Jasna Gora (Clear Hill) in the city of Czestochowa is a monastery team of the Pauline Order. Here is the painted picture of the Mother of God. This is the most important place of Marian cult in Poland and the center of pilgrimage of Catholics from all over Poland. Pilgrimages to Jasna Gora take place throughout the year but the most important day is the August Saint Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (joining the Heaven of Jesus’ Mother). On this holiday day, there are more faithful from the farthest corners of Poland. Walking pilgrimages become a disappearing tradition lasting many days, which are proof of enormous dedication, especially after a pilgrimage when you need to get this superhuman effort to get sick. Out of curiosity, I also went on a pilgrimage, however, more convenient because by car*.

The monastery has its long history and most Poles know the fact of defending the monastery against the Swedes invasion of King Charles X Gustaw (1655). This knowledge was influenced by the historical movie “Potop” (deluge) based on a book with the same title in which the defense scenes of the monastery were illustrated. Historically, the Catholic monastery was given to the Swedes, but the Swedes were not allowed for the walls of the monastery in fear of the practices of exploration to Scandinavia looted Polish treasures (being in Sweden to this day). The Swedes, considering this as an insult, decided to take the monastery by force but recalculated with well organized defense. The monastery was not a strategic element for the war, but for Poles it became a symbol of wishes.

The purpose of all pilgrimages that come to Jasna Gora is to see the image of the Mother of God (there is a duplicate in the chapel) and joint participation in the Holy Mass led by the higher clergy Catholic Church. A huge number of people from all over the country and abroad and joint prayer. During the Catholic Mass there is a fragment called a Deeds supplemented with a commentary of the clergyman leading the mass. I listened to this sermon for a reason. I have always thought that the catholic religion is the most tolerant of all religions, I was wrong.

What I heard at Jasna Gora was hate speech and a signal of condemnation towards other denominations and religious beliefs. I was surprised by the reaction of the faithful who reacted to claims to slander. It was something terribly stupid. Beautiful spiritual light was turned into a rally of easy to manipulate fanatics. If I had repeated the same words on the street as a priest from Jasna Gora, I would be brought to court and punished. When the priest says, nobody even nods his finger. This is the legal system in Poland, the higher the social status, the less criminal liability, focused on the weakest victims of the defense system.

I am not sure if people who participate in such drives actually share the opinions of the Catholic bone or just pretend because this is the tradition of Catholic community in Poland. I looked at the prayer people gathered in the square. Some had boredom in their eyes, traditionally spending another holiday and a free day, other fanaticism of blind loyalty. Half of these people did every other half because they were afraid to think differently than similarly. And this is what Polish society looks like, is a very accurate term. (Brux) */2021

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