
— Be our help and protection.
O Mother with the child in your arms, you whose Icon adorns every Polish home,
— Be our help and protection.
Mother of Częstochowa venerated in numerous roadside shrines,
— Be our help and protection.
Beloved Mother of Jasna Góra, whose gracious countenance is our light in sorrow and tribulation,
— Be our help and protection.
Mother of our Nation, whose Icon is a sign of unity and National consciousness for Polish Emigrants all over the world,
— Be our help and protection.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Second Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
In 1430, a band of Hussite Marauders Ransacked the Jasna Góra Treasury and fled with many valuable Votums of Thanksgiving, carrying away with them also the Icon of Our Lady. According to tradition, the frightened horses refused to go further when the band neared the Church of Saint Barbara. In a blind rage, one of the band threw the Icon out of the Wagon and slashed it with his sword. Then all fled. Sometime later, the Pauline Fathers found the damaged Icon and washed it in a spring that miraculously appeared in the area of the church. To this day, that same spring still flows, and the faithful consider its waters miraculous.
Informed about the damage to the Icon, King Ladislaus Jagiełło personally arranged to have it restored. He imported expert artists who executed the restoration with admirable skill. Nevertheless, traces of the sword cuts are still visible on the Virgin’s face as a constant reminder of the desecration.
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
O Mary, with the wounded countenance, for your presence with us in days of our great national tragedies and sufferings,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For the numerous graces and miracles flowing to us through your hands throughout the ages,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For preserving your Icon in the hearts of generations journeying through polish lands,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For inspiring love toward yourself in the hearts of Poles, a love that dispels sadness and despair,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
O Mother of Częstochowa, in your picture, damaged by swords cuts,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mary, our Mediatrix of graces in the numerous shrines and churches built in your honour throughout the world,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
We beseech you, O Mother of Jasna Góra: When evil people threaten us,
— Be our help and protection.
When doubt and temptations of disbelief overwhelm us,
— Be our help and protection.
When we suffer the loss of material possessions,
— Be our help and protection.
When we feel saddened and lonely after the loss of our dear ones,
— Be our help and protection.
When we look with fear at the numerous dangers threatening Polish Youth in the world,
— Be our help and protection.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Third-Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
In 1621 during the reign of Zygmunt III, Karl Chodkiewicz became the general of the Polish armed forces fighting against the Turks. General Chodkiewicz was a chivalrous soldier with great love and veneration for the Virgin of Częstochowa, who sought her for help. He knew that by restraining the westward march of the Turks, Poland would be defending Catholic Europe against the flood of Islam. He could be confident, then, that Mary would aid this noble venture.
General Chodkiewicz began to question the possibility of further defence when on October 10th, after a month’s siege, the Polish camp was left with only one barrel of ammunition. Inspired by a renewed confidence in Mary, he decided to continue the battle. He ordered the polish soldiers to intensify their prayers. On that very day, October 10th, the Turks were dealt such a severe blow that they pleaded for terms of peace. It was later learned that at that same time, Fr. Oborski, a Jesuit, had had a vision during prayer. He saw Stanislaus Kostka begging Mary for the grace of victory for the Poles, and his prayer was heard. Then General Chodkiewicz and King Ladislaus IV gave votive offerings in thanksgiving for the end of the warfare at the Częstochowa shrine.
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For Help in Danger,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For defence against threats to our faith,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For your inspirations, which bring us grace and joy,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For your constant protection and love for us,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
Mediatrix of the graces that God has bestowed on us,
— We love you and venerate you.
O mighty Warrior of the Living God,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Victorious Queen, triumphant over all the enemies of your Son,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mother, you help us to overcome evil and every weakness,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
O Mary, our refuge and hope of all who have lost their faith in God,
— Be our help and protection.
Mother of Mercy, you do not refuse your protection even to those who oppose your Son and His Church,
— Be our help and protection.
