The Millennium Anniversary of the Baptism of Poland (I)

In the mid-fifties, life in Poland was very difficult to say the least. The communist government had set up severe repression against the Catholic faith, the seminaries were empty, and Cardinal Wyszynski, a hero of the faith, was in prison. It was in this lugubrious prison, at the bottom of a hole, that the Cardinal had a decisive inspiration: despite all the setbacks, Poland needed to actively prepare the great millennium anniversary of its baptism, by a "novena" or nine-year long prayer to the Blessed Virgin. By the cardinal's request the image Our Lady of Czestochowa was sent out like a Pilgrim Virgin, to all the parishes and families in Poland, so as to revive the faith of the People of God. The Pilgrim Virgin of Poland worked wonders and 9 years later, the entire country gathered together on May 3, 1966 during the feast of Mary, Mother of Jasna Gora and Queen, while the Primate of Poland pronounced an act of total surrender to the Mother of God, during the celebration of the Millennium. John Paul II reminded his countrymen of this great occasion on his first visit to Poland as pope: "I would like to confirm and renew in a very special way the act of consecration pronounced at Jasna Gora on May 3, 1966, at the time of the Polish Millennium. By this act the Polish bishops gave themselves up to you, Mother of God, to your ‘maternal abandon of love' and wanted to serve the great cause of freedom of the Church."(John Paul II, homily at Jasna Gora on June 4, 1979) In 1966, the Polish government understood that the Polish faith was invincible. And the seminaries were full once again...