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Lesnica - Łącko - Szczawnica
Last update 2025-11-14
The Miraculous Icon of Our Lady with the Child from the church in Łącko
The painting that survived the fire
The miraculous painting of Our Lady with the Child from the church in Łącko is one of the most treasured works of local Marian devotion. It depicts the Virgin Mary in the “Snow Madonna” type (Salus Populi Romani), shown frontally to the knees, in a Baroque style. The painting dates to around 1650.
Based on its age, it is believed that it originally belonged to the second wooden parish church in Łącko, which burned down before 1720. Saved from the flames, it soon became one of the most venerated Marian images in the region.
A painting “renowned for graces”
In the 18th century the image was officially recognised as miraculous. It was recorded in the “Załuski Tables” (1747–1749), which catalogued Marian images considered miraculous and grace-bearing. The Łącko painting was listed as an imago gratiosa – an image famed for graces.
At that time the painting was overpainted – crowns and a scapular were added to emphasise its devotional status and harmonise it with the evolving Baroque décor. These later layers concealed the original Baroque painting for centuries. Only in 2009, during conservation, was the original layer uncovered.
From the Baroque to the present day
Today the painting of Our Lady with the Child is located on the left side of the nave, in the altar of the Chapel of Our Lady of Częstochowa. Although less exposed than the Scapular Madonna in the main altar, it retains profound spiritual significance for the parish community.
For four centuries the faithful have prayed before this image, entrusting their intentions to the Mother who, as they believe, has watched over the parish without interruption.
Conservators employed a layer-separation technique, allowing the removal of later overpaint without damaging the original Baroque surface. Thanks to this, the painting regained its authentic historical form and continues to embody both artistic heritage and uninterrupted Marian devotion present in Łącko since the 17th century.