On Poland's eastern borderlands, where the Subcarpathian region meets Ukraine, the town of Lubaczów guards a spiritual heritage shaped by centuries of dialogue between Latin and Eastern Christianity. The Cathedral of St. Stanislaus, seat of the Diocese of Zamość-Lubaczów, rises above a landscape that has witnessed the meeting of cultures—Polish, Ukrainian, and Ruthenian—united in faith despite political divisions.
The Kresy, as Poles call their eastern borderlands, were never homogeneous. Latin Rite Catholics worshipped alongside Greek Catholics and Orthodox believers; Polish noble families lived among Ukrainian peasants. The Second World War and its aftermath reshuffled these populations, but the churches remain—witnesses to a complexity that enriches the faith of those who pilgrimage here.
At the nearby Sanctuary of Our Lady of Łukawiec, a miraculous Marian image continues to draw pilgrims who venerate Mary under a title that predates the modern borders. For those seeking to understand Catholic Poland's eastern frontier, Lubaczów offers an encounter with living history.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Lubaczów's Catholic presence dates to the medieval period, when the region belonged to the Kingdom of Poland. The town received municipal rights in 1376, and the Latin parish developed alongside the Greek Catholic and Orthodox communities that served the Ruthenian population.
The religious landscape reflected the Union of Brest (1596), which brought many Eastern Christians into communion with Rome while retaining Byzantine liturgy. Latin and Greek Catholic churches stood in proximity, serving populations that often intermarried and shared festivals while maintaining distinct liturgical traditions.
The 20th century brought devastating change. World War II, the Holocaust, and the postwar population exchanges altered the demographics forever. Many Greek Catholics were forcibly resettled to Soviet Ukraine or western Poland. Yet the sanctuaries survived, and the Diocese of Lubaczów (now Zamość-Lubaczów) inherited the pastoral care of this memorial landscape.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Łukawiec preserves a Marian image venerated since at least the 17th century. The devotion survived war and displacement, continuing to draw pilgrims from both sides of the modern border.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Lubaczów
Cathedral of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr
Seat of the Diocese of Zamość-Lubaczów
The neo-Gothic cathedral, rebuilt after wartime destruction, serves as the mother church of the diocese. The interior houses devotional images and relics collected over centuries of local Catholic presence. Bishop-martyr St. Stanislaus of Kraków, Poland's patron, gives his name to this frontier cathedral.
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Łukawiec
Marian shrine of the eastern borderlands
The sanctuary in nearby Łukawiec (5 km from Lubaczów) houses the miraculous image of Our Lady venerated for over three centuries. The pilgrimage tradition survived war and population displacement, drawing faithful from Poland and Ukraine who share this Marian heritage.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Assumption of Mary — August 15
The main pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Łukawiec, drawing pilgrims from across the diocese and beyond.
Feast of St. Stanislaus — May 8
The cathedral's patronal feast honoring Poland's bishop-martyr.
Feast of the Nativity of Mary — September 8
Traditional celebration at the Łukawiec sanctuary.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Hotel Zamoyski ⭐⭐⭐ — In nearby Zamość (60 km), a UNESCO World Heritage city. Reserve this hotel
Hotels in Przemyśl (45 km south) — Historic city with more accommodation options.
Guesthouses in Lubaczów — Small family guesthouses serve the town.
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Rzeszów-Jasionka Airport (RZE) is 90 km southwest.
By Car: From Przemyśl, take Route 867 north (approximately 45 km). From Rzeszów, take Route 835 east (approximately 80 km). From Zamość, take Route 865 south (approximately 60 km).
By Bus: Regional buses connect Lubaczów to Przemyśl, Rzeszów, and Zamość.
📚 Further Reading
Timothy Snyder. Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin — History of the eastern borderlands during World War II.
Anna Reid. Borderland: A Journey Through the History of Ukraine — Cultural and religious history of the Polish-Ukrainian borderlands.
🔗 Useful Links
Diocese of Zamość-Lubaczów — Diocesan information.
Lubaczów Town — Local tourism information.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Kalwaria Pacławska (60 km south) — Major Calvary shrine with Assumption mystery plays.
Krasnobród (60 km northwest) — Baroque Marian sanctuary in the Roztocze hills.
Leżajsk (50 km west) — Bernardine shrine of Our Lady of Consolation.
Przemyśl (45 km south) — Historic cathedral city with Latin and Greek Catholic heritage.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"That they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you." — John 17:21 (NABRE)
