"With Mary Through the Ages".
Second floor of the museum, Hall of Sacred Art
The exhibition was opened in 2020 on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the "Oblatio" - the act of self-sacrifice by St. Stanislaus Papczynski, declaring his will to found a religious community dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
From the beginning, Marian spirituality has been linked to a deep veneration of Mary, which is why the subject of our exhibition is a variety of images of the Mother of God. The exhibit shows the richness of Marian iconography, which over the centuries has drawn inspiration from both Scripture and legends, apocrypha and living folk tradition.
Under each exhibit there are detailed descriptions - we inform when the iconographic type appeared in art and what theological and spiritual content it conveys. Mary's images are visualizations of her spiritual experiences: kenosis, sorrows (e.g. the symbol of the sword in the heart), holiness (the rays beaming from the Immaculate Heart) and truths of faith, such as the Immaculate Conception, Divine Maternity or Assumption.
Particularly moving are the World War II field altar settings, which testify to the deep Marian devotion of soldiers. Among the highlights are images of Mary on pharmacy vases and a rare image of the Apocalyptic Woman placed on an agnus framed in a Mexican reliquary.
