The Sanctuary of the blessed virgin Mary in Leśniów – a Family Patron is a part of
monastery group belonging to Paulin fathers,
located in Leśniów, in the outskirts of Żarki. The establishment of the
sanctuary is connected with a legend.According to the legend, a river-head sprang when Duke Wladyslaw Opolski stopped over in Leśniów in 1382 carrying to Częstochowa an icon of Black Madonna. Thirsty hikers were searching for water – without success. Therefore, Duke Wladyslaw ordered to say a mass in front of the portrait of blessed virgin Mary, and the river-head sprang in the clearing.A thankful chapel was built in that place. Inside, you can find a figure of Virgin Mary with a Child, given as a present. From that moment, people looking for medicine for body and soul illnesses started to visit the place. Leśniów became a place of pilgrimage and indulgence. It remained such till today.The oldest part of the
monastery, the church from 1610, has a Gothic – Renaissance character. In 1762, a porch was added, in 1791 a nave lengthened, in 1798 a tower built. In the northern part of the shrine one can find a monastery from the late baroque, construction of which started in 1755, without any perspicuous style features. It consists of four wings with a square patio in the middle. It is linked with a gallery on the level of the first floor.A thorough modernization of the monastery was carried out from 1963 to 1967. The last refit was done in 1988 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the monastery.In the years 1984–1986 15 rosary chapels were erected in the forest park.In 1994 a belfry was built. During the celebration of The Great Jubilee for 2000th anniversary of Christianity a field altar was added, together with a chapel by the stream river-head and 14 The Way of The Cross stations along the monastery wall. The greatest treasure of Leśniów is a Gothic figure of “smiling virgin Mary,” crowned with the Pope’s crowns, thought to be one of the most beautiful figures in Poland and also in Europe. In 1967 the Primate of Poland, cardinal Stefan Wyszyński, a Cracowian Metropolitan Karol Wojtyla and a Czestochowa ordinary, bishop Stefan Bareła crowned the miraculous figure as a Family Patron.A miraculous figure of the virgin Mary, stemming from the 14th century, is situated in the main late baroque altar form the first half of the 18th century, processed in 1856 and renewed in 1956.Originally, there used to be a wooden church in Leśniów in the past. In 1325, a vicar Mikolaj dwelled here.On the turn of the 16th and 17th century, an owner of Żarki and Leśniów, Jan Koryciński from Pilica, founded a new brick shrine and carried a miraculous figure there. A succeeding owner of Leśniów, Józef from Kurozwęki Męciński, brought the priests called Paulin fathers. They served here till 1864, that is till the year of abolishment of monasteries, attempted by tsar Alexander II. The Paulin fathers returned in 1936 and a year later a probation of Paulin fathers was established in Leśniów. Nowadays, the sanctuary is an important place on the route of virgin Mary pilgrimages.