Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Trzebinia

On 13 May 1950, a group of lay people who had just finished a retreat in Trzebinia decided not to go home but to spend the whole night praying in front of a grotto. This was the first of the Fatima vigils for which the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, run by the Salvatorian Fathers and known as the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, is famous today. The church's tall brick tower on ul. Głowackiego can be seen from far away, including from trains stopping at Trzebinia station.

History: a church half a century in the making

The Salvatorians settled in Trzebinia at the start of the 20th century; it was their first house on Polish soil. In 1910 the foundation stone was blessed for a neo-Gothic church designed by Jan Sas-Zubrzycki. The architect planned a three-aisled basilica with a transept and two towers of different heights, but the First World War halted construction and the design was never completed as intended.

Work resumed only in 1954, under a revised plan: the chancel was rebuilt, a single new tower designed by Zygmunt Gawlik was added, along with a portico with a terrace above the entrance. The shell was finished in 1961, but interior work went on until 1980. On 10 June 1983, Cardinal Franciszek Macharski consecrated the church.

The statue from Fatima and the road to basilica status

In 1962 the Salvatorians brought a statue of Our Lady from Fatima, and in 1967 they moved it to a specially prepared chapel. In 1997 the statue was crowned with papal crowns and the church became a sanctuary. On 31 January 2013, the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship granted it the title of minor basilica; Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz presided over the formal proclamation on 14 September that year.

What to see

• The chapel with the statue of Our Lady of Fatima wearing papal crowns.
• The bright neo-Gothic interior with star vaults and colourful stained glass in the chancel.
• The organ with 35 stops.
• The tower designed by Zygmunt Gawlik, the landmark of Trzebinia's skyline.

Fatima vigils

According to VisitMałopolska, Fatima services with an all-night vigil take place from May to October on the Saturday after the 13th of each month. A novena to Our Lady of Fatima is held every Wednesday, and the main parish feast falls on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The parish publishes the programme of each vigil on its website.

Tripto tip

The basilica stands at ul. Bartosza Głowackiego 3 in Trzebinia, a town in Chrzanów County in Lesser Poland. It is a working church, so visit the interior outside Mass times; 30–45 minutes is enough for a calm look around. To experience the atmosphere, come for a vigil evening between May and October, but expect crowds of pilgrims and limited parking nearby.