Little Chapels in Poland
Statue of Virgin Mary
with baby Jesus at dangerous corner
Driving through the Polish countryside,
you can't fail to notice the numerous statues of the Virgin Mary
or Catholic saints placed close to the road. Many of them are
decorated with streamers of ribbons and usually there are fresh
flowers left there. I learned from my tour guide that they are
called "little chapels" and the custom of putting statues
for protection along the road dates back to the pagan days before
Poland was converted to Catholicism about 1,000 years ago.
Statue of Virgin Mary
in yard of home near intersection
The little chapels are located at a crossroads
or any place that might be dangerous on the highway. In Poland,
that means almost anywhere on the road since the highways are
all two lanes with opposing traffic. When one driver from each
opposing lane of traffic decides to attempt to pass, both cars
are driving down the center of the road, ready for a head-on
collision. Adding to the danger on Polish roads are the many
horse-drawn wagons carrying loads of coal, traveling in the same
lanes as the cars and trucks. Then there are the pedestrians,
all dressed up, who seem to be walking to work along the highway.
It was only by the grace of God, and the protection of the Virgin
Mary along way, that we made it safely from Krakow to Auschwitz
and back.
Very old statue on
road guards over a bus stop
Just outside the town of Auschwitz, on
the road to Krakow, there is a beautiful Baroque Catholic Church
which I stopped to photograph. This church dates back to the
17th century and is perfectly preserved. The Baroque style of
architecture was introduced by the Italians living in Poland
and is very prevalent. Most of the Polish churches and monuments
seem to be the work of Italian architects and artists.
17th century Baroque
Catholic church near Auschwitz
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