In Poland, there’s a centuries-old tradition in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary where folks from throughout the country would make a pilgrimage on foot to Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa.

People would walk, some for hundreds of miles, some carrying their shoes, some crawling on their knees, until they arrived at the shrine.

That tradition of pilgrimage is something that Father Jacek Labinski, pastorof St. Hedwig Parish, Trenton, and many of his parishioners have chosen to replicate each August.

For the past eight years, they celebrate the Feast of the Assumption by participating in a “Pielgrzymka,” or walking pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Doylestown, Pa.   CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS

Other parishes from within the diocese with Polish populations who also join in the trek hail from Divine Mercy Parish, Trenton, and St. Mary of the Lake Parish, Lakewood.

The two-day pilgrimage, which spanned 34 miles, began the morning of Aug. 7 at St. Hedwig Church, where pilgrims gathered for prayer and received a blessing from Father Labinski.

Then off they went, walking more than half the distance, singing and praying along the way.

After crossing the Delaware River, the pilgrims arrived at their evening destination, a field in Bucks County, Pa., where a candlelight Mass was celebrated and where they camped out for the night.

Bishop Wojciech Polak of the Diocese of Gniezo, Poland, who joined the pilgrimage, was principal celebrant of the Mass.

Concelebrants included Father Labinski and newly ordained Father Marcin Kania, parochial vicar of St. Leo the Great Parish, Lincroft.

The next morning, the throng set out for the shrine, where they gathered for Mass with others who had made walking pilgrimages. Some came from parishes in Philadelphia as well as Sts. Peter and Paul, Great Meadows, whose walking pilgrimage took four days to complete. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Polak, Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski of the Metuchen Diocese and many priests.

St. Hedwig’s replication of the European pilgrimage each year requires a vast amount of preparation and planning to iron out every little detail. Parishioner Paul Bosse, who has participated in previous pilgrimages since its inception, said he was impressed with the large number of young people and children who turned out.

“It’s in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a time to pray for all the poor souls on earth,” said Bosse.

Father Labinski, who walked in many pilgrimages while living in Poland, finds the version that his parish adapted as being “a great Polish tradition.

“It’s a spiritual journey in honor of Our Lady of Czestochowa,” he said. “It is also a sign of solidarity with the many, many pilgrims who walk to Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland.”

Katarzyna Semeniuk, who has walked in five pilgrimages, finds it to be a time of “spiritual fulfillment and to get away from the busyness of life.”

“I enjoy the singing, the praying and listening to the priests who accompany us,” she said. “I hope to participate in the pilgrimage again. It’s a time of blessing for us.”

Though Bozena Bienkowska never had the opportunity to participate in the pilgrimage when she lived in Poland, she has welcomed the opportunity to participate for the past eight years.

“Not only is this a Polish tradition, it’s a Catholic tradition,” said Bienkowska, a parishioner of St. Hedwig for the past 21 years. “It’s a time when we can leave behind our home responsibilities” and spend time in prayer and reflection.

“During this pilgrimage, you are walking with others.” she said.

“We eat the same food, sing the same songs and recite the same prayers. We are there for each other. It’s time when we can think about what is important in life.”