O Mother of our holy faith, you defend our commitment to Christ in today’s climate of secularism and materialism,
— Be our help and protection.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Fourth Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
In 1655, the Swedish army overran Poland and occupied the lands without much opposition. The Polish aristocracy and leaders had betrayed King John Casimir and sided with Karl Gustav, King of the Swedes. The invaders laid siege to Częstochowa but soon encountered unexpected opposition. The Pauline Prior, Fr. Augustine Kordecki, believed in the possibility of victory. Sienkiewicz gave a beautiful literary expression to the prior’s faith when he portrays Kordecki as saying, “even if all virtues are now dead in the spirit of our nation, something has remained: love and veneration for the Blessed Virgin have not died, and on this foundation, all can be rebuilt.” He reasoned, and rightly so, that if a single enemy bullet attacked Jasna Góra, the entire Nation would turn against the Swedes. And his hope was not in vain. The fort on Jasna Góra defended itself heroically for five weeks, battling at times with superhuman difficulties. In the meantime, all of Poland began mobilising against the invaders.
On December 24th, the Swedish General Muller, who was leading the siege, was given orders to withdraw his forces from the monastery. And within a few months, the Poles could free their country from Enemy occupation. To this day, there is no doubt that the country owes its regained freedom to the Blessed Virgin. She inspired the White-robed leader to confront the far Superior enemy troops. Humanly speaking, it was folly to think of defending a single fort when the Swedish army had already occupied most of Poland. “But with God, nothing is impossible.”
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For Częstochowa, the spiritual bastion and strength of the polish Nation,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For your love flowing from Jasna Góra, which is like a guiding star to Poles all over the world,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For helping us to overcome our sins,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
O Handmaid of God, you gave Earthly birth to the Son of the Eternal Father,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Co-operator with Jesus Christ in the salvation of the world,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Helper of the Holy Spirit in the sanctification of succeeding generations,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mother, calling on your children everywhere to participate in the salvation of humanity,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
O Victorious Lady of Jasna Góra, you united all Poles in defence of your honour,
— Be our help and protection.
O Lady of Jasna Góra, you are the most tender Mother to each of us,|
— Be our help and protection.
O Beloved Queen, you are a constant sign of unity and victory to all the children of the Polish Nation,
— Be our help and protection.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Fifth Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
On April 1st, 1656, King John Casimir placed his crown before the image of Our Lady in the Cathedral of L’viv. He vowed in these memorable words: O Great Mother of the God-Man, I John Casimir, King by the mercy of your Son the King of Kings, and by your own mercy, choose you as my Patroness and as the Queen of my lands.”
As the Legal and official ruler of the Polish Republic, the King placed the lot of the Nation in the hands of the Mother of God for all times as the hereditary Queen. By permission of Bishop Vidoni, the Papal Legate present at the public vow, the invocation of “Queen of Poland” was added to the Litany of Loretto. John Casimir was aware that Mary saved the country from the Swedish invasion and that only She would be able to protect the Nation from further attacks. He realised that the people could refuse him obedience, as they had already done before. However, in defence of Mary, for her honour, they will respond even unto death. So, let her rule and reign, and he will be her humble servant and an instrument in her hands.
The Queen of Poland did not betray the trust placed in her. Her reigning hand can be discerned in almost every century, in nearly every significant historical event of the Nation.
In the present era, we also witness the evident influence of Our Lady of Częstochowa in the Nation’s history. In 1956, 300 years after Casimir’s vows, Poland was undergoing a time of growing tension between the Communist Government and the Church. As a result, Cardinal Primate Wyszynski was under house arrest for three years, and many others were in prison. Then from Jasna Góra came an inspiration: Mary will hasten with help as she did 300 years ago.
On August 26th, at the feast of Our Lady of Częstochowa, a crowd of one million faithful besieged Jasna Góra. This time it was a siege of prayer, sacrifice, and repentance. The people renewed John Casimir’s vows. The Nation promised fidelity to its Mother and Queen and begged for freedom for the Cardinal Primate and the Church in Poland. The Heavenly Mother kept her children waiting for only two months. On the last Saturday of October, Cardinal Wyszynski was allowed to return to Warsaw and resume his duties. He thanked the people for their prayers, saying: “I prayed in prison that if I should be freed that it should happen through the Mother of God and as a sign of this victory that it may happen on her day and in her month. And thus, it happened.”
