Now I know why John Paul II loved Catholicism, Poland, the arts, and the outdoors. It's because Krakow is alive with all of it.
Today, we arrived at the Krakow airport around 10:30am and then took a short bus ride into the city where JPII spent a majority of his life after childhood. Our first stop was the Wawel Hill, upon which rests the Wawel Cathedral and the Wawel Palace. Unbeknownst to us, today was a National Holiday as part of the Easter celebrations, and so many people were out on the streets and making their way to Mass. (It is refreshing to see a culture that still respects and values its Catholic roots.) This also meant that when we arrived to the Cathedral we had to wait an hour for the Mass to finish before being able to enter.
Today, we arrived at the Krakow airport around 10:30am and then took a short bus ride into the city where JPII spent a majority of his life after childhood. Our first stop was the Wawel Hill, upon which rests the Wawel Cathedral and the Wawel Palace. Unbeknownst to us, today was a National Holiday as part of the Easter celebrations, and so many people were out on the streets and making their way to Mass. (It is refreshing to see a culture that still respects and values its Catholic roots.) This also meant that when we arrived to the Cathedral we had to wait an hour for the Mass to finish before being able to enter.
All the former kings and queens of Poland are buried in the crypt of the Church, making it not only an important religious destination for Polish citizens, but also an important patriotic destination as well. Within the crypt are also buried four great men of the Polish arts who had a significant influence on the life of Karol Wojtilya growing up as a young man: Chopin, Mickiewicz, Slowacki, and Norwid. Upon entering the beautiful 900 year old cathedral, we found a first class relic of "Sanctus Johannes Paulus II" (a small amount of his blood) encased on one of the altars. It was in this cathedral, in one of the crypt chapels, that Karol Wojtyla celebrated his First Mass after his ordination.
After a short visit to the Wawel Cathedral we made our way back down the Wawel Hill into the heart of Krakow. Walking along cobblestone streets we made our way to St. Mary's Basilica only to found ourselves unable to enter...for a good reason...another Mass was being celebrated. This allowed us to take a break for lunch at the "American Embassy" as Fr. Mariano called it...McDonalds.
With appetites satisfied and hearts content we continued our journey through the city. Fr. Diego led us a rather humourous, yet cultural endeavor. We first visited St. Florian's Gate where the new kings and queens of Poland would enter the city and make there way to the Wawel Palace. Then we continued on to St. Florian's Parish, which was the first assignment of Wojtyla after his ordination. Our time was cut short, because a Mass was beginning as soon as we entered. It was a small, but rather beautiful church.
From St. Florian's we continued on to St. Mary's Basilica, which after Wawel Cathedral, is one of the most widely visited churches in Krakow. St. Mary's is home to Europe's largest wooden high altar. The basilica is also situated next to Europe's largest outdoor market, the Krakow Main Square. Our visit to the square allowed us to soak in a little Polish culture as we got to listen to some live music and visit the little food and artesian booths set up all along the square. (Too bad we didn't know about this place before McDonalds. You can imagine Polish sausage........in Poland! How much more authentic can you get?)
Some of you are probably wondering why I have not said anything about the Mass. Well, that is because all good things come to those who wait. Where we had Mass was definitely worth the wait, too! In the evening we had Mass in the private chapel of the Archbishop's Palace. Cool enough to the uninformed. But, it was in that very chapel where JPII was ordained a priest and where he would celebrate his daily Mass as Archbishop of Krakow. It was a small chapel, but fitting for the veneration of a saint. The chapel also housed one of the reliquaries of JPII's blood, like the one we saw in the Cathedral.
After Mass we had some time to offer our thanksgiving and venerate the relic. We then loaded the bus and made our way to the "Totus Tuus" retreat center, which will serve as our home for the next four days. We arrived after the sun had set, but I imagine the surrounding grounds to be majestic. We are away from the city, where hopefully we will be able to capture a little bit of the Wojytla love of the Polish outdoors.
Tomorrow we are heading to the birthplace of JP II, Wadowice and the great Marian Shrine Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Until then, keep praying for us! We are remembering your intentions all along our pilgrim way.
Wesołych Świąt! (Happy Easter!)
Br. Christopher Etheridge
IVE Seminarian
After a short visit to the Wawel Cathedral we made our way back down the Wawel Hill into the heart of Krakow. Walking along cobblestone streets we made our way to St. Mary's Basilica only to found ourselves unable to enter...for a good reason...another Mass was being celebrated. This allowed us to take a break for lunch at the "American Embassy" as Fr. Mariano called it...McDonalds.
With appetites satisfied and hearts content we continued our journey through the city. Fr. Diego led us a rather humourous, yet cultural endeavor. We first visited St. Florian's Gate where the new kings and queens of Poland would enter the city and make there way to the Wawel Palace. Then we continued on to St. Florian's Parish, which was the first assignment of Wojtyla after his ordination. Our time was cut short, because a Mass was beginning as soon as we entered. It was a small, but rather beautiful church.
From St. Florian's we continued on to St. Mary's Basilica, which after Wawel Cathedral, is one of the most widely visited churches in Krakow. St. Mary's is home to Europe's largest wooden high altar. The basilica is also situated next to Europe's largest outdoor market, the Krakow Main Square. Our visit to the square allowed us to soak in a little Polish culture as we got to listen to some live music and visit the little food and artesian booths set up all along the square. (Too bad we didn't know about this place before McDonalds. You can imagine Polish sausage........in Poland! How much more authentic can you get?)
Some of you are probably wondering why I have not said anything about the Mass. Well, that is because all good things come to those who wait. Where we had Mass was definitely worth the wait, too! In the evening we had Mass in the private chapel of the Archbishop's Palace. Cool enough to the uninformed. But, it was in that very chapel where JPII was ordained a priest and where he would celebrate his daily Mass as Archbishop of Krakow. It was a small chapel, but fitting for the veneration of a saint. The chapel also housed one of the reliquaries of JPII's blood, like the one we saw in the Cathedral.
After Mass we had some time to offer our thanksgiving and venerate the relic. We then loaded the bus and made our way to the "Totus Tuus" retreat center, which will serve as our home for the next four days. We arrived after the sun had set, but I imagine the surrounding grounds to be majestic. We are away from the city, where hopefully we will be able to capture a little bit of the Wojytla love of the Polish outdoors.
Tomorrow we are heading to the birthplace of JP II, Wadowice and the great Marian Shrine Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Until then, keep praying for us! We are remembering your intentions all along our pilgrim way.
Wesołych Świąt! (Happy Easter!)
Br. Christopher Etheridge
IVE Seminarian