A bright vision of the „White Lady” appeared several times in the space of three months in 1877 to two girls, Justine Szafrynska and Barbara Samulowska, telling them to erect a figure of the Immaculate Conception on this spot.

The figure was ordered in Munich and placed in a newly built brick chapel. Since the 16th century the image of the Virgin Mother with Child is the real jewel in the temple. Starting in the 17th century there have been many reported cases of patients who have been healed praying for the intercession of Our Lady of Gietrzwald.

The faithful also happily take the water from the miraculous spring located in the sanctuary. Before each apparition it regularly flooded the surrounding fields so was buried. When the spring started to appear once more prior to an apparition the local pastor read it as a sign that the spring had healing powers, like the one in Lourdes. At the request of the children Our Lady blessed the spring. Today, the village of Gietrzwald has been called the Polish Lourdes. In 1945 the shrine was entrusted to the Order of Canons Regular of the Lateran.

Sanctuary – Gietrzwald (woj. Warminsko-Mazurskie) www.sanktuariummaryjne.pl