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For being the Queen of our Nation,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For the grace of our permanent covenant with you as Queen of Poland,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For overcoming attacks on the unity of our Catholic faith in Poland,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For strengthening the faith of Polonia throughout the world,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
O great Mother of Jesus the God-Man, for your gracious reign over us,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Virgin Helper, given to us as a refuge for our Nation,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Guardian of the Christian conscience, helping us to a constant renewal of our life,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
Mother and Queen, in the dangers threatening our Christian Nation,
— Be our help and protection.
In our Constant concern for preserving the Polish Catholic heritage,
— Be our help and protection.
In our efforts to keep faithful to God, to the Cross, and the Gospel,
— Be our help and protection.
In our personal, family and civic life,
— Be our help and protection.
In danger of succumbing to evil habits,
— Be our help and protection.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Sixth Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
In 1683, the Turkish Army reached Vienna, destroying, burning, and murdering all along the way. Christian Europe was threatened once again. Pope Blessed Innocent XI sent his envoy to King John Sobieski of Poland with the petition, “Son, save Christianity and Western Culture.” At the same time, German messengers came with pleas for help from their rulers. Sobieski did not waver. The Pope’s Summons to defend the church of Christ was a sacred Command. He addressed his troops with the following burning words: “God has given me the power that I may see the pagan hordes dispersed by the knights of Christ. Therefore, do not fear in your hearts. Are we not already known in the world as ‘the Bulwark of Christianity’? Have we not sworn to defend our holy faith to the last drop of Blood?”
Sobieski led his army without delay toward Vienna. On the way, he stoppers at Częstochowa to spend a day in prayer. He served at Mass and received Holy Communion, humbly begging the Blessed Virgin for victory. He did the same in Silesia. Several hours before the battle, he armed his men with the battle cry: “in Mary’s name, may God be our Help!”
At two in the afternoon, the Polish Hussars began their attack, singing the Ancient Polish hymn, “Mother of God” (Bogurodzica). The Chronicles record: “before nightfall, Mary, directing the swords of her servants, crushed the proud horns of the Turks, of whom 25,000 fell that day, with only 1,000 Poles lying dead on the battlefield.” King John sent this message to the Holy Father: “I came, I saw, God conquered.” Sobieski gave thanks for the victory and laid costly votive offerings throughout the Jasna Góra Monastery.
Currently, the Polish Nation is also eager to help the Church of Christ. When the Millennium – the 1000th anniversary of Poland’s Baptism – was approaching, the Polish episcopacy called the Nation to offer itself in slavery to its Mother Mary on behalf of the Universal Church. As in Sobieski’s time, so also today Mary wants to use the people of Poland to help her Son, living in the Church.
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For being our unfailing help down the ages,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For strengthening us in our struggle with evil,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For helping all Polish children in the world to preserve their fidelity to the Church,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For helping us both in the past and in the present to be the bulwark of Christianity,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
Helper of Christ in the mission of salvation,
— We love you and venerate you.
O best Mother of all humankind,
— We love you and venerate you.
Mother of the Church, Helper of the Holy Father,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
Mother of Christ, you call on us to cooperate with you in the salvation of others,
— Be our help and protection.
Mother of the Human Family, you teach us to aid one another,
— Be our help and protection.
Mother of Mercy, you want us to forgive others’ injuries inflicted on us,
— Be our help and protection.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Seventh Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
In 1717, the Icon of the Queen of Poland at Jasna Góra was adorned with golden crowns sent by Pope Clement XI. The feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, September 8th, was chosen as the day of the coronation. About 150,000 people participated in the ceremony, including clergy, city officials, nobles and commoners alike.
One of the Many graces recorded on that day was the healing of a student from Wielun. Valentine Rabenda was forced to interrupt his studies because of a severe illness affecting his vocal cords. As a result, he could not speak a word for four years. While praying for a cure that day in Częstochowa, he suddenly cried out, “O Blessed Virgin!” From that moment, his speech returned to normalcy.
The Act of Coronation of the Queen of Poland held great significance for preserving the unity of the Nation, especially several decades later when three occupying powers dismembered the country. Poles would often force their way through border checkpoints and boundary barricades to reach Częstochowa and draw strength for further fidelity from Mary’s gracious countenance. She was fully the Queen of a Nation that, according to human designs, was to be wiped out of existence.
The occupying countries were aware of the creative power that flowed from Jasna Góra. During the January Uprising, Russian officials recognised Our Lady of Częstochowa as the “Main revolutionary”. Russian soldiers, according to Chronicle entries, “battled with Hymns, fired at prayers,” confiscated pictures and medals of Our Lady of Jasna Góra. This persecution, coupled with imprisonment and exile to Siberia, merely helped to spread veneration and love for the Queen of Poland and strengthened National Consciousness. In the Prussian sector, all planned efforts at suppressing national awareness bore no fruit. The Germans, mainly Protestant, did not recognise Our Lady’s cult; Poles, on the other hand, were all fervent devotees of Mary. Devotion to Mary as Queen of Poland served to unite both religious and national elements and lay the foundation for building unity in the freed country in the future.
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For your motherly reign over us,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For your care and help in the difficult years of bondage and occupancy by foreign powers,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Forever being the one who unites Poles despite distances, boundaries, and political divisions,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For your presence with us both in periods of prosperity and in times of suffering,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
O Queen persecuted by our enemy occupants,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mother of sorrows, standing faithfully beneath the Cross of our Nation,
— We love you and venerate you.
O tenderest Mother of all those who are persecuted and held in bondage,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Help of Christians, you who were especially close to our Nation when the powers of the world abandoned it,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
When we fall into misfortune because of our sins, grant that we may never lose our inner Bond with you, O Queen of Poland at Jasna Góra,
— Be our help and protection.
When our evil habits and weakness obstruct our path to interior freedom in the Lord,
— Be our help and protection.
When we are attacked by temptations of materialism, anger and hatred,
— Be our help and protection.
Queen of all Poles dispersed throughout the world,
— Be our help and protection.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Eighth Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
After Poland was liberated following the First World War, veneration for Our Lady of Częstochowa grew more intense and social. Official pilgrimages representing all areas of Polish life began to stream to Częstochowa.
Women came to thank for the gift of freedom and presented Our Lady with a Sceptre and Orb – insignia of her royal reign. In 1936, 20,000 students from higher educational institutions vowed their faithful service to God and Country in Mary’s hands. Two years later, 100,000 young people in folk costumes representing all dioceses came to the throne of the Queen of Poland. Other groups from Various professions and trades came in Numberless crowds. The thanksgiving votive offerings lining the chapel walls tell many a pilgrim’s story. After the Second World War, the Church in Poland again sought help at Mary’s feet at Jasna Góra. On September 8th, 1946, the Cardinal Primate August Hlond, together with all bishops of Poland, in the presence of a million people, entrusted the country to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Mother of God and the Queen of Poland.
In 1956 on the 300th anniversary of the vows of King John Casimir, 1.5 Million people represented the Nation at Jasna Góra. They renewed vows of fidelity to their Queen and her Divine Son.
In 1966, the Millennium observance was admired worldwide and United Poles on all continents. That year on May 3rd, the feast of Our Lady, Queen of Poland, the Nation surrendered itself to the maternal slavery of Mary for the intention of the Universal Church. Pope Paul VI said, “This is the most sublime act of piety. You could not have done anything more.”
Jasna Góra is, at present, the spiritual capital of the Nation. The Polish Episcopate gathers here two or three times a year. In addition, pilgrimages come here from all over the country representing various professions: physicians, nurses, teachers, students, as well as various trades and various states of life.
Annually on August 15th, countless crowds of pilgrims come on foot to Częstochowa, some travelling as far as 300 kilometres, as is the case with the pilgrimage from Warsaw. In 1976, there were 18,000 pilgrims from Warsaw; 80% of these were young people, including some 4,000 high school students.
