Rising from the flat agricultural plains of Greater Poland, the golden dome of Europe's seventh-largest church catches the sun like a beacon calling the faithful home. The Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń dominates the landscape with its 141.5-meter tower—taller than St. Peter's in Rome—and draws some 1.5 million pilgrims annually to this village of just a few hundred permanent residents.
The story begins not with grand ecclesiastical plans but with a wounded soldier's desperate prayer. In 1813, Tomasz Kłossowski lay dying on the battlefield near Leipzig, having fought under Napoleon's banner. He begged the Virgin Mary not to let him perish in foreign soil. According to his testimony, she appeared to him wearing a golden crown and dark red gown, holding a white eagle—symbol of Poland—and promised he would survive and return home. She instructed him to have her image made and placed where people could pray before it.
Kłossowski survived and kept his promise. In 1836, during a pilgrimage to Jasna Góra, he discovered in a roadside chapel at Lgota a painting depicting Mary exactly as she had appeared to him. He acquired the image, dated to around 1772, and in 1844 built a small wooden chapel in the Grąbliński Forest near Licheń Stary, hanging the painting on a pine tree. Word spread, and pilgrims began to come. Then, in 1850, a shepherd named Mikołaj Sikatka reported visions in the same forest. Mary warned of a coming cholera epidemic and called for prayer, penance, and conversion. When the epidemic struck in 1852 but spared Licheń, devotion intensified. On September 29, 1852, some 80,000 pilgrims accompanied the icon's transfer from the forest chapel to the village parish church—a gathering that signaled Licheń's emergence as a major pilgrimage destination.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The miraculous icon of Our Lady of Licheń depicts Mary in royal attire—golden crown, dark red gown, golden mantle—with the inscription "Queen of Poland, Grant us peace" and the white eagle of Poland, symbolizing her role as protector of the nation. Over the following decades, the Marian Fathers assumed care of the sanctuary, and thousands of healings and graces were attributed to prayers before the image.
By the late twentieth century, the original parish church could no longer accommodate the growing crowds. In 1994, construction began on what would become Poland's largest church—funded entirely by pilgrim donations without any government or Vatican support. The architect Barbara Bielecka designed a structure rich with symbolic elements: 33 steps leading to the entrance (representing the years of Christ's life), 365 windows (days of the year), 52 doorways (weeks), and 12 columns (apostles). The golden façade was conceived to resemble a waving field of grain, connecting the basilica to the agricultural heartland surrounding it.
Pope John Paul II blessed the construction during his visit in June 1999, and the basilica was consecrated in June 2004. On February 25, 2005, just weeks before his death, John Paul II elevated the church to the status of Minor Basilica—one of his final acts for his beloved Poland. The massive pipe organ, installed between 2002 and 2007, ranks as the largest in Poland, fourth in Europe, and thirteenth in the world, with 157 stops across six manuals and pedalboard.
Today, the Marian Fathers continue their ministry here, welcoming pilgrims from across Poland and beyond. The sanctuary has become particularly associated with prayers for Poland's spiritual welfare, continuing the mission the Virgin Mary entrusted to that wounded soldier two centuries ago.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Licheń Stary
The sanctuary complex spreads across extensive grounds in the village of Licheń Stary, about 16 kilometers northeast of Konin. Beyond the monumental new basilica, pilgrims encounter the original parish church, the historic forest chapel, and various devotional installations including a stone Golgotha. The scale is impressive—the basilica alone can accommodate 7,000 worshippers inside, with space for many more in the surrounding plazas during major feast days.
Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń
Bazylika Najświętszej Maryi Panny Licheńskiej
Built between 1994 and 2004 to designs by Barbara Bielecka, this five-nave cruciform basilica ranks as Poland's largest church and one of the largest in the world. The nave stretches 120 meters long and 77 meters wide, with a central dome rising 98 meters and a tower reaching 141.5 meters—among the tallest church towers on earth. The entire construction was funded by pilgrim donations.
The miraculous icon of Our Lady of Licheń, the original 18th-century painting that appeared to Tomasz Kłossowski, is enshrined above the main altar. Pilgrims gather here for daily Masses, confession, and devotions. The basilica's observation deck at 104 meters offers panoramic views extending 30 kilometers across the Greater Poland plains. The Pilgrimage Museum within the complex documents the sanctuary's history and the tradition of Marian devotion in Poland.
Chapel in the Grąbliński Forest
Kaplica w Lesie Grąblińskim
This marks the original site where Tomasz Kłossowski hung the miraculous icon in 1844 and where shepherd Mikołaj Sikatka reported his visions in 1850. The current chapel replaces the simple wooden structure Kłossowski built.
Many pilgrims begin their visit here, at the place where devotion to Our Lady of Licheń first took root. The forest setting offers a contemplative atmosphere distinct from the grandeur of the main basilica, connecting visitors to the humble origins of this pilgrimage tradition.
Church of St. Dorothy
Kościół św. Doroty
The original parish church, dating to 1728, served as the home of the miraculous icon from 1852 until the new basilica's completion. It was here that the image was solemnly installed before 80,000 pilgrims in September 1852.
