The one approved Marian apparition in Poland holds striking similarities with Lourdes

In 1877, the faithful in Gietrzwałd, Poland, were facing difficult circumstances. In 1873 the Polish language had been banned in all the schools in the region. As a result of the Kulturkampf, “rebellious” Catholic priests and religious congregations,with the exception of those actively involved in social work, were removed from Warmia.

Thus was the social context on June 27, 1877, when 13-year-old Justyna Szafryńska was on her way back home from the church in Gietrzwałd. She was making preparations to receive her First Communion and had just passed an exam administered by the parish priest, Fr. Augustyn Weichsel. As she prayed the Angelus, she saw a strange light and a figure dressed in white on the maple tree near the presbytery; the figure was seated on a gold, pearl-studded throne.

A moment later the girl saw the glowing figure of an angel; with golden wings, clad in white, the angel descended from heaven. When the young Justyna prayed the Hail Mary, the figure rose from the throne and ascended into heaven together with the angel.

The apparitions would continue for almost three months, concluding on September 16.

Justyna recounted everything to the parish priest, who told her to revisit the place on the following day. Again, as the Angelus bells were heard, the maple tree was brightly illuminated. A golden circle appeared around it with a throne of gold; two angels escorted the Blessed Mother to the throne.

When Our Lady was seated, two other angels brought Baby Jesus in a heavenly glow and placed Him on the left knee of Our Lady; the Child was holding the orb in his left hand. Still other angels were raising a crown above Mary’s head. Yet another angel brought a gold scepter and held it in his right hand above the crown. One more angel hovered above the entire scene, pointing to a cross.

On June 30, Our Lady appeared on Her own, unaccompanied by angels. Justyna, though, had with her 12-year-old Barbara Samulowska. During the apparition Justyna asked: “What do you want, Holy Mary?” The reply she received was, “I want you to pray the Rosary daily.” Our Lady spoke in the local dialect similar to the Polish language.

On July 1, Justyna asked: “Who are You?” and heard in reply: “I am the Blessed Virgin Mary of Immaculate Conception.”

Bear in mind that the apparitions in Gietrzwałd took place a mere 20 years after those of Lourdes, where the Mother of God told Bernadette Soubirous “I am the Immaculate Conception,” and barely 23 years after Pope Pius IX announced the dogma of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception.

During July, Szafryńska and Samulowska were daily visited by Our Lady during the evening Rosary service.

 [...]The three-day celebrations of the September 8 feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary attracted as many as 50,000 faithful to Gietrzwałd. That day, Our Lady blessed a spring. Pilgrims have for years drawn water from it and healings have been reported.

Due to the increasingly difficult position of the Polish population in the Prussian state, the apparitions were seen as a powerful sign, a symbol of the defense of both Catholics and the Polish community. While the apparitions contributed to the revival of a Polish national spirit, in the religious sense they had a universal appeal.

Each year Gietrzwałd attracted a great number of pilgrims and successive local parish priests extended the shrine.

On September 1, 1977, centennial celebrations took place, presided over by the future John Paul II, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, then metropolitan archbishop of Krakow. On that day Bishop Józef Drzazga of Warmia solemnly recognized the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Gietrzwałd. He issued a decree validating the credibility of the apparitions and proclaiming them as in compliance with Christian faith and morality.

Source (adapted and translated from): Aleteia, published on 10/18/17