The Shrine of Our Mary Immaculate and St. Maximilian Kolbe is located about 40km west of Warsaw. It is one of the newest in Poland but also one of the most popular. This is mainly because of the cult following of St. Maximilian, who was canonised in 1982.

Niepokalanow, the city of Our Mary Immaculate was founded in 1927 by St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe. The land was donated by Duke Drucki-Lubecki. Father Maximilian moved the seat of the Knights of the Immaculate – a lay association involved in the apostolate under the banner of Mary. Construction of the sanctuary, designed by the Krakow architect Zygmunt Gawlik, began in 1939 but was interrupted by the outbreak of war.

That Niepokalanow became an important focus for pilgrimages was thanks to an event that occurred during the war – Maximilian Kolbe was arrested by the Nazis and died in Auschwitz, giving his life for the life of another prisoner. His heroism caused the cult of St. Maximilian to become widespread after the war. Today pilgrimages not only come to the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary but also to see the monastic cell of St. Maximilian. About half a million pilgrims come here each year.

Niepokalanow Shrine – Teresin (woj. Mazowieckie)

www.niepokalanow.pl