Though smaller and simpler than the basilica, this church represents the continuous thread of parish life and Marian devotion in Licheń Stary. It offers a more intimate setting for prayer and connects visitors to the site's pre-basilica history.
Golgotha and Stations of the Cross
The sanctuary grounds include an outdoor Golgotha—a monumental stone representation of Calvary—and Stations of the Cross that wind through the landscaped gardens. These devotional installations allow pilgrims to meditate on Christ's Passion in the open air.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary — August 15
The principal feast of the sanctuary draws tens of thousands of pilgrims for outdoor Masses, processions with the miraculous icon, and all-night vigils. The vast plazas surrounding the basilica fill with the faithful, many having walked on pilgrimage from distant parishes.
Anniversary of the Icon's Transfer — September 29
Commemorating the 1852 transfer of the miraculous image from the forest chapel to the parish church, this celebration recalls the moment when Licheń emerged as a major pilgrimage destination. Special Masses and processions retrace the historic route.
Feast of Our Lady of Licheń — Last Sunday of May
The patronal feast of the sanctuary brings pilgrims for solemn liturgies and veneration of the icon. The Marian Fathers organize special devotions throughout the day.
Divine Mercy Sunday — Second Sunday of Easter
The sanctuary hosts significant celebrations for Divine Mercy Sunday, reflecting the connection between Marian and Divine Mercy devotions that Pope John Paul II promoted.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Dom Pielgrzyma "Arka" (pilgrim accommodation) — The largest pilgrim house on the sanctuary grounds, offering 747 beds in 188 rooms, all with private bathrooms. Features a restaurant, café, fireplace lounge, and conference facilities. A chapel dedicated to the Holy Spirit is located on the fourth floor. Website
Dom Pielgrzyma "Betlejem" (pilgrim accommodation) — Located in the heart of the sanctuary with 288 beds in single, double, and triple rooms. Highly rated for its views of the basilica, peaceful atmosphere, and helpful staff. Buffet breakfast available. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Dom Pielgrzyma "Nazaret" (pilgrim accommodation) — Smaller pilgrim house with 23 rooms for 61 guests, located near the historic forest apparition site. Features a restaurant and the intimate Olive Room for gatherings. Website
🚗 Getting There
By Air: The nearest major airports are Poznań-Ławica Airport (approximately 105 km) and Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport (approximately 120 km). Both offer domestic and international connections.
By Train: Konin Railway Station is the nearest major station, approximately 16–20 km from the sanctuary. PKP Intercity trains connect Konin to Warsaw Centralna (approximately 1 hour 45 minutes) and Poznań (approximately 45 minutes). From Konin station, take a taxi or local bus to Licheń Stary.
By Bus: PKS Konin operates bus services between Konin and Licheń Stary. During major feast days and holiday weekends, MZK Konin runs special pilgrim bus lines with multiple daily departures. FlixBus and other carriers connect Konin to Warsaw, Poznań, and other major cities.
By Car: Licheń Stary is well-connected via the A2 motorway. From Warsaw, take the A2 west toward Poznań, exiting at Konin (approximately 2 hours, 145 km). From Poznań, take the A2 east (approximately 1.5 hours, 120 km). Ample free parking is available at the sanctuary.
Local Transport: Within the sanctuary complex, all sites are accessible on foot. The walk from the pilgrim houses to the basilica takes approximately 5 minutes.
📚 Further Reading
Books:
Licheń: Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sorrows — Official sanctuary guidebook available at the pilgrim center, documenting the history of the apparitions and the construction of the basilica.
Poland's Marian Shrines — Overview of major Polish pilgrimage sites including Licheń, Częstochowa, and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska.
Online Resources:
Official Sanctuary Website — Comprehensive information on history, visiting, and accommodations.
The Catholic Travel Guide: Licheń Stary — Practical pilgrimage information and photos.
🎥 Recommended Videos
Basilica of Our Lady of Licheń — Video tours showcasing the basilica's massive scale and the surrounding Greater Poland landscape.
Pilgrimage to Licheń Stary — Pilgrim testimonies and tours of the sanctuary complex.
🔗 Useful Links
Official Sanctuary Website — Mass schedules, events, and pilgrim services.
Diocese of Włocławek — Diocesan information.
PKS Konin Bus Schedules — Local bus connections.
PKP Intercity — Train bookings to Konin.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Gniezno (80 km) — Poland's first capital, with the cathedral housing St. Adalbert's relics and the famous Romanesque Gniezno Doors.
Częstochowa (150 km) — Jasna Góra Monastery and the Black Madonna, Poland's most visited shrine.
Poznań (105 km) — Cathedral Island (Ostrów Tumski) with the tombs of the first Piast rulers and historic parish churches.
Góra Świętej Anny (200 km) — Franciscan sanctuary in Silesia with outdoor Stations of the Cross.
Konin (16 km) — Historic town with medieval churches, convenient base for visiting the sanctuary.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"I came to this place to bless the basilica that will enshrine the image of Our Lady of Licheń—an image that speaks of the faith of generations of Poles and their trust in the Mother of God." — Pope St. John Paul II, Licheń Stary, June 7, 1999
