Lately, within the area of Skałka another structure was built which will not only be an important religious site but also a significant tourist attraction and one of the most interesting modern sacred constructions. This amazing altar can be viewed at the courtyard of the Skałka Church.
Every inhabitant of Krakow knows the traditional procession with relics of St. Stanislaus from Wawel Hill to Skałka. It takes place every year on the first Sunday after 8th May – the Sunday right after St. Stanislaus’ Day. Normally, temporary altars were erected for this occasion, which were later dismantled right after the celebration. However, this practice is going to change, starting this year.
The new altar, which has been constructed for almost a year at the courtyard of the Paulite Fathers’ Church, has just been consecrated. This monumental structure occupying the area of 1000 m2 was erected against the background of the 16th century walls surrounding the monastery. The view of the altar is very impressive – along the walls there are seven lofty stone pillars with four-meter-high patinated bronze statues of people connected with the spiritual life of Krakow and Poland.
Choice, distribution and the way those statues are presented have a symbolic meaning. The three central figures represent three patrons of Poland, one for every millennium of Poland’s membership in Christian community: St. Adalbert (on the left), St. Stanislaus (in the middle) and John Paul II. The pink colour of the pillars behind the statues symbolise martyrdom. The four remaining sculptures represent St. Jadwiga, St. Faustina, St. John of Kęty and Abbot Augustyn Kordecki, a defender of Jasna Góra during the Swedish invasion of Poland. This is, however, not the end of symbolic elements – opposite the pillars there is a seven-meter-high monolith which refers to three sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist.
The prior of the Paulite Fathers, Andrzej Napiórkowski, claims that the altar will be used more than just once a year, during the celebrations of St. Stanislaus’ Day. There are plans to organise concerts and exhibitions there throughout the whole year. The first concert will take place on 9th May. Choir and Orchestra of the Academy of Music and the Boy’s Choir of the Cracow Philharmonic conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki himself will play for the audience.