Introduction
The Collegiate Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Mary Magdalene, and St. Stanislaus the Bishop in Poznań often called Fara Poznańska is a stunning Baroque church located on Gołębia Street in the heart of Poznań’s Old Town. This parish and collegiate church is dedicated to St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr, as well as the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Mary Magdalene. Built between 1651 and 1701, the basilica showcases the work of Polish and Italian masters who blended Baroque style with classical Roman touches, like the grand Corinthian columns inside. In the 18th century, the renowned artist Pompeo Ferrari designed the towering 17-meter-high main altar and the impressive main entrance facing the Old Town. In 1876, the church received a magnificent organ crafted by Friedrich Ladegast. Despite the widespread destruction in Poznań during World War II, the Fara was miraculously spared, preserving its historic beauty. On June 29, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI officially raised the church to the rank of a minor basilica, recognizing its importance as one of Poznań’s most treasured religious and architectural landmarks. Since 2017, it has also served as a Lenten station church, continuing its vital role in the city’s spiritual life.
In 1570, Bishop Adam Konarski invited the Jesuits to Poznań and gave them the Church of St. Stanislaus the Bishop. The construction of the new church began in 1651, likely based on plans sent from Rome. Traditionally, the design is credited to Bartłomiej Nataniel Wąsowski, who was the rector of the Jesuit College in Poznań and an architectural theorist. The early work, carried out until 1652, was overseen by Tomasz Poncino, an Italian-born mason. However, the Swedish invasion between 1655 and 1660 interrupted the construction. Work resumed later under the supervision of Wąsowski, Wojciech Przybyłkowicz, and Jan Poradowski. Between 1696 and 1701, Jan Catenazzi helped complete the main nave and the façade. Though unfinished, the church was consecrated in 1705 by Bishop Hieronim Wierzbowski. In the years 1727 to 1732, the main altar and entrance were designed by Pompeo Ferrari, marking the final stage of construction. After the Jesuit order was dissolved in 1773 and the nearby Mary Magdalene Collegiate Church was destroyed in 1780, the church was handed over to the parish by Bishop Ignacy Raczyński in 1798. In the late 19th century, separate entrances to the side aisles were added. A major renovation took place from 1913 to 1915 under Marian Andrzejewski, with the polychrome decorations restored by Antoni Procajłowicz. During World War II, after German troops occupied Poznań in 1939, the church was looted and repurposed as a warehouse. Thankfully, the building itself was spared from destruction. Restoration efforts began soon after the war and continued through the 1950s. Renovations that started in 1990 are still ongoing today, ensuring the church’s historic beauty is preserved.
Architecture of Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Mary Magdalene, Poznań, Poland
Architect: Pompeo Ferrari
Architectural style: Baroque architecture
Description of the facade
The facade of the church is a striking blend of Baroque elegance and rich decoration. The pink exterior is adorned with double white pilasters, creating a graceful symmetry. On either side of the building, two low towers rise, their height not exceeding that of the main body of the church. Each tower is capped with a copper dome. Between the towers, there’s a Baroque gable with lateral flows that are typical of the period. The entire facade, along with the towers, is divided into storeys by decorative cornices, adding a sense of structure and depth. Above the elaborate Baroque portal, there is a niche that holds a statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order. He is depicted holding a flaming heart in his hand, with an eagle at his feet, symbolizing Christ’s victory over Satan, represented by a serpent. Below this, a medallion is inscribed with the Latin phrase Domus Domini porta coeli (“House of God and gate to heaven,” referencing Genesis 28:17). On either side of this niche, there are smaller ones that house statues of saints: St. Adalbert and St. Stanislaus Kostka on the left, and St. Stanislaus the Bishop and St. Aloysius Gonzaga on the right. Above them, two more saints, St. Francis Borgia and St. Francis Xavier, are depicted.
