The article describes the history of the settlement of Podkamień near Lviv, where a Polish Dominican monastery was founded in 1234 and destroyed just nine years later. A legend related to the sanctity of the site is also cited, followed by subsequent, including Polish rulers of Podkamień. (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1861, T:4, pp. 15-16., after: Digital Library of the University of Łódź).

A modernised reading of the text

Podkamień.

In remote centuries, the area where Podkamień lies today was the main seat of the pagan Polovtsians, who with time were exterminated or driven out to other countries. This happened at the end of the 12th century, and at the beginning of the 13th century, the apostles of Christianity, the Dominicans, made their home on a high rock, among dense forests, on the site of toppled pagan idols, and erected a wooden church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In 1234, Gregory IX, Pope, confirmed the foundation of the Dominicans of Podkamieniec; but God willing, the first steps of the apostles of the Holy Faith in this land were marked by martyrdom.

Terrible times came upon Poland: nine years after the foundation of the Podkamieniec monastery, the first outpouring of Tartar savagery into Red Ruthenia occurred. The shady forests failed to shield the wooden church and monastery from the eyes of the barbarians: fire destroyed the church and monastery, and the pagan sword shed the blood of Prior Urban and 12 monks. Legend has it that of all the inhabitants of the monastery, only one old sacristan was left alive and hid in the rocks. He watched the destruction of the church and the deaths of the monks and prayed fervently to God that he, at least, could remain and tell the people what had happened in Podkamień.

In the meantime, the horde had spread out in close proximity and did not think to move any further, and the old man in his hiding place was tormented by hunger and thirst. He was especially unable to bear the thirst, for with hunger, being accustomed to severe fasting, he could cope. While he was praying to God for help, suddenly a woman in white, with a face radiating holiness, stood before him on a rock. Consolation entered his heart, for he thought that this miracle meant the Tartars were moving away. How surprised he was when, at the place where the holy woman appeared, he saw a foot pressed into the rock, and in it water as clear as crystal. Thirsty, he jumped towards this fountain, and although he drank until his thirst was quenched, the water did not run out.

In this way he nourished himself every day until the Tartars departed, and when this divine punishment had passed, going from village to village, from town to town, he told of the appearance of the holy woman and of the imprinted foot. The castle and the town - he planned to build a magnificent church here, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Cross and the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and he brought his intention to fruition in 1464.

The Lviv archbishop, Grzegorz of Strzemię coat of arms, came to the consecration of the church himself, handed it over to the priests of the Order of St Dominic, and signed the foundation act together with two priests, Jan of Winiar and Pavel Niemierza of Boryszów. Divine judgements, however, marked the place with a second terrible defeat. In 1519, after the Tartars invaded Būsė, Podolia and Volhynia, the castle, church and monastery in Podkamien were demolished and burnt to the ground, and the heir of the first founder, Wincenty Cebrowski, had neither the will nor the ability to raise the castle, Wincenty Cebrowski, the heir of the first founder, had neither the will nor the ability to raise his parent's foundation from the ruins, because he sold Podkamień to King Sigismund I and only acquired the right of pledge for 18 years, which, after holding it for 40 years, he ceded to Marcin Kamieniecki, Voivode of Podolia.

Kamieniecki's wife, Sienińska, a chamberlain of Przemyśl, erected a church in Olesko, as a more defensible place, and Podkamień fell into oblivion, and had it not been for the pilgrimages of the faithful people who gathered around the miraculous spring several times a year, it might not have risen from the ruins. The next owners, the Daniłowiczs, sued the Dominicans over the land, wrangled in court, obtained condemnations, and finally sold the whole estate to Aleksander Cetner, who was married to Anna Zamojska, daughter of Wacław, Lviv castellan. The noble and pious woman, whom the poor called their angel of protection, persuaded her husband to build a church in Podkamień and surround the castle with walls for its defence.

The local legend gives the following reason for rebuilding the church in Podkamień. Baltazar Cetner, who was granted Polish indigeneity for his knightly deeds through the intercession of Jan Zamojski, Hetman of the Crown, although a Silesian, had a son, Aleksander, a brave knight who was taken prisoner by the Turks at Cecora. His young wife, Anna, née Zamojska, a close relative of Tomasz Zamojski, Chancellor and Hetman, decided, in despair at the loss of her husband, to travel on foot to the miraculous place of Podkamień.

