Kościół pw. Świętego Jana Chrzciciela i Świętego Jana Ewangelisty
Churches of Kraków
Church (Roman Catholic), Stare Miasto district. A place of pilgrimage (shrine). A listed monument (heritage register). Run by: Zgromadzenie Panien Ofiarowania Najświętszej Maryi Panny (Prezentki).
History
According to tradition, the church on St John's Street was founded in the first half of the 12th century by Piotr Włostowic. It was first recorded in the city books in 1308, as a filial church of St Mary's. It has been a parish church since 1325. A thorough rebuilding in the mid-17th century was completed with a new consecration in 1659. In the 18th century the Presentation Sisters moved into the church, and the architect Kacper Bażanka rebuilt it once more. In 2015, during conservation work, the façade was repainted from white to pink, echoing Baroque colour schemes.
The high altar of 1730 holds the painting of Our Lady of St John's. Its creator remains unknown, and art historians date the work to the early 16th century. According to tradition, it was brought from Spain by Prince Stanisław Radziwiłł, while documents of the Presentation convent speak of a gift from around 1577. Many graces and miracles were recorded in the church book. The first concerns a prisoner sentenced to death in 1633: when he asked Mary for help, the shackles fell from his hands of their own accord, and they still hang in the church as a votive offering. This event gave the image its second name - Our Lady of the Ransom of Captives.
Well-known people came to pray before the painting. King John III Sobieski came here on 23 February 1684 after his victory over the Turks at Vienna. Tadeusz Kościuszko called in on the day of his oath on Kraków's Market Square, 24 March 1794. Karol Wojtyła was also a frequent visitor, and it was one of his favourite places. As Archbishop of Kraków he crowned the painting on 9 May 1965 at Skałka and gave it a third title: Mother of Freedom. In 1998 a chapel with the relics of Blessed Zofia Czeska, founder of the Presentation Sisters, was set up in the former sacristy. Pope Francis prayed at these relics on 28 July 2016.
Did you know?
In the painting Mary holds a stem of white clover with three leaves, which tradition links with the Holy Trinity. Votive offerings also hang in the church, among them a Polish karabela sabre and a 17th-century Turkish sabre.