The indulgence sum at 12.00, attended by over 3,000 pilgrims, was the focal point of the celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Licheń sanctuary. The Eucharist was presided over by Fr. Janusz Kumala, MIC, curator of the sanctuary.
August 15 is a special date for the Lichen sanctuary, because exactly on this day, 170 years ago, the Mother of God appeared to the shepherd Mikołaj Sikatka, and 53 years ago, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński crowned the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Licheń with a papal crown. Today we also remember the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw in 1920, during which the Polish army stopped the Bolshevik march on Europe.
The homily of Fr. Janusz Kumala, MIC, began by saying that "God wants to be with us for all eternity, so today - on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the Church looks up to heaven, so that every person can rediscover their calling to heaven, that he is already a citizen of the motherland. blue. "
- “When we look at Mary today, apart from the joy of her Assumption, there is also a reflection on our way to heaven. From her we learn how to achieve eternity. Today's Gospel helps us to do this. We see Mary running, impelled by love, across the mountains to the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah. And we find the key to our daily path, that it may lead us to heaven: it is the path of love for our neighbor. "
The custodian of the Lichen sanctuary also drew attention to the fact that in our lives - following the example of Mary - we should open our hearts to Jesus who comes to us every day. - “He is to be a treasure for us, he has to be the most important, he has to be the meaning of our life. And with Him we are to go to other people, so that we may be kind to others, that we find a good word, give a hand, listen, spend time, health and sometimes life. First of all, that we may proclaim the Good News about Jesus. "
The custodian priest reminded us that her apparitions are a sign of Mary's presence among people. And today we remember the apparitions in the Grąblin forest. - “Mary came to remind us of the way to heaven, so that we would not be absorbed into the matters of this earth, because heaven is our goal. And the path we are walking is the path of conversion and penance. "
Speaking about the apparitions of Our Lady in Grąblin, Fr. Kumala said that Mary had a white eagle on her breasts - a sign of our Motherland. It means that we are all in her heart, that we are all important to her. - “The presence of Our Lady of Lichen, calling for a change of life, is still lived. We would not be here today if we did not need to renew our relationship with God and with people. That is why we entrust ourselves to her who listens and who leads us to Jesus. "
Marianin also emphasized the 100th anniversary of the Miracle on the Vistula, falling today: - “Our fathers stopped the Bolshevik onslaught so that it would not flood all of Europe. We were saved from programmed atheization, from an ideology that was supposed to rip God out of our hearts. We say about this battle that it was the Miracle and the Vistula, the genius of the commanders, the heroism of the fighters, but also the miraculous intervention of the Mother of God. "
Fr. Kumala continued: “This battle for our Homeland continues. And it can be said that it will never stop - for our Homeland in heaven and on earth. Faithful to the Earthly Fatherland, we journey to the Heavenly Fatherland. This struggle continues, so that God is present in our hearts, that no one would snatch Him from there, that we would not be absorbed by the affairs of this earth, that we would not succumb to godless ideologies. This is the daily struggle for the effort of daily conversion and forgiveness. "
The homily also quoted the words of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, who said that in the image of Our Lady of Licheń there is a program for the future for our homeland. - “This program is Mary's bond with the Polish nation and our bond with Mary. If we are faithful to the path of Our Lady, we will surely be victorious. And when we fall, the power of the merciful Jesus will lift us up. It is important that we come to the confessional to cleanse ourselves and to be lifted from our sins and weaknesses. "
At the end of the indulgence sum, the priests, liturgical assistance and the faithful went in a Eucharistic procession along the alleys of the Lichen sanctuary. The liturgy ended with the solemn Te Deum singing.
In connection with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw at At 11.00 in the nave of the Licheń basilica, the rosary was prayed for the intention of the Fatherland. In turn, at 4 p.m. the faithful prayed during the Holy Mass. celebrated in front of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Lichen for the fallen and murdered in the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1920.
Licheńska's celebration was completed by two accents: at 14:30 Fr. Janusz Kumala, MIC, laid flowers at the obelisk commemorating the events of one hundred years ago, and at At 3:30 p.m. all the lichen bells rang for those who gave their lives in this unique war, the outcome of which influenced the fate not only of Poland, but also of the entire Western world.
Today's celebrations were graced by the choir of the Licheń Basilica Stabat Mater and the Sanctuary Wind Quintet.
Tomorrow at the sanctuary. Day of prayers for childless couples, and at 16.00 Holy Mass at the site of the apparitions in Grąblin.
Lichen Stary, August 15, 2020
Robert Adamczyk
Press Office of the Sanctuary