On holy days one can see the long lines waiting before the numerous confessionals. Annually about a million people receive Holy Communion at the shrine.
These Facts indicate that the Jasna Góra Shrine is a centre of spiritual renewal, an everlasting source of graces. In the present, as in the past, the more we turn to our Heavenly Mother and Queen, the greater graces we receive through her.
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For Constantly drawing us to yourself and directing our lives,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For uniting us with your Son at your Shrine on Jasna Góra,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For being a model to Polish women down the centuries, teaching them maternal wisdom, dignity and goodness,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For being a sign to the young generations of an infallible way to Christ,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For keeping the gates of your Jasna Góra Shrine open to everyone,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Repentance.
For sins of disbelief and indifference toward your Son,
— We ask your Pardon, O mother of Jasna Góra.
For those who abandoned their faith in your Son and who wage a terrible battle against God and the Church of Christ,
— We ask your Pardon, O mother of Jasna Góra.
For those who reject you, O Mother, blaspheming against you and refusing you veneration and love,
— We ask your Pardon, O mother of Jasna Góra.
For Poland’s infidelity to its vows to you down through the ages and into the present time,
— We ask your Pardon, O mother of Jasna Góra.
For not living by our holy faith and dignity as children of the Polish Nation, for our sins against life, for drunkenness, egoism, flightiness, envy, national discord, and loose morals,
— We ask your Pardon, O mother of Jasna Góra.
For Each day that we have lived away from the Love and graces of your Son, for every neglect in our relationships with our brothers and sisters nearest to us,
— We ask your Pardon, O mother of Jasna Góra.
Prayer of Veneration and Love.
O Mother, waiting patiently for each of your children,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mother you aid us in our difficult earthly pilgrimage to our Heavenly Father,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mother of the Son of God, you surround our youth and children with maternal care,
— We love you and venerate you.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Ninth Day
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
Historical Introduction.
In 1957, the Cardinal primate Stefan Wyszynski took to Rome a faithful reproduction of the Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa intended as Mary’s travelling picture throughout Poland. Pope Pius XII blessed the Icon solemnly and gave his personal blessing for the projected visitation of Our Lady.
On August 26th of that year, the Lady of Częstochowa left Jasna Góra in her beautiful new Icon to visit every Polish church and look into every Pole’s heart. The Icon remained in some parishes for 24 hours while people gathered for Masses, hours of adoration, and private prayers. So many graces flowed from heaven during these visits.
One woman tells of her two brothers, who had become lax in their Christian duties and had ceased attending the sacraments. She wished to prepare them for the Icon’s visit to their parish but hesitated to speak of it, fearing their rejection. She prayed to the Blessed Mother to come to her aid. Together with some fellow workers at her place of occupation, she had planned to buy flowers for the parish visitation but could not find any suitable ones nearby. She then asked one of her brothers to purchase a bouquet in the town near his place of work. The brother’s interest was aroused, and he asked questions about the occasion. Several days later, during the Icon’s visit to the parish, the woman went to church for Mass. At Communion time, when she raised her eyes for the host, she saw both of her brothers waiting for their turn at the communion rail. She believed that it was the blessed Mother’s intercession that had brought about change.
In 1966, the Icon was placed under arrest. It was brought back to Jasna Góra with an order that it may not leave the shrine. But Mary continued her visitation: an empty frame and a burning Lamp symbolically represented the presence of the Queen of the Nation. Graces of conversion continued to flow; some 80 to 90% of the people received the sacraments. Such was the situation until June 18th, 1972. From that time on, the picture of Our Lady has travelled without hindrance throughout the land, attracting all by her gracious countenance and bringing her children to union with her Son. Mary untiringly visits all Polish villages and cities.
In the meantime, other reproductions of the Icon of Jasna Góra brought Mary and her graces to Poles in Australia, Africa, and America. Many parishes, Scout Troops, and Polish associations pay her tribute. Women’s organisations, such as the Polish Women’s Alliance and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Orchard Lake Schools, have chosen Our Lady of Częstochowa as their special Patroness. The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. has a beautiful Polish Chapel of Our Lady of Częstochowa, funded by Donations from Poles in the United States.
