Church of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Piekoszów

Although formally the church in Piekoszów is dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it is known among the inhabitants as the regional sanctuary of Our Lady of Mercy.

Already from a distance, the 2 high towers of the temple standing on a hill stand out from the peaceful landscape of this small town. It is worth taking a moment to explore its history and take a look at its interesting architecture. Why?

The building of the church in Piekoszów is one of the most interesting examples of neo-baroque architecture in the Świętokrzyskie region. Although the history of the parish in Piekoszów dates back to the 14th century, the present church is much younger - it dates back to the 19th century. It was built according to the design of Franciszek Ksawery Kowalski, a leading architect working in and around Kielce at that time.

The temple is a three-nave basilica. The western façade, in front of which the already mentioned monumental towers, looks the most impressive. The rather rich decoration is distinguished by red sandstone columns and a niche in which you will find a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The most valuable element of the equipment inside for the faithful is undoubtedly the miraculous painting of the Mother of God. This image dates from the end of the 17th century. It was painted by a novice of the Pauline Monastery at Jasna Góra. Initially unremarkable as a painting, in 1692 it was brought to Piekoszów, where it adorned one of the walls of the presbytery. Everything changed a few years later.

As Jan Tarło reports in his diary, in 1705, bloody tears were observed in the painting for the first time. The news of this extraordinary phenomenon spread like wildfire. The inhabitants surrounded the painting with a cult, and on August 8, 1706, a representative of the Archdiocese of Gniezno recognized the painting as miraculous.