Wedding of the Weddings
2025 Wedding of the Weddings
2025
In the year 2025AD, the 31st National Meeting of Couples Having Non-Alcoholic Weddings, "Wesele Wesel" (Wedding of Weddings), took place in Jeżów Sudecki from July 31 to August 3. This village in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in the Karkonosze County, lies on the border between the Kaczawskie Mountains and the Jelenia Góra Valley in the Western Sudetes. This village, currently home to approximately 2,500 inhabitants, located 7 km southwest of Jelenia Góra, is one of the oldest settlements in the Jelenia Góra region. Its existence is documented as early as 1299 AD in a letter from Bolko I, Duke of Silesia. Throughout history, the village has changed its name at least ten times. The current name has been in use since 1946. Around 1924, a glider factory was opened in the village, which still exists today. It is located on Mount Góra Szybowcowa (561 m above sea level), where the world's second gliding training center was established in 1924. A glider airfield is still in operation there today, attracting hang-gliders and paragliders. It's also worth climbing to the top of this mountain to enjoy the beautiful panorama of the Jelenia Gora Valley and the breathtaking landscape of the Karkonosze Mountains. From here, you can see Sněžka (1,603 m above sea level).
During the meeting, we visited two station churches of the Holy Year: in Legnica and Krzeszów. In Legnica, we visited St. Jacek's Church, where a Eucharistic miracle occurred in 2013. This church is a neo-Gothic building. It was built on a cruciform plan, covered with gable roofs, and has a square tower in the southwest, crowned by a tall, pyramidal dome. The main entrance, on the south façade of the tower, is framed by a portal bearing a relief depicting the Mercy Seat by Riedel of Strasbourg. The interior has three naves with a hexagonal choir. The church's furnishings are also neo-Gothic: a main altar from 1908 with paintings by Rafael Schuster-Woldan depicting Christ's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Entombment of Christ, and the Encounter of the Risen Christ with Mary Magdalene.
During the Mass, His Excellency Bishop Tadeusz Bronakowski delivered a moving homily on the necessity of worthy adoration of the Eucharistic Christ. In his homily, the bishop spoke about how, even in our time, Jesus himself is not recognized for who he is: as Messiah, Christ, God. Christ demands this recognition, also through the recent Eucharistic miracle. We should honor him, receive him into our hearts, and venerate him in the tabernacles of our churches. Finally, he demands recognition of his role as savior, redeemer, and bringer of freedom. In this context, the bishop asks whether today's young generation even strives for true freedom, whether it longs for freedom. He describes us as promoters of freedom, as spreaders of the idea of freedom—we, the married couple who married alcohol-free. Our abstinence, our striving for sobriety, and thus for freedom in general, stem from love for God, neighbor, and fatherland. Poland will either be sober or it will not exist at all. The bishop reiterated his appeal to the engaged couples from three days ago in Miejsce Piastowe for non-alcoholic weddings. True love only flourishes in an atmosphere of sobriety. The bishop thanked Father Władysław and the Wedding of Weddings Association for their contribution to promoting the idea of non-alcoholic weddings.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace in Krzeszów is a true pearl of European Baroque, glorifying God in every detail, beginning with the threshold, where Jesus is depicted as the gate of the sheep. The basilica is the station church of the Holy Year. Its most important relic is the icon of Our Lady of Grace, the oldest icon of the Virgin Mary in Poland. It is located in the main altar and likely dates back to the 8th century or earlier. A papal legate brought it to the Cistercian monks while visiting the abbey. While St. Joseph's Church was a parish church, the basilica was intended for the prayers of the monks. Its entire interior is dedicated to the spread of the Catholic faith, which was important during the Reformation, when a significant portion of the area's population had fallen away from the Catholic faith. The church was built in the Baroque style, specifically for the Counter-Reformation. Here, the participants renewed their marriage vows before this oldest Marian icon in Poland. The adjacent St. Joseph's Church, with its enormous paintings depicting the seven sorrows and seven joys of the Protector of the Lord Jesus, also left a deep impression. The entire sanctuary is a testament to the power of the ora et labora principle that guided the Cistercians who built it.
As part of the formation portion of the meeting, Father Prof. Dr. Habil. Paweł Bortkiewicz gave a plenary lecture. Father Władysław Zązel, Honorary Chaplain of His Holiness, led a four-day retreat.
We were able to learn about the regional culture and history by visiting the Silesian Piast Mausoleum in Krzeszów and the Szybowcowa Mountain in Jeżów Sudecki – site of the world-famous glider factory.
The event concluded with an all-night, non-alcoholic wedding ball. At the entrance to the reception hall, the event coordinators, who took on the role of wedding mayors, welcomed the guests with bread. The festivities began with a traditional Polish dance – the polonaise. Afterwards, the band "Sami Swoi" performed old and new pieces from their repertoire, so that every wedding guest could find the right dance mood. Children were also taken into consideration: the program was interrupted periodically for children's games – accompanied by music, but also an exciting physics demonstration (using dry ice). In the adjoining room, the children played table football.
I'm not exaggerating when I say the tables were overflowing with food. A hot meal was served at the beginning, followed by cold appetizers such as cold cuts, salads, and much more. There was also a rustic table with typical country meats, pickles, and lard. The kitchen served roast lamb. Guests enjoyed a variety of cakes. Cold drinks were served, and coffee and tea were available. At the right moment, the wedding cake of the 2025 Weddings was served.
Participating in this event, which promotes non-alcoholic weddings, a sober lifestyle, and reverence for Catholic marriage, was a wonderful spiritual celebration. Such a gathering in a joyful, relaxed atmosphere helps strengthen marriages and social ties within families and the nation. It thus contributes to the well-being of families, economic development, the improvement of Poland's reputation, and the welfare and salvation of all, thus serving the state and the nation.