Special recognition must be given to the educational institutions at Orchard Lake, dedicated by their founder Fr. Joseph Dąbrowski of the Polish Seminary to Our Lady and Placed under her patronage. These institutions have consistently promoted devotion to Our Lady and possess the most extensive collection of Marian pictures outside of Poland. Finally, acknowledgement is due to the American Częstochowa Shrine in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where the cult of Our Lady was given a new impetus and vigour in the United States in recent decades.
Hymn to Our Lady.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
For your Pilgrimage through Poland in your Icon of visitation,
We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For all the graces of conversion,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For reconciled marriages,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For joy and harmony in families,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For numerous healings of illness and evil habits,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
For love and peace among people,
— We thank you, Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Prayer of Love and Veneration.
Our Mother and our Queen, you visited our Polish homes, churches, and parishes,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mother, you hasten after our children in the farthest corners of the earth, wherever Polish hearts are alive,
— We love you and venerate you.
O Mother, you are with us through your sacred Icon at Jasna Góra, and you aid us at every moment of our life in our sorrows, trials, and joys,
— We love you and venerate you.
Prayer of Petition.
Our Queen and Mother, we beseech you:
For fathers, that they may be faithful to their responsibilities,
— Obtain for them the graces of faith and the power of love.
For mothers, that they may willingly undertake the burdens of motherhood,
— Obtain for them the graces of faith and the power of love.
For children, that they may preserve their purity and simplicity of heart,
— Obtain for them the graces of faith and the power of love.
For youth, in their creative effort to build a better future,
— Obtain for them the graces of faith and the power of love.
For the lonely, the sick and the abandoned,
— Obtain for them the graces of faith and the power of love.
For the despairing that they may not succumb to the temptation of hopelessness, sadness, or flight from life,
— Obtain for them the graces of faith and the power of love.
Conclusion.
(One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by We Fly to Thy Patronage)
Prayer.
(From the Feats of Our Lady of Częstochowa, August 26th)
Almighty and merciful God, you have wondrously given constant protection to the Polish Nation in the Blessed Virgin Mary and adorned her sacred Icon at Jasna Góra with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Graciously grant that, having such aid in the Battles of our life, we may be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Hymn to Mary.
The Jasna Góra Bugle Call.
Prayer of Gratitude
Our Lady of Częstochowa, Victorious Queen of Poland!
We stand before you, O Mother. For six centuries, you have been gazing down from your miraculous picture of Jasna Góra into the depths of our hearts and spirits. You bend with love over our Polish land. You are the wondrous sign of God’s grace bestowed on our Nation, a precious gift from the heavenly Father. You have been given to us for our Nation’s defence, and you have remained in our midst faithful and victorious. Abiding in the mystery of Christ and his Church, you have obtained for us the power of God’s grace down through the ages.
For remaining with us in Częstochowa for the past six centuries,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For guiding us on a safe path to your Son,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For enriching the Church in Poland with your presence,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For having chosen our country as your kingdom,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For preserving the faith and Christian culture of our Nation,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For being our light and our help on the threshold of the Second Millennium,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For guarding us against the flood of indifference, unbelief, and atheism,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For being the Mother and educator of our young generations,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For becoming the ideal and model of the Polish woman,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For being our victorious strength in the battle for freedom,
We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For aiding us unceasingly in the years of trial and bondage
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For calling us to our responsibility for the Universal Church through the millennium Act of Offering,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For reconciling our marriages and families in a bond of love and fidelity,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For summoning us to a renewal of life through the Jasna Gora vows of the Nation,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For allowing us to become your servants and helpers,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For keeping vigil over us through your picture in our churches and homes,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For being our Love, our Sweetness, and our Hope,
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
For being our Gate of Heaven
— We thank you, O Lady of Jasna Góra.
