Holy Mountain Grabarka

We had already been to the mosque in Bohoniki of the Polish Tatars, and this time we visited the heart of the Orthodox Church in Poland: Holy Mountain Grabarka, the most important place for Orthodox Christians. It is located near the city of Siemiatycze.

In this place every year, on August 19, the most important festival takes place - the feast of the Transfiguration. That day, Grabarka is visited by thousands of pilgrims who come here on foot from distant areas and even by government officials. We were there two days before the feast, so the area was not crowded yet. However, we saw preparations for this event. Along the way we passed a group of pilgrims who still had about 40 km to go.

The largest pilgrimage that comes here starts its route in Białystok. This year, it was organized for the thirtieth time, and 250 people took part in it.

At the top of the mountain there is a sanctuary, and at its foot there is a chapel with a miraculous spring. According to the faithful, the spring's flowing water is a source of healing power. People use handkerchiefs to wash their faces and sick areas of their bodies. The handkerchiefs are then left behind as a symbol of leaving the illness there.

At the top of the mountain we found a small wooden church. There is a belief that people can clear their souls of evil and illness by walking in a circle around the church on their knees. In this way they ask for grace, or want to thank God for something. We saw a few of them there. Inside the temple people were praying. The altar is generously decorated, and the dominant color there is gold.

Good to know: the old 18th-century wooden church burned down on the night of 12 to 13 July 1990. It was rebuilt in its old shape, in brick covered with wood, and consecrated on 17 May 1998. Only the Gospel book and two icons survived the fire.

The slopes of the mountain are covered with thousands of crosses. A whole bunch of Orthodox crosses. People started leaving crosses here in 1710. They believe that by leaving a cross, they leave their illness behind.

Fun fact: according to tradition, during a cholera epidemic in 1710, people from Siemiatycze came to the hill with crosses and drank water from the spring. Those who did were saved, and they built a wooden chapel here to remember it.

For Orthodox Christians, this place is what Częstochowa is for Catholics. It is worth seeing this unique place. If you want to avoid the crowds, select a date other than August 19.