Sianowo

History

===Origin=== The Sanctuary of The Queen of the Kashubs in Sianowo church is currently the biggest in Kashubia. The first mention of Sianowo dates to 1348. The place name probably derives from the North Germanic name Sven. In 1480, the church burned in a fire; however, The Madonna of Swionowo, a finely crafted statue, was saved. After the fire, the parish of Sianowo became a part of Strzepcz parish, although the church was later rebuilt. Around this time, the veneration of "The Mother of God" grew in popularity. Sources claim that, by the 15th century, a host of people were already making pilgrimages to Sianowo for blessings. Sianowo was a royal village of the Kingdom of Poland, administratively located in the Mirachowo County in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. In 1810, for the second time, the church was destroyed by fire. The statue was once again saved and moved to Strzepcz. The parish priest of Strzepcz did not want to rebuild the Sianowo church. However, The Madonna was shown to a woman who prophesied that it was absolutely necessary to rebuild the church, and that doing otherwise would lead to bad luck. This testimony was given under oath in the presence of the priest. The church was then quickly rebuilt and the number of worshipers rapidly grew. In 1864, the Sianowo parish was installed for the second time. Sources from that time state that Many lame and crippled who come are cured because of the Madonna. The maimed left their crutches and sticks in Sianowo; young people who wished to be married willingly made pilgrimages; soldiers reporting to the battlefields of World War II sought blessings. It is believed that they repeatedly owed their miraculous rescue to Her. During the German occupation of Poland (World War II), in 1939, some inhabitants of Sianowo…