the God's Mercy Sanctuary
In the later 1880s, on the initiative of a young professor of the seminar, priest Antoni Julian Nowowiejski, the future bishop of Płock, habitless nuns started to work among the female service. Soon they took care mostly o girls from neglected and poor families. in 1891, for that purpose the Guardian Angel's Educational Institution was created. In 1899, the care over it was taken by Sister of the Heavenly Mother of Mercy. The congregation was established in 1862 by Mother Teresa Maria nee Sułkowski, countess Potocka. The first House of Charity was established in Warsaw at Żytnia Street. Brought to Płock, they extended charity activities, among others, with learning a profession, thanks to which the institution developed rapidly. Initially, it was a shelter for 50 girls and after opening an office in Stara Biała the number of wards increased substantially.
The Guardian Angel's Institution was located in three tenement houses situated in the south-eastern frontage of the market square. The oldest (no. 14) dates back to ca. mid-19th century, the other two were reconstructed by known architect, Stefan Szyller. in 1950, the communist authorities liquidated the activities and the Sisters were brought to Biała, far away from the town, where they kept on looking after girls who could not give birth to children in their environment. Initially, at the Old Market Square, a state children's home was created, later on the buildings fell into ruin.
Saint Sister Faustina – Helena Kowalska was born on 25.08.1905 in Głogów, in peasant family. Initial difficulties, objection of her parents, refusals by various orders only strengthened her decision on sacrificing her life to God. Only the Congregation of the Sisters of the Heavenly Mother of Mercy accepted Helena on 1.08.1925, and she was given names Maria Faustina. in 1930, she came to Płock and remained here two years, working in a kitchen and a bakery. On 22 February 1931, she had the first and the most important revelations. She saw th vision of Jesus who told her to make a painting of the God's Mercy – Merciful Jesus. She heard also his request to establish the Holiday of the God's Mercy on the first Sunday after Easter. The first painting was painted during her stay in Vilnius by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski, in 1934. In 1939, in the chapel of the monastery the painting of Merciful Jesus was placed and survived the period of occupation, bringing consolation to those in need. The painting that is currently in Płock was created in 1991, by Elżbieta Plewa-Hoffman.
The Sisters of the Heavenly Mother of Mercy returned to the Old Market Square in June 1990 to the buildings requiring extensive redecoration. in the area of the Monastic House there is a chapel of the Sanctuary with paintings of Merciful Jesus, Saint Sister Faustina and her relics. in the cellar a museum was created with the former bakery, reconstruction of the monastic cell and many keepsakes of the Saint. The exhibition shows also development of the worship of the God's Mercy in Poland and worldwide. at the place of the building with the cell of Saint Faustina, the presbytery of a newly built chapel will be located.
Saint Faustina was beatified on 18 April 1993 and on 30 April 2000 was canonized by John Paul II. The Płock chapel was raised to the rank of Sanctuary, as it is where the world's mission of the worship of God's Mercy began.
In 2009, in the sanctuary the so-called window to life for unwanted newborn babies is located.
Curiosity!
In 1986, during archaeological testing carried out on the yard of the monastery a sensational discovery was made. in the uncovered well a predecessor of violin – "Płock skrzypice" from the 15th/16th century were found. This is a six-string instrument, the only one preserved in Europe, previously known only from the old Polish literature. Its reconstructions are already used by folk groups.
