1979 – 1990: from Saint John Paul II’s consecration of Poland to Mary to the end of Communism

In the year of the Millennium of Poland’s baptism, on May 3, 1966, the Primate of Poland pronounced the act of total servitude to the Mother of God for the freedom of the Church in Poland and throughout the world. This event took place in Jasna Gora, a shrine located in Częstochowa (Poland), on the feast of Mary, Queen of Poland.

During his first trip to Poland in 1979, Pope John Paul II declared: "Here at Jasna Gora, in my earthly homeland, Poland, and I wish first of all to confirm the acts of consecration and of trust that at various times— in many and various ways were pronounced by the Cardinal Primate and the Polish Episcopate. In a very special way I wish to confirm and renew the act of consecration pronounced at Jasna Gora on 3 May 1966, on the occasion of the Millennium of Poland. With this act the Polish Bishops wished, by giving themselves to you, Mother of God, "in your maternal slavery of love," to serve the great cause of the freedom of the Church not only in their own homeland but in the whole world." (Saint John Paul II, homily at Jasna Gora on June 4, 1979).

The Pope's second trip to his homeland took place in 1983, in a very tense political and social context, since Communist Poland was under martial law. There the Pope presented the Shrine of Jasna Gora as the "Polish Cana of Galilee" and cried out: "Mother! Speak to your Son! Speak to your Son about the difficult times we are experiencing today!" (Saint John Paul II, Homily at Jasna Gora, June 19, 1983). Then the Pope commented on the vocation of Jasna Gora. He repeated this historic prayer, familiar to all Poles: "Mary, Queen of Poland, I stand before you, I do not forget you, I keep watch."

The Marie de Nazareth team