As she was returning home after fervent prayers, she met a pilgrim wandering from the Holy Land, who told her that, passing under the tower of Jenikała, he had heard a voice: "Old man, if you are going to Poland, tell my relatives that I am living and groaning in captivity here. I am Alexander Cetner, an ensign of Podolia." One can imagine what joy this news took over his wife's heart: she collected considerable sums of money as soon as possible and sent them to redeem the prisoner, and when he returned healthy, she vowed to solemnly rebuild the church and monastery in Podkamień.

However, in spite of the defensive walls and guards, whenever the Tatars threatened Rus, the miracle-working image was taken from Podkamień to Brody, and only when all fears from that side ceased, Antoni Cetner, the starost of Cornicki, together with Michał Potocki, Voivode of Wolyn, decided to crown the miracle-working image and brought their intention to fruition on 15 August 1727. An eyewitness of this ceremony, Franciszek Pułaski, in his work "Krótka anolacya sejmów" writes:

"On the third day, above the church itself, a red crown in the clouds apparuit in the sky, similar to the one on the miraculous image, and lasted for almost an hour. At which all the people assembled for the indulgence and the army standing half a mile away in camp looked on." .

A more detailed description of this coronation is given here according to a brochure printed in Lviv in 1728:

"At the request of Augustus II, the Polish Senate and the Fathers of St. Dominic of the Ruthenian province, Pope Benedict XIII conferred crowns on the miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin in Podkamień. They were received at the Vatican from the Roman congregation of the Holy See. Antoni Cetner, Prefect of Kornytsia, received the crowns from the Vatican from the Roman congregation, and as the day of the ceremony, set for 15 August 1727, approached, countless people and countries from far and near began to flock to the Vatican, including senators, dukes, dignitaries, officials and other distinguished lords.

The whole town was filled, the whole Rosary Hill was covered with commoners and the fields were replaced. Four hussar banners, eight armoured banners, a regiment of dragoons, a regiment of infantry, a Hungarian infantry banners, a grenadier banners of Grand Duke Wiśniowiecki, the chancellor of Lithuania, and 56 cannons, in addition to those of the monastery, were camped near the village of Nakwasha. Companies from the capital city of Lviv, Kamianets Podolski, Lyakhovichi, Konstantinovych, Zbarazh, Dubna, Ternopil and others came to the field with great apparentness, offering votive offerings to the Holy Virgin. They were welcomed with perorations from the monks, with boisterous cannonade from the army, and with melodies from the band. On the eve of the coronation, in the custom of Polish swordsmanship, His Lordship Cetner greeted the coroners. Cetner welcomed His Lordship the Coroner, Bogusław Rupiński, Bishop of Łuck, who, having received the crowns from him, held the solemn entry to the mountain in the following order: first, the carriages went along the army from the village of Nakwaszy to the triumphal gates, spread out over half a mile. There were many senators, lords of the laity and clerical prelates.

In particular, His Excellency Rev. Wyhowski, Bishop of Lutsk, Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church, His Excellency Rev. Behind them is the reverend coroner, assisted by a banner of Polish knights, various companies and fraternities, and the reverend founder, on a horse dearly attired, with his court. Facing him, the monks led His Lordship the Coroner, with the thunderous sound of cannons and music, under the column at the considerable expense of His Lordship Stanislaus Leduchowski, governor of the Polish Crown. Stanisław Leduchowski, Voivode of Volhynia, put up the column, where the crowns were placed on a beautifully adorned throne.

Greeted there with due peroration and responding in a serious style, he continued his ingress into the basilica, greeted with a shout of trumpets, resonance of the organ and sweet singing. Having placed the crown among the precious deposits, the august coroner, preceded by the infuls, canons and 40 clerics carrying lighted torches, took his place on the pastoral throne for a week's octave, with the same applause and accompaniment, a service was held, and theological disputes were held. One day did not foil the other in the apparency of light, fireworks, cannon fire and handgun fire.

On the last day, companies from Zhovkva, Wisnivets, Krzemieniec, Brody and others arrived with rich apparentia. After the procession, the coroner began the hymn: "Te Deum laudamus", after which he gave his pastoral blessing to the people and concluded the whole act. During this ceremony, 108,880 communicants were distributed among the pious. Ashes of 500 stones went out for the shots." .

Up to now Podkamień is widely known for the graces that flow down on the faithful people in this place, and the water in this holy foot on the rock is never unlimited, although everyone draws it, and no one knows where it comes from. Podkamień used to be in the Volyn Voivodeship, in the Krzemieniec District, but now it is in Galicia, in the Złoczów District. It is a fairly well-built and populous little town, which makes its living mainly from indulgenced feasts, attracting several thousand people each year.