KŁODAWA
The city located about 20 kilometres north-east of Koło, next to the road to Warsaw.
The Church dedicated to Ascension of the Blessed Virgin Mary
A monastic House and Church was founded in 1623 by Franciszek Krzykowski. Present premises were built in the XVIII-th century. Their founder was Chryzostom Dorpowski, a voivode of Łęczyca and Starost of Kłodawa. Building of the Church was finished in 1755, towers were finished 10 years later.
Almost at the same time a monastic House was set up. The convent was closed in 1810 During the Napoleonic wars this area was severly devasteted and the buildings were thoroughly renovated between 1851-54. In the half of the XIX-th century the Carmelites returned to Kłodawa. Unfortunately not for long – the czarist goverment abolished the order. Today the Church has a role of a parochial santuary.
The baroque Church dedicated to Ascension of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a three-aisle construction, basilican, with a slightly lower presbytery. In a facade there are two massive towers crowned with a burgonet with lanterns. The main aisle and presbytery are covered by a sail vaults. The rococo equipment comes from the third quater of the XVIII-th century. Apart from the splendid main altar we can also admire 8, analogic to each other in pairs, lateral altars, monastic stalls, an ambo shaped as a boat and 3 confessionals. The older monument is a stone epitaph of Sierakowscy family from the first half of the XVII-th century. In front of the Sanctuary’s facade there is a fair courtyard surrounded by a wall. On a high pile is a sandy baroque figure of the Holy Mother.
The order with triplet wings adheres from north to the Church, creating inside a small patio.
The monastery of Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary from the Mount Caramel was founded on the territory of Palestine in the XII-th century. To the eremites who lived there (and where even 900 years before Jesus Christ lived the prophet Elijah) joined, during the crusades, religious knights and pilgrims. A monastic rule was confirmed by the pope Innocent IV in 1247. After the fall of the Kingdom of Jerusalem the order moved to Europe. The first european general chapter took place in 1245 in England. The first Carmelite monastery was founded in Poland (Cracow) in 1397 by Saint Hedwig. At the end of the XVI-th century the order split into two families carmelites who live according to rules changed in 1432 by the pope Eugene IV (so-called The Calced Carmelites) and the carmelites wchich were reformed, with the rules connected to those more religiously primal, The Discalced Carmelites or Barefoot – because they wore sandals not shoes.
The clothes of the order include dark brown tunic with the leather belt, a scapular and hood of the same colour. More official clothes are a slightly shorter white coat and hood.
Address:
ul. Włocławska 2
62-650 Kłodawa
tel. +48 63 272 47 12
