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Dziekanowice, village and parish, ...

Dziekanowice, village and parish, situated about 20 km in the Southeast from Cracow, organised before 1226, belongs to the oldest parishes in the Archidiocese of Cracow. The first, existing till today small church of purely Romanesque style, bearing the invocation of Ss. Nicholas and Mary Magdalene and founded by Duke Casimir II the Just, dates from the turn of the 11th century.

In the 1960s some fragments of the Romanesque polychrome dating back to the end of 12th centaury and presenting some scens from the Birth of Lord Jesus were discovered inside of this small church. This painting is mentioned at the Bishop Visitation in 1665.

The date of the adding of a wooden nave to the Romanesque church is unknown. In 1645 the wooden part was removed and brick in the Baroque style was raised and the Romanesque church was excluded as a presbytery. So modified church was consecrated on September 27th, 1649 by Bishop W. Lipnicki, suffragan of Cracow. This church played the role of parish church till 1966, when the building of a new church dedicated to the Maternity of Blessed Virgin Mary was completed.

The new church was consecrated on September 14, 1966 by the metropolite of Cracow of that time, Cardinal K. Wojtyla.

In the high altar there is a miraculous icio of God's Mother of Dziekanowice in the style God's Mother of Piekary. The icon painted on canvas by an unknown artist dates to 17th century.

For a dissemination of the cult of God's Mother the Fraternity of the Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary as well as the Rosary Fraternity were set up.

The votive offerings, silver dresses, strings of corals and crowns testify to numerous graces obtained by the intercession of God's Mother.

The cult of God's Mother that had lasted for several centuries was confirmed from the Apostolic See by the rescript of the Congregation of Rites on September 15, 1943. At the same time the title of Maternity of Blessed Virgin Mary was given to the icon and the celebration of this feast on the nearest Sunday after October 11th was allowed.

The icon was restored several times (1906, 1991) and crowned in the assistance of bishops, priests and many worhippers with the crowns blessed by the Holy Father John Paul II on August 13th, 1991 on his succeeding pilgrimage to Poland by Metropolite of Cracow, Cardinal F. Macharski on September 29th, 1991.

On the strength of his decree from September 29th, 1998 the parish church in Dziekanowice was nominated Sanctuary of the Maternity of Blessed Virgin Mary.