Interior
The interior of the church is equally impressive, structured as a three-aisled basilica with a transept that doesn’t extend beyond the side aisles. The chancel on the south side ends in a straight wall, giving it a sense of balance. The vaulting throughout the nave, transept, and chancel rises to a height of 27 meters and is barrel-vaulted, with lunettes adding to its grandeur. The side aisles and galleries above them are covered by groin vaults, adding both visual interest and structural elegance. The nave’s vault features three scenes from the life of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr, each painted in a separate bay by Karol Dankwart of Nysa during the 18th century. In the transept, Dankwart also painted scenes from the lives of St. Stanislaus Kostka (on the western side) and St. Ignatius of Loyola (on the eastern side). The intersection of the nave and transept once housed an apotheosis of the Holy Trinity, but after it was destroyed, it was replaced by an illusionary dome painted in 1949 by Stanisław Wróblewski.The stucco decoration inside is one of the most striking features of the church. Dating back to around 1700, it was created by Jan Bianco, and later restored by Jan Żok’s team. Above the composite capitals of the sixteen columns, which are made from artificial red marble and do not bear any structural weight, stand 2.5-meter-high statues of apostles and four Church Fathers. Above them, a curved cornice emerges, with angel heads peeking through, surrounded by intricate vines, acanthus leaves, fruits, flowers, and cornucopias. This decorative style extends across the vaults and frames of the paintings, creating a rich, cohesive aesthetic. Pairs of putti can be seen above the loggia windows and the arcades that lead into the chapels.
Main Altar and Side Altars
The main altar, designed by Pompeo Ferrari, is one of the church’s focal points. In the central section, there is a large painting titled The Resurrection of Piotrowin by St. Stanislaus the Bishop, painted by Szymon Czechowicz. To the left of the painting is a sculptural replica of the same motif, while to the right, St. Stanislaus Kostka is shown repelling a seven-headed beast. The entire structure is framed by simple columns that support a gently undulating entablature. Above it, allegorical figures of faith and hope (depicted as women holding a cross and an anchor) hover.The side altars are inspired by those in the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome. Between spiral columns, paintings of St. Ignatius of Loyola (who wrote the Jesuit rule) and St. Stanislaus Kostka receiving communion from an angel are displayed.In addition to these altars, the church houses Baroque portraits and epitaphs, as well as altars dedicated to St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Pius X, further enriching the spiritual atmosphere of the interior.
Wreath of chapels
The St. John Francis Regis Chapel features a statue of the saint, although it’s somewhat obscured by a painting of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe. Above the statue is a vault with a depiction of Jesus healing a cripple. This chapel was once a place where bread was distributed to the poor.In St. Rosalia’s chapel, Latin inscriptions painted on the vault are held by angels and figures, sharing information about the patron saint. The altar originally depicted St. Rosalia in her hermitage, but now the image has been replaced by that of Our Lady of Częstochowa. The Chapel of the Holy Jesuit Martyrs holds an expressive medieval sculpture of “Christ the Sorrowful” (dating back to 1430). This sculpture follows the Vir Dolorum iconographic type. It was moved from the former parish church. In the altar painting, the Jesuits martyred in Japan appear to be praying towards the sculpture, thanks to an optical illusion. In the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, attention is drawn to sculptures of Joshua and St. Thomas the Apostle. On the altar’s top, featuring the calling of St. Francis Xavier, a Latin inscription reads: Sicut tu amasti me, Sic amo te amabo me (As you have loved me, so I will love you). The Chapel of the Holy Cross contains a 17th-century altar painting of Christ wearing a crown of thorns. Above it hangs a life-size, late Gothic crucifix, with Mary Magdalene kneeling at its feet. The vault above features an illusory dome.The Chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help has a history that dates back to the 17th century, when the miraculous image of Our Lady was first venerated in the Poznań parish church. However, the original image was lost in the 19th century. The current image, created by Władysław Ukleja in 1952, was crowned on October 11, 1961, by Archbishop Antoni Baraniak, making it the first coronation in Poland after World War II. The Chapel of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, with its modern interior, is the oldest chapel of perpetual adoration in Poznań. Built in 1937 for the International Eucharistic Congress held in honor of Christ the King, it was consecrated by Cardinal August Hlond on June 27, 1937. St. Joseph’s Chapel features a central altarpiece of the Holy Family, with an image of the Holy Trinity above. On either side of the painting are figures of St. Joachim with an angel holding a lamb, and St. Anne with the baby Mary, both crowned. The chapel’s vault depicts the glory of St. Joseph, surrounded by angels holding various attributes. The Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel has an 18th-century painting at its altar, showing St. Michael the Archangel defeating Satan. Nearby, there’s a bust of St. Pius X and a painting of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus. The altar is crowned by a depiction of the Guardian Angel and an angel chaining Satan. The vault portrays St. Michael’s Miracle on Mount Gargano, with the Archangels Raphael and Gabriel nearby. In the St. Aloysius Gonzaga Chapel, the altar features a painting of the patron saint in a monastic habit. Angels hold a book and a scroll with an inscription on either side. In a niche, there’s a sculpture of a sleeping St. Aloysius Gonzaga, hidden behind a painting of St. Jude by Tadeusz Stanisław Wróblewski from 1954. The Chapel of St. Francis Borgia has a central painting of the Virgin Mary and Child among angels, dating from the 16th or 17th century. An important feature of the chapel is a sculpture of St. Francis Borgia blessing St. Stanislaus Kostka. The vault above depicts the Annunciation of the Lord.
Organs
The organ was commissioned at the initiative of parish priest Walenty Zientkiewicz to replace the previously small and frequently broken instrument. Friedrich Ladegast of Weissenfels, Saxony, the best European organ builder of the late 19th century, designed and constructed it. The master spent four years designing and building the organ, from 1872 to 1876, and it was opened on July 26, 1876. It cost 24,000 marks (half the amount 4,000 thalers was donated by an anonymous elderly woman). The Oscar Mothes-designed wooden case comes from Józef Zeyland’s workshop in Pozna, which was built in 1875 by carpenter Synoracki and woodcarver Teodor Gloger. During World War I, the tin pipes were taken out and replaced with zinc ones during the interwar period (the Albert Polcyna company did the renovation). Bronisaw Cepka of Popowo, close to Wronki, renovated it after World War II. Fortunately, neither renovation altered the structure itself. The organ was brought back to its former glory between the years 2000 and 2001 using the case design and the preserved design of Ladegast. The renovation was carried out by the Alexander Schuke Company from Potsdam and the Marek Cepka Organmaker’s Company from Popowo. The zinc pipes were replaced with those made of a 98% English tin alloy (the other alloy components being lead, antimony , bismuth , silver , and arsenic ). The wooden pipes were made of noble varieties of oak, larch , and Siberian fir , and the leather elements were also replaced. The case’s original color scheme was also restored.
Currently, the organ has 43 stops, three manual keyboards, and a pedalboard. Over 2,600 tin and wooden pipes make up the sound system. The longest are over 5 meters long (the covered stop is 32 feet long), and the shortest are just a few centimeters long. The instrument’s action and registration are mechanical, with the second manual using a Barker lever . Some experts rate its sound color higher than that of the more famous organs in Oliwa or Leżajsk. Every Saturday (and daily from Monday to Saturday during the summer season), at 12:15 PM, organ concerts featuring distinguished performers are held. The concerts are free to attend, and the money from them goes to renovating the parish church. After the concerts, visitors can tour the church’s basement. Additionally, during the summer, Old Town Organ Concerts are held on Thursday evenings.
Feast Day
Feast Day : June 27 – Our Lady of Perpetual
July 22 – Saint Mary Magdalene
April 11 – Saint Stanislaus
The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Mary Magdalene in Poznań, Poland, celebrates key feast days throughout the year. The feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is on June 27th, while Saint Mary Magdalene is honored on July 22nd. The church also observes the feast of Saint Stanislaus on April 11th. These celebrations are central to the parish’s devotion and spiritual life.
Church Mass Timing
Monday to Saturday : 06:00 AM, 08:00 AM, 06:30 PM
Sunday : 06:00 AM, 09:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 06:30 PM
Church Opening Time:
Monday to Sunday : 6:00 am – 7:30 pm.
Contact Info
Address : Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Poznań Fara
Gołębia 1, 61-779 Poznań, Poland
Phone : +48 61 852 69 50
Accommodations
Connectivities
Airway
Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Mary Magdalene, Poznań, Poland, to Poznań-Ławica Airport, distance between 28 min (12.6 km) via Bukowska.
Railway
Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and St. Mary Magdalene, Poznań, Poland, to Rijeka Train Station Hrvatska, distance between 12 min (3.3 km) via Dworcowa.
