The day when Communist Poland was consecrated to Mary

During his first apostolic journey to Poland, when the country was still under Communist rule, Pope John Paul II delivered a homily at the Mass consecrating Poland to the Virgin Mary on June 4, 1979, in which he elaborated on the importance and role of Mary in Polish history. The following is an excerpt:

"TThe Virgin of Jasna Gora (1) has revealed her maternal solicitude for every soul; for every family; for every human being living in this land, working here, fighting and falling on the battlefield, condemned to extermination, fighting against himself, winning or losing; for every human being who must leave the soil of his motherland as an emigrant; for every human being.

The Poles are accustomed to link with this place, this shrine, the many happenings of their lives: the various joyful or sad moments, especially the solemn, decisive moments, the occasions of responsibility, such as the choice of the direction for one's life, the choice of one's vocation, the birth of one's children, the final school examinations, and so many other occasions. They are accustomed to come with their problems to Jasna Gora to speak of them with their heavenly Mother, who not only has her image here, one of the best known and most venerated pictures of her in the world, but is specially present here. She is present in the mystery of Christ and of the Church, as the Council teaches. She is present for each and every one of those who come on pilgrimage to her, even if only in spirit and heart when unable to do so physically.

The Poles are accustomed to do this.

It is a custom also with related peoples, with neighboring nations. More and more people are coming here from all over Europe and outside Europe."

Then follows the Act of consecration of Poland, which includes this invocation:

"Spouse of the Holy Spirit and Seat of Wisdom, it is to your intercession that we owe the magnificent vision and the programme of renewal of the Church in our age that found expression in the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. Grant that we may make this vision and programme the object of our activity, our service, our teaching, our pastoral care, our apostolate—in the same truth, simplicity and fortitude with which the Holy Spirit has made them known through our humble service. Grant that the whole Church may be reborn by drawing from this new fount of the knowledge of her nature and mission, and not from other foreign or poisoned "cisterns" (cf. Jer 8:14)."

<p*>Homily of His Holiness John Paul II and Act of Consecration to the Mother of God. Apostolic Journey to Poland, at Częstochowa - Jasna Góra, 4 June 1979

<p*>(1) Jasna Gora is a polish shrine located in Częstochowa, Poland