Continuing with the travelogue
Monday, June 19th, Wieliczka Salt Mines and Divine Mercy Shrine.

We drove on to Krakow today by way of the Wieliczka Salt Mines. When I heard that there were 500 steps down to the first level I decided not to make the trek because my ankles were all swollen and I was so tired, both emotionally and physically from Sunday's trip to Auschwitz, Birkeneau and the top of the hill at Our Lady of Calvary. Isn't that a wonderful name to name a church at the top of the hill???? It just hit me that Christ had to walk up a hill, Golgotha, for his execution!!! Lord, have mercy!

The 350+ steps in Prague made a believer of me too! LOL!

I got a book about it and some postcards -- and everyone who went said it was strenuous but that it was so beautiful. Everything is carved out the rock containing the salt, most of it a light orange to burnt orange color. the group visited the chambers of the Blessed Kinga and St. Anthony of the Holy Cross. There are rooms with statues, ladders, a ballroom, a church with an altar, The Holy Family all carved out of the salt rock. And it was about 40 degrees cooler -- 56 F. while we were sitting up on the surface in near 90 degrees heat. Our pastor and spiritual director was looking at one of the salt lamps in the gift shop/ museum and we had taken up a collection for his Jubilee since it occurs in August and we wanted to give him something.

We went on to the very modern church -- the shrine of Divine Mercy. The outside of the building looks like a ship with a high tower in the center. We could not use the main church for a Mass so took a ramp down to the St. Faustina Chapel in the basement. Even though modern in architecture, it had a very holy feeling about it. Again within 10 minutes of having contacted the nuns who operate the shrine, we had Mass. Most of these places have a special liturgy all put together for you in many languages. This liturgy of course, had to do with the mercy of Christ.

We then drove on to our hotel, -- another Novotel. Our bus driver was fabulous. He would drive around for a short time, get his bearings, talk with our tour guide, Mariola, and Voila! There was our hotel!!!! We had a free afternoon to give the bus driver a much needed afternoon off.

Some additional information and pictures of the Salt Mines.

http://www.poland-embassy.si/eng/poland/wieliczka.htm

Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland

The salt mine at Wieliczka, near Kraków in southern Poland, is a World Heritage Site. This mine has been worked continuously since Medieval times. Miners have carved elaborate underground rooms and sculptures within the Miocene salt. Photo date 9/97; © by J.S. Aber.

Great cathedral, a large chamber carved entirely within salt, including floor,
walls, ceiling, and decorations. Chandeliers are made with salt crystals.

Closeup view of the cathedral's altar.

More on Wieliczka salt mine.
Return to Lecture 14.

in southern Poland

Aand the U. N. has even made it into Poland -- http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=32