“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” – the official hymn of XXXI World Youth Day Krakow 2016 was released and is available to watch on YouTube. Check it out below!
Additonally, view our flyers about Tekton Minstries’ Catholic pilgrimages departing from Indianapolis, IN and Rapid City, SD.
The World Youth Day Local Organizing Committee is hard at work planning the many important and interesting events which make up the WYD festivities.
Archdiocese of Indianapolis Youth Ministry World Youth Day 2016 Krakow flyer.
Additionally, the WYD committee in Kraków has provided the following information for pilgrimage stops.
PILGRIM & TOURIST SPOTS
Kraków is a wonderful pilgrim city with a walkable Old Town and Major Shrines within the City.
While you are there, be sure to visit these points of interest:
Main Market Square (Rynek Glowny) It’s the center of Kraków’s community life, bustling with activity and festivals. Within this main market square you will see: St. Adalbert, St. Mary’s Basilica, Cloth Hall, and the Town Hall tower.
St. Mary’s Basilica The current basilica, with stunning Gothic architecture, is from the 14th century, though a church stood on the site more than 100 years even before that. The top left tower has a crown, representing royalty and Mary as the Queen of Heaven and of Poland.
Listen for the Hejnal, a bugle song, which is played from the tower every hour. It commemorates the watchman who long ago sounded this song to alert Krakow during a Tartar invasion. His alarm was broken midway as an enemy arrow pierced his throat. Every hour it is played by firemen who man the tower in 24 hr shifts, and it always ends abruptly mid tune, in remembrance of the watchman who gave his life.
St. Adalbert This is the oldest church in Kraków, dating from the 10th century. It may look crooked to the square, but it is not. It is built facing east as all churches traditionally were. In that time the priest led the faithful in Mass, all facing east toward the rising sun and Jerusalem, looking toward the Second Coming of the Son and our final judgement day.
In this estimation, it is the square that is crooked, not the church.
Cloth Hall This is a great market for traditional Polish wares, and a prime place for souvenirs, tourists, and pickpockets alike. It has been a permanent structure since the 14th century, as a place for merchants. This structure, however, is from the 16th century, built after a fire leveled the previous one. The “S” in the entry gable is for King Sigismund the Old, who built this “new” structure in the Italian Renaissance style. You can see marks of his renovations throughout the nation in the same style. (There are WC’s (bathrooms) at either end! Important note for travelers)
Town Hall Tower This is all that remains of the 14th century town hall after the fire that also leveled the first Cloth Hall.
Off the Market Square be sure to find:
Wawel Hill A symbol of Polish royalty and independence, it is the most visited site in the nation. A castle has stood here since the beginning of Polish history, and was the seat of the kings for over 500 years. The Wawel Cathedral was the site of most of the royal coronations and funerals for the last 1000yrs. It houses the tombs of nearly all of Poland’s most important rulers and historical figures, including the tomb of the 1st Polish Saint, St. Stanislaus (directly beneath the altar).
The Cathedral is very ecclectic with centuries of additions, unique to the style of the times. There is 12th century Romanesque, 14th c. Gothic, 16th c. Renaissance, 17th c. Baroque, and 18th/19th c. Neo Classical. One can still see bits of the original Romanesque structure made of white limestone.
Much of this area is free to enter, including: the main level of the Cathedral, the inner courtyard of the Castle, and the field of ruins from earlier structures. There are also several areas and museums for which there is an entrance fee, such as: the crypt and the JPII Cathedral Museum, the Sigismund tower, and the castle interior and exhibits.
“Have No Fear” St. John Paul II Shrine The church and center were officially consecrated June 2013, and there are great plans for its continued expansion. It is currently an important place to encounter “the person of John Paul II, his thoughts, his spirit, and his sanctity,” says Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz.
The lower church houses relics of JPII, while his body is entombed at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The bronze door of the church depicts Blessed John Paul II accompanied by many saints and blessed consecrated by him.
Diocese of Rapid City World Youth Day 2016 Krakow flyer.
Divine Mercy Shrine at Lagiewniki Built upon the convent where St. Faustina received the messages and image of the Divine Mercy. The 19th century convent of the sisters of Our Lady of Mercy has now become a part of the vast sanctuary. Pope John Paul II consecrated the new basilica in 2002. The original image of the Divine Mercy and St. Faustina’s relics are now housed at the altar of the new basilica.
There are frequent Masses held daily in both the convent church and new basilica. Along with the chaplet of Divine Mercy which is prayed daily at 3pm in both locations.
Interested in going on a Catholic Pilgrimage, producing Catholic Media, or managing your Non-Profit? Contact us today and get started! Before you do, check out our brochures and flyers for our WYD ’16 Catholic pilgrimages departing from Indianapolis, IN and Rapid City, SD.
TEKTON MINISTRIES
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E-mail: [email protected]
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