Holy Cross

prepared by Sandra Słoń

In the past: now:

History of the Holy Cross Monastery

It is not known exactly when Benedictine Monastery on Łysa Góra was built. Jan Długosz gives the year 1006. The earliest written source comes from the thirteenth - century chronicles of Wielkopolska.

Library in the Holy Cross Monastery

In 1461 Casimir IV and Cardinal Zbigniew Olesnicki built a Gothic church and cloisters. This was a successful period for the monastery. There was a rich library, in the north wing of the monastery and a hospital pharmacy. The Holy Cross then was very popular among the crowned heads, such as Wladyslaw Jagiello, Sigismund the Old with the Queen Bona and others.

Mummy of the Prince Wiśniowiecki In the Holy Cross

Monastery there is an underground crypt, with the mummy of the prince Wiśniowiecki. It's a little scary, because the skeleton looks as if it was laughing. At the entrance there is the inscription: „I was who you are. You will be who I am”

Cabs at Holy Cross

• For centuries Holy Cross has been a place by visited many people. In the past it was a place of pagan worship, and later people came here because of the relics of the holy sanctuary of wood from Christ’s Cross.

• Beautiful surroundings, a wide range of tourist services, frequent outdoor events make it all that you need to see the surroundings of the Holy Cross.

• However, it is not easy to reach the top of the Holy Cross. The challenge is over 2 kilometer road to the top of Bald Mountain, one that does not take your breath away, not only because of the beautiful views of the old forest but also a steep mountain slope. Therefore, at the bottom of the will you can hire a cab for a small fee to take you up the hillthe. Then you can look around and admire the beauty of an ancient forest.

Every year one grain The legend says that when the prince Emeric

pilgrimaged to the monastery, he boasted his piety. He was punished and turned to stone. Today in New Słupia where a stone trail begins there is a statue of a stone pilgrim. Apparently the statue each year moves up the hill a single grain of sand. The legend says that when it reaches the top (2,5km distance), it will be the end of the world. The Grain has a thickness of 1 mm. The trail is called "royal road". Exactly 600 years ago, Polish king Władysław Jagiełło, asked God for victory. The army at that time had been waiting at the foot of the mountains.

Particles of pine In the monastery of the Holy Cross there is a novitiate.

16 guys learn here the Oblate life. Before we look at the wonderful reliquary, we hear a loud chorus singing "Happy Birthday". One of the newcomers was celebrating his birthday. The monks pray for many people and they do not know how many people their prayers helped. Some time ago, doctors found cancer in a woman’s body Recent studies have shown that she is quite healthy. No one here doubts that prayer works. As no doubt the fact that parts of the tree in a reliquary really come from the cross of Christ. - Several years ago, the scientific study showed that the particles come from pine wood growing in Jerusalem in the first century.

Emeric and witches

The Holy Cross Monastery stands on the top of the hill called Bald Mountain. In the past the pagans worshiped their gods here. According to the legend,the witches met on Łysa Góra. One day the prince Emeric was hunting in the surrounding forests . Suddenly saw a deer and fell to his knees, because the animal's antlers lit the cross.

Footnotes: www.wikipedia.pl

www.gory-swietokrzyskie.eu www.kielce.uw.gov.pl

www.sbc.wbp.kielce.pl