Narodowe Sanktuarium Matki Bożej Częstochowskiej (Amerykańska Częstochowa)

About the Company

The National Sanctuary of Our Lady of Częstochowa, known as Amerykańska Częstochowa, is a Polish Catholic sanctuary located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. It is the motherhouse of the Order of Paulines in the USA and a pilgrimage site for Polonia and believers of various nationalities. The sanctuary has a replica of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Jasna Góra and an urn containing the heart of Ignacy Jan Paderewski, the third Prime Minister of Poland.

History

The sanctuary was founded in 1953 by Father Michał M. Zembrzuski OSPPE, a Pauline, who purchased land near Doylestown to build a chapel dedicated to the Black Madonna of Jasna Góra. On September 28, 1953, the diocesan authorities granted permission, and on November 6, 1953, the Holy See issued an erecting decree for the monastery. On June 26, 1955, the first Mass was celebrated in a converted farmer's barn, which serves religious purposes to this day.

In 1966, on the occasion of the millennium of Poland's baptism, a new church was consecrated on Beacon Hill. The ceremony was presided over by Archbishop John Krol (later Cardinal), and Bishop Władysław Rubin gave the sermon. The event was attended by President Lyndon B. Johnson with his family and numerous pilgrims. In the same year, the cemetery was opened, where artist Adam Styka is buried among others.

In 1976, a bas-relief and an urn containing soil from the Lwów Cemetery of Orląt were unveiled. The complex was funded by contributions from Polonia, loans, and cemetery plot fees. The national cemetery has buried nearly 5000 people, including distinguished Poles: military personnel, Paulines, priests, statesmen, artists, and defenders of Polish culture.

Services and Activities

• Organization of pilgrimages and Masses in Polish and English.
• Pastoral service provided by the Fathers and Brothers Paulines.
• Cultivation of Polish traditions through stained glass depicting events from Poland's history and Christianity.
• Maintenance of the national cemetery with an avenue of distinguished individuals.
• Publication of the magazine "Głos Amerykańskiej Częstochowy".
• A site for numerous religious and patriotic ceremonies, including unveilings of monuments to Heroes of the Fight for Independence after 1944 and Solidarity.

Distinguishing Features

The sanctuary serves as a spiritual center for American Polonia, connecting believers with their Catholic Polish roots. It is a place of the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the replica of the Jasna Góra icon. As a province of the Order of Paulines in the USA, regular meetings of the Provincial Chapter are held here.