Carmelite Monastery in Czerna

Near Krzeszowice, amidst the greenery of the "Eliaszów Valley," the Discalced Carmelite Monastery in Czerna is hidden. Situated on the slope of a hill, it overlooks the Eliaszów reserve. Interestingly, remnants of some former monastic buildings can still be found. The entire area was once surrounded by a stone wall over 4 km long, of which only fragments have unfortunately survived. Of the twelve hermitages built on the monastery grounds, only traces of four remain, and one has been rebuilt. 
 
This male monastery serves as a dual sanctuary: for Our Lady of the Scapular and Saint Raphael Kalinowski. The church was constructed in the shape of a Latin cross in early Baroque style. The finishes are made of black marble from a nearby quarry in Dębnik. Black marble dominates the altar, the floor, and the portal leading to the church. In the main altar, we can find a painting of Saint Elijah.

The image of Saint Elijah is also found in the square in front of the church, where in 1995, a grotto of this biblical prophet was created. Just before it, there is a heart-shaped spring, topped by a sculpture of a raven, which tourists eagerly rub its head "for luck." Above the square, there is a field altar and a viewpoint, from which one can see the vastness of the reserve as well as the Czatkowice Limestone Mines. Within the monastery complex, attention is drawn to a well, which was hewn from solid rock and later encased with a dome.    

Those who wish to find peace and pray amidst the greenery can follow the Stations of the Cross built on the slope of the hill. Walking along a gravel path, we pass by 15 stations with 30 three-dimensional wax figures, each 2 meters tall. The sculptures were created by the artist Alfred Kotowski.     

For spelunking enthusiasts, here’s a little curiosity – along the forest paths, we can find depressions in the ground from the already filled-in shafts of galman ore.                      

At the foot of the monastery, a Pilgrim House has been established, which, in addition to providing accommodation, runs a restaurant. There, you will also find a Carmelite museum, a bookstore, a Carmelite cinema, a conference room, and a missionary museum. The most important feasts at the monastery are July 16 – the feast of Our Lady of the Scapular and November 20 – the feast of Saint Raphael Kalinowski.

Text author: Ewa Bandyk

Photo author: Kacper Ropka