LET US PRAY:
Accept our humble tribute of gratitude even though we know that our thanksgiving can in no way compare with the greatness of your mercies. The graces we have received through you inspire us with hope and a desire for further fidelity toward you. O Mother of God, you constantly urge us: “Do whatever he tells you.” Obedient to your inspirations, we stand ready in gratitude to serve you in your kingdom, O Mother of the Church. Amen.
Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa
O Almighty and merciful God! You gave the Polish Nation a wondrous help and defence in the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and you honoured Her Sacred Image at Jasna Gora with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Grant in your mercy that, under Her protection, we may struggle confidently throughout our lives and be victorious over our enemy at the moment of death. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lady of Jasna Gora, Our Mother, Queen of the Polish Nation! Trusting in Your maternal goodness and powerful intercession with Your Son, we place our humble prayers and petitions before You. To You, we commend all our needs, in particular:
(Mention a Personal Petition)
Our families, and all children of the Polish Nation, whether in their Native land or elsewhere in the world.
For your presence and intersession at the miraculous Shrine of Jasna Gora and the countless graces obtained for us in the past six centuries,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
For Your gracious reign Over our Nation, for Your Powerful help throughout our history, especially in the difficult periods of bondage and suffering,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
For the maternal care with which You ever surround us, leading us to Your Beloved Son, strengthening the faith in our hearts, drawing sinners to conversion, and comforting the sick, the sad and the faint-hearted,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
For our negligence in the faith and for the religious indifference through which we have strayed so often from God, unmindful of his presence and love,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
For our conduct which has not always been in accord with our holy faith nor with the dignity of a child of the Polish Nation – for sins against life, for drunkenness, selfishness, carelessness, envy, social discord, and lax morals,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
For being so preoccupied with ourselves that we did not see the needs of our brothers and sisters – the hungry, the homeless, the sick, and the lonely,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
O Mother, with the divine Infant in Your arms, through Your Sacred Image in Częstochowa, You remind us of the constant presence of your Son and Your motherly solicitude as a source of strength and courage in our daily trials, difficulties, and labours,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
O Queen, whose image bears the scars of enemy attacks, you are to us a sign of hope, unity and victory,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
O Virgin Helper, you aid us in overcoming all evil and weakness,
— We thank you, O Lady of Częstochowa, Our Mother.
When doubts and temptations against faith oppress us,
— Be our help and protection.
When we feel lonely, abandoned, and threatened,
— Be our help and protection.
When we are in danger of yielding to our evil habits and sins,
— Be our help and protection.
That you may strengthen us in faith and obtain for us the power to renew our lives in the spirit of God’s commandments and the Gospel of Christ,
— We beseech You, O Lady of Jasna Gora, our Mother.
That You may continue to reign in our lives – on the personal, family, social and national levels,
— We beseech You, O Lady of Jasna Gora, Our Mother.
That You may obtain for us from Your Son the special grace that we implore in this novena,
— We beseech You, O Lady of Jasna Gora, Our Mother.
One Decade of the Rosary or Three Hail Marys followed by the prayer:
It is to you, O Holy Mother of God, that we go for refuge and protection. Look kindly on us as we cry to you in our need. Glorious and blessed Virgin, be with us always and rescue us from every kind of danger. Amen.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
Moher of God, Immaculate Mary, * to You I consecrate my body and soul* all my prayers, works, * joys and sufferings, * all * that I am and possess. * with eager heart * I dedicate myself to You * in the slavery of love. * I give You complete freedom * in making use of me * for the salvation of men and the assistance of the Holy Church * of which You are the Mother. * From now on * I wish to do everything * with You, through You, and for You. * I know that by my own strength * I shall accomplish nothing. * You, however, can do everything * that is the will of Your Son, * and You are always victorious. * Grant then, * Help of Christians, * that my family, * Parish, *and my country * may truly be the Kingdom of Your Son and Yours. Amen.
Conclude the novena with the traditional response to the Call of Our Lady of Czestochowa:
O MARY, QUEEN OF POLAND – I AM WITH YOU, I REMEMBER – I KEEP VIGIL.