The Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland

The Most Holy Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland () (also translated as Our Lady, Queen of Poland or Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland, etc.) is a honorary title for Mary, mother of Jesus, used by Polish Catholics.

The Catholic Church in Poland is singled out by Marian devotions among other Christian denominations in Poland. The cult can be found in Poland and among Polish Americans at Polish parishes. The title is associated with history of Poles. Jan Długosz called Mary as Panią świata i naszą (Our and worldwide Lady). The oldest chronicle about the title for Mary as "Mary, Queen of Poland" is dated on second half of 16th century. This time Gregor of the Sambor (pl) called Mary as "Mary, the Queen of Poland and Poles). On 1 April 1956 in Lviv's Cathedral at the Picture of Our Lady of Gracious Lovely Lviv Star John II Casimir Vasa ofically was vowing:
. On 300th anniversary of the Lwów Oath, Polish Episcopacy on Stefan Wyszyński's initiative did again codifed in whole Mary's country and revitalised royal vows. On 26 August 1956 in Jasna Góra Monastery about one milion of Polish ancestors donated :pl:Jasnogórskie Śluby Narodu Polskiego.

On 3 May (The day when Constitution of 3 May 1791 is commonly celebrated in Poland), Polish Catholic Church holds a solemnity called the .

Virgin Mary is the first among the three main patron saints of Poland. She is also the main patroness for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Częstochowa, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Przemyśl and a former patroness of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lviv

History 
History of Marian devotions in Poland are related to Counter-Reformation
On 14 August 1608 Italian Giulio Mancinelli from Society of Jesus, got revelation of the Mary. Mary recommended to him that he called her "Queen of Poland: . On the second time in 8 May 8, 1610 Mary revelated for him again, by telling: . Message about this revelation caused developing Marian devotions in Poland. On 15 August 1617, Mary revelated to Giulio Mancinelli again. Grand Chancellor of Lithuania Albrycht Stanisław Radziwiłł and Andrew Bobola were spreading news about these revelations.
In 1635 Radziwiłł announced to world that according to one of members of the Society of Jesus, Mary desire be a Queen of Poland. 
After Naples and Kraków, Vilnius has been jesuit-european centre of spreading the dignity. Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn (1620) has been the first incranate effect of the revelations.
In 1640, Cistercians from Bledzew donated to Cisterians of the  an icon of the Mother of God with the emblem of Polish kings on her chest.
On 27 June 1651, John II Casimir Vasa got the Picture of Our Lady of Gracious Lovely Lviv Star from Pope Innocent X.
Jasna Góra Monastery, according to Catholic tradition, has been defended during Deluge thanks to Mary. The departure of the Swedes from Jasna Góra, of which King John II Casimir learned in Krosno, influenced the naming of the Mother of God the Queen of Poland.
On 1 April 1656 John II Casimir Vasa (among other bishops during papal legate's presence) submitted his vows before the icon of  and he celebrated Mary as "Mary, Queen of Poland". During refusing the litany of Loreto Pietro Vidoni phrasing three times:  (popular type of prayer in Poland) got popularised.
In 1651 Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki placed Polish emblem on wonderful image of Mary at Rokitno's Basilic
On 8 September 1717 took place the coronation with papal crowns of the picture of Our Lady of Częstochowa, as the first with papal rights outside Rome.
In 1764 Coronation Sejm in the act Forteca Częstochowska referred to Our Lady as "Virgin Mary, the Most Holy Queen of Polish Commonwealth".
25 November 1908, at the request of Józef Bilczewski, Pope Pius X issued a decree confirming the cult, allowing the feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of the Polish Crown and instituted the liturgical feast of the Queen of the Polish Crown for the Archdiocese of Lviv and the Przemyśl diocese, designating it as the first Sunday of May in memory of John II Casimir's vow's.
On 29 November 29, 1908, Pope Pius X leted for including to Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary permanent invocation "Królowo Korony Polskiej" for the Lviv and Przemyśl dioceses
In 1910 Pius X announced Mother of God Queen of the Polish Crown main patroness of Archdiocese of Lviv.
On 22 May 1910 second coronation with papal crowns – Pius X.
In 1914 Celebrations has been changed on 2 May.
14 January 1920 After receiving two appeals from Polish Episcopacy, Pope Benedict XV expanded the invocation of the Queen of the Polish Crown in the Loreto Litany for whole Poland.
27 July 1920 Polish Episcopacy due to Polish–Soviet War again picked Mary as "Queen of Poland"
On 12 October 1923, Sacred Congregation of Rites designated Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland on 3 May and included to Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary phrasing Queen of the Polish Crown (which after World War II has been changed for "Queen of Poland").
In 1925 Pope Pius XI expanded cult of Mary for all dioceses in Poland.
In 1926 the pilgrimage of Polish women, in thanks for the Battle of Warsaw, offered the Mother of God at Jasna Góra a scepter and an apple as a sign of royal dignity.
15 January 1930 was raised the holiday to the rank of first-class with an octave in the diocese of Lviv, Przemyśl. and Częstochowa, which also received its own mass form and office, and in other dioceses it was a second-class holiday.
On 16 May 1956 (during Andrew Bobola's feast day) cardinal Stefan Wyszyński interneed in Komańcza, wrote revitalisation of Lviv vows which were influential for reparating Poland.
26 August 1956 The Polish Episcopacy made the act of renewing the Lviv vows, which 300 years earlier was made by the Polish king Jan II Casimir.
In 1962, Pope John XXIII, announced Mary as "Patronness of Poland" and Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Poland became a first-class holiday in all Polish dioceses.
In 1962 Pope Paul VI (based on Stefan Wyszyński's askings) increased custom for ore competitive category celebration.
On 1 April 1, 2005, Pope John Paul II (one day before his death) offered and sacrificed new golden crowns for the image of Our Lady the Queen of Poland.

References

Further reading 
Z Maryją Królową Polski bądźmy świadkami miłości. Dziś i jutro, Ogólnopolskie Sympozjum Mariologiczno-Maryjne Jasna Góra, 23–24 April 2010, ed. Zachariasz S. Jabłoński, Jasna Góra-Częstochowa 2010.

 
Category:Patron saints of Poland