Foot pilgrimages to Jasna Góra are currently underway. On August 1, the 81st anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising, at 5:00 PM, pilgrims also paused in reflection. It was a beautiful, patriotic moment.
August marks the peak of the pilgrimage season in Poland. Thousands of pilgrims from across the country are heading to Jasna Góra. Every day, regardless of the weather, they cover more and more kilometers.
Bishop Grzegorz Suchodolski, Chairman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference (KEP) Council for Youth Ministry, said that walking, cycling, or rollerblading pilgrimages to various sanctuaries are among the valuable pastoral offerings for young people.
Although walking pilgrimages no longer gather tens of thousands of participants as they did a few decades ago – now, at most a few thousand – around 80 percent of them are still young people. Despite societal changes, the popularity of pilgrimages lies in the fact that they offer a chance to experience community – and thus good relationships – which many young people increasingly lack in their daily lives, Bishop Suchodolski emphasized.
The bishop also pointed out that many young people carry with them to Jasna Góra difficult experiences, especially those related to family life.
Pilgrims are patriots – this is evident on August 1
Pilgrimage is also a patriotic expression – pilgrims always honor the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising. On August 1, national colors appear on the route, and at 5:00 PM, pilgrims stop in reflection. This year was no exception. The pilgrimage group from Inowrocław sang the national anthem.
“We stopped to entrust all the fallen in prayer,” said pilgrims from Ełk.
According to data from the Jasna Góra press office, over 4 million pilgrims arrived at Jasna Góra last year. The year before – in 2023 – the figure was 3.6 million, and in 2022 – 2.5 million. In 2019, Jasna Góra was visited by 4.4 million faithful. Over 101,000 people participated in walking, cycling, running, and horseback pilgrimages, of which 92,000 took part in 237 walking pilgrimages. In 2023, there were 77,500 pilgrims, while in 2019 – 133,000. Accompanying the walking groups are the so-called spiritual pilgrims, who, for various reasons, chose not to physically travel the route. Every day, they gather in a designated church for Mass, read daily reflections, and pray for those making their way on foot to Jasna Góra.