Shrine of Our Lady of Brzeg

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Brzesk in Brzesko, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, is a Roman Catholic place of worship established through the efforts of Father January Żelawski and approved by Archbishop Marian Przykucki on December 8, 1992. The sanctuary holds three titles: Our Lady of the Working People, Our Lady of Social Justice, and Patroness of the Rural Population. The central object of veneration is a Gothic wooden sculpture of the Madonna and Child, dating back to the early 15th century, representing the type of the Woman of the Apocalypse. The parish church, dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was built in the 12th/13th century. Its notable architectural features include a Renaissance triptych in the main altar and a stalactite-style ceiling in the Baroque style. The church has undergone multiple renovations, and between 1815 and 1857, a tower in the romantic Neo-Gothic style was added. Among its artistic treasures is a Renaissance pulpit by Michał Haentz, adorned with sculptures of the Evangelists, and the intricately carved ceiling, which is a unique example of woodcraft. The sanctuary has a long and rich history of Marian devotion that survived the Reformation and grew in regional significance. In Brzesk—a town associated with the Christianization of Pomerania by St. Otto—an annual procession with a statue of the Dormition of Mary takes place, underscoring the site's religious and cultural importance. The sanctuary also offers accommodation for pilgrims in a guesthouse, and Brzesk is easily accessible via nearby bus stops.