At a depth of 100 meters underground, around 200 people took part in the Miners’ Stations of the Cross. The prayer service once again took place in the historic Wieliczka Salt Mine.
Employees of the Wieliczka Salt Mine walked the Miners’ Stations of the Cross on Friday, located about 100 meters below ground. The service was led by Auxiliary Bishop of Kraków, Robert Chrząszcz.
Representatives of the mine reported that approximately 200 people prayed during the underground Stations of the Cross, which runs along the Barącz ramp to the Chapel of St. Kinga. The cross was carried by miners in ceremonial uniforms, accompanied by scouts from the Wieliczka district of the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association.
Bishop Robert Chrząszcz, who presided over the service, emphasized that in the place of the miners’ daily work and effort, the presence of God is discovered, “who Himself took up the burden of the cross.”
A Longstanding Tradition
The Stations of the Cross in the historic mine were created in 2010 by miner-sculptors from Wieliczka. The Stations of the Passion are made of linden wood, and each contains a fragment of rock from Jerusalem’s Via Crucis. The Miners’ Stations of the Cross were consecrated on April 2, 2010, on the 5th anniversary of the death of John Paul II. In the wall, artists carved a salt plaque dedicating the “Golgotha of the Wieliczka Miners” to John Paul II.
Over the centuries, many altars have been created in the underground chambers of Wieliczka, where the crew would kneel before work, praying for a safe shift. The miners of Wieliczka also traditionally celebrate Christmas underground. On Christmas Eve morning, a Midnight Mass is held in the Chapel of St. Kinga.