In the relatively flat region of Greater Poland, hills have always piqued great curiosity. On one of them – known as the Holy Mount, located on the outskirts of Gostyń – stands one of the most beautiful Baroque churches in Poland. It forms part of Oratorian Monastery complex (Congregation of the Oratory of St Phillip Neri). The Basilica on the Holy Mount is a widely known Marian sanctuary. It’s also famous for its dome, the largest in Poland (17 meters in diameter, 50 meters high). Every year it also holds an annual oratorio music festival.
The Holy Mount was a special place even in the Middle Ages. Then a wooden chapel stood at the site of today’s basilica, which now houses the miraculous painting of the Virgin Mary from the mid-16th century, making the Mount a pilgrimage destination. In 1668, Adam Konarzewski brought the Oratorians here, who still own this place. The basilica was modeled after the Church of Santa Maria della Salute in Venice, which greatly impressed Zofia née Opalińska, Adam Konarzewski’s wife.
Interior
The basilica’s interior is richly decorated, as befits a Baroque building. The interior of the enormous dome is adorned with polychromes depicting scenes from the life of St. Philip Neri. In the altar there is still a miraculous painting. While visiting the church, pay attention to the cannonball embedded above the side entrance. This is a relic from a battle of the Seven Years’ War. The underground crypts of the church are also worth seeing. But please note that this is not a trip for the faint-hearted.
Festival
Every year, at the end of September, the Musica Sacromontana Oratorio Music Festival is held at the church. The genesis of its establishment was the discovery of lost manuscripts containing musical works composed at the basilica on the Holy Mount. Music has always played an important role in the work and life of the Oratorians. During the festival, apart from classical pieces, you can also listen to works by Józef Zeidler, who is associated with the congregation.
