Tips 1 - 10 of 10 Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Local Customs
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Local Customs: Pope and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska
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Roman catholic pope John Paul II was born 14 km (8.7 mi) east of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska in a town called Wadowice. He came here many times with pilgrimages as a young boy with his father and later as a priest from Krakow. So, there are a lot of signs of his presence there.
As a pope he visited Kalwaria Zebrzydowska twice: in 1979 and in 2002. During his first visit on 7 of June 1979 he announced personally this local church to become basilica. There is a commemorating plate on this event on a facade right to stone portal.
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Local Customs: Three flags
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Look at the three flags waving on a balcony of facade of the basilica. There are:
- papal flag (yellow and white),
- Vatican flag (white and blue),
- Poland's flag (white and red).
They are hang in many places around either Kalwaria Zebrzydowska and Wadowice - birthplace of pope John Paul II. During pope's visits to Poland most houses were decorated with the three flags and portraits of the pope.
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Local Customs: They pray for a pope there
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Locals are proud of close connections of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska with Roman catholic pope John Paul II and they pray for him a lot, pilgrimes as well.
Look at my pic, it's written: "do not stop praying, I ask you to pray for me here" - words of a pope from his visit to Kalwaria in 1979.
In 2002 he said in Kalwaria:
When I first visited this shrine in 1979, I asked you to pray for me, while I am alive and after my death. Today I thank you and all the pilgrims of Kalwaria for these prayers, for the spiritual support I continually receive. I continue to ask you: do not stop praying - once again I repeat it - as long as I am alive and after my death. As always, I will repay your kindness by recommending all of you to the merciful Christ and to his Mother.
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Local Customs: Idea for my/your balcony?
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It maybe not at all local, Kalwaria custom but I rarely saw such beautiful flowers growing in flower-pots hanging on balconies like just there. To be more exact I found them at houses beneath the Paradise Square, at the north, at so called the Pilgrimage Square (Fair Square).
I liked them a lot and maybe I found an idea for my/your balcony :-).
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Local Customs: Satelite dish in flowers
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Haha, it looked a little strange: a satelite dish among flowers on a balcony of a house beneath the basilica. It seems that they didn't have cable TV there so they were forced to put satelite dishes to watch more TV channels. There are many of them on local houses.
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Local Customs: Frontyards
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I found great looking, although very small, frontyards in houses on the Pilgrimage Square (Fair Square), benesth the basilica and Paradise Square.
It's a pity that not all frontyards in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska look like this one on my picture. Hmm... people need more time and $$$ to put up such beautiful yards.
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Local Customs: Always flowers
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I noticed that there are fresh flowers in all places, I mean statues, commemorating plates dedicated to Polish heroes in Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. They were put by a statue of a pope John Paul II as well.
It seems that people (locals, visitors, authorities?) put a lot attention to their traditions in this area.
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Local Customs: Saint place
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Kalwaria Zebrzydowska is a saint place for many pilgrimes. They used to pray a lot in peace and quiet. Do not disturb them - it's socially unacceptable to talk inside churches and chapels of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. Keep silence there.
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Local Customs: John Paul II
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There are a lot of portraits of a pope John Paul II not exclusively at churches/chapels of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska but in private homes as well. People do respect him very much in this area.
No wonder, he was there many times as a kid and then a priest and bishop of Krakow and recently in 2002 as a pope.
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 Comments for matcrazy1 about Kalwaria Zebrzydowska | | | | |
Diana75 Sat Feb 24, 2007 23:09 UTC
Ignorant me! How did I miss Kalwaria until now? Always thought that Czestochowa is the most important pilgrimage site in Poland, but now I understand that there is much more. Thanks for this fantastic tour, Matt. | HORSCHECK Tue Feb 6, 2007 21:23 UTC
Matt, what a massive page with loads of interesting photos. I quite like the Polish red Poczta boxes. Perhaps I should take this place into account for a possible daytrip from Krakow if I ever go there again. *winkygrin* | Raimix Sat Jan 6, 2007 19:38 UTC
Nice page! Pitty I wasnt her when I was in Krakow, maybe another time. Do you know, Vilnius has Kalwaria as well, but a bit smaller ;) Raimis. | ZiOOlek Fri Oct 27, 2006 01:34 UTC
What about shops selling fernitures, Matt? When I last visited Kalwaria every second shop sold fernitures... :) Anyway, great overview... Made me want to visit the town again... :) |
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on Nov 21, 2003
