Multimedia and awards
Anna Wyszynska
The second part of the pilgrimage of 'Niedziela' to Jasna Gora took place in the John Paul II conference hall. A special programme showing the achievements of the multimedia institution, the editorial board of 'Niedziela', preceded the ceremony. The meeting began with a documentary entitled 'Good Shepherd passed away', made by the editors of the Niedziela Television Studio, during several days before the funeral of John Paul II. The authors of the film caught the experiences and reflections of pilgrims who were arriving at Jasna Gora to pray, write in the Book of Condolences and give a testimony of their pain in those special moments for the whole world.
One of the participants of the pilgrimage, and at the same time its special guest, was Prof. Antoni Jackowski, PhD, Jagiellonian University. Prof. Jackowski, founder and director of the Department of Geography of Religion, the only unity of this type in Poland, presented his book 'Jasnogorskie pielgrzymowanie bez granic' (Pilgriming to Jasna Gora without limits), which has been published in the series 'Biblioteka Niedzieli'. This book is a scientific analysis of pilgriming as a phenomenon present in various religions of the world. The Author emphasizes that the special atmosphere of the place causes people of various nationalities and religions make a pilgrimage. Jasna Gora has been placed among the several most important sanctuaries in Europe and the world for a long time. So far there have been no attempts of scientific analyses concerning this topic. Therefore, Jackowski's book is a pioneering work.
Rafal Wieczynski and Julita Swiercz-Wieczynska introduced the history of the realization of the documentary entitled 'Zwyciezcy nie umieraja' (Winners do not die) about the Servant of God Fr Jerzy Popieluszko. They also spoke about the realization of a feature film about Father Jerzy. At the end of the conference the editor-in-chief conferred the medals 'Mater verbi'. This year the medal has a picture of the Holy Father John Paul II and the words from the motto of the pilgrimage 'I have looked for you and you have come to me'. Jerzy Walczak, collaborator of 'Niedziela' in the Koszalin-Kolobrzeg Diocese, expressed his gratitude on behalf of the awarded.
The annual feast day of 'Niedziela' was closed with a concert of the State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble 'Slask' in the Czestochowa Philharmonic. The concert had a characteristic title 'All that Poland is'. At the beginning of the concert Msgr Ireneusz Skubis referred to that title. He said, 'I would like this evening to be a lesson to enter the Polish culture through a Polish song .... The Catholic Weekly 'Niedziela' wants to serve what is Christian, what is great, what is full of humanism, and what serves the great heritage called Poland'.
The concert was a very dynamic, excellent artistic performance. The stylized presentation of folklore traditions from various regions of Poland was a source of many unspeakable emotions. The audience gave the artists and performers a standing ovation.
"Niedziela" 40/2005