Pilgrimage to Jasna Góra

Pilgrimage to Jasna Góra (Polish: pielgrzymka na Jasną Górę) is a pilgrimage in the Catholic Church in Poland whose destination is the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa. Since the 15th century this has been the most frequently visited pilgrimage site in Poland. In 2003 the sanctuary was visited by 4 million pilgrims from 80 countries, of whom almost 800,000 arrived in 120 nationwide pilgrimages. In 2022 seven non-motorised pilgrimages departed from Warsaw alone. In 2022 the press office of Jasna Góra reported that between 4 June and 14 August, 50,500 people arrived at the Marian sanctuary in 139 organised pilgrimages on foot, and almost 7,000 people in 220 bicycle pilgrimages. In 2023 the total number of visitors was about 3.6 million pilgrims: 228 walking pilgrimages, 200 bicycle groups, 17 running groups, 2 inline-skating pilgrimages and 1 horseback pilgrimage arrived at Jasna Góra.

Most pilgrims arrive on foot, in organised groups. Some of them, such as the Warsaw Walking Pilgrimage (Polish: Warszawska Pielgrzymka Piesza), have a tradition going back several hundred years. Walking pilgrimages to Jasna Góra set out from many Polish cities, mainly in the summer. They most often arrive in Częstochowa for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (15 August) or for the feast of Our Lady of Częstochowa (26 August). These are multi-day pilgrimages; the walk from Warsaw to Jasna Góra takes about ten days. In 2019 around 125,000 people took part in walking pilgrimages to Jasna Góra, of whom about 87,000 arrived before 15 August and 37,000 before 26 August.

The longest walking pilgrimage in Poland, in terms of distance covered, is the Kashubian pilgrimage, organised annually since 1982, which is 638 km long, lasts 19 days (25 July–12 August) and follows the route: Hel – Swarzewo – Wejherowo – Sianowo – Szymbark – Stare Polaszki – Lubichowo – Lipinki – Świecie – Nawra – Toruń – Sędzin – Morzyczyn – Koło – Dobra – Sieradz – Rychłocice – Ożegów – Miedźno – Jasna Góra.

According to data for 2024, the most numerous groups included the pilgrimage of the Family of Radio Maryja, the Renewal in the Holy Spirit movement, farmers, workers, postal workers and Alcoholics Anonymous groups. Among the pilgrimages that arrived by various means of transport, parish pilgrimages were the most numerous – almost 2,500 such groups visited Jasna Góra in 2024. Among diocesan groups, pilgrims from the dioceses of Radom, Tarnów, Dąbrowa Basin and Łódź predominated.

In addition to walking pilgrimages, there are also numerous bicycle pilgrimages. In 2023, 8,600 people arrived at Jasna Góra in 200 bicycle groups (in 2019: 11,250 people in 170 groups), and 475 people in 17 running pilgrimages (in 2019 there were 413 people in 15 groups). The largest of these is the Ogólnopolska Pielgrzymka Rowerowa ("National Bicycle Pilgrimage"), made up of many groups departing from different locations and heading for Jasna Góra.