The
monastery church of the Franciscans was built by Jakub Wejher
in 1650. It is one of the oldest monuments in the town with
preserved original without greater changes lump. The only
special intrusion was "the prolongation" of the church for
few meters in XVIII century. It was caused by the choir construction
and bringing the pipe organs to the church. It was possible
due to the change of Franciscans monastery formula according
to which they thought that one of the only and greatest instrument
daring to prize the God is human voice. That is why in the
Franciscans churches organs were not used. In XVIII century
the ban was lifted and count Ignacy Przebendowski funded building
the choir and the church "prolongation". The built part is
visible from the outside. It only differs in the windows style
and in the character of the used material; the Franciscans
church is from brick, the built fragment is plastered.
The
lump of the temple is built in the cross shape. It has unique
baroque facade and rich interior: 5 late-baroque altars (the
main altar Christ crucifixion), rococo patronly lodge, and
pulpit, incrusted cupboards in the vestry and the paintings
with perfect XVIII century Pieta and the painting presenting
the founder of the city with his wife.
The most precious treasure of this church is the picture of
Wejherowski's Soul and Body Healer Heavenly Mother famous
for grace which is probably 17th Century painter Andrzej Stecha
authorship. In the picture Heavenly Mother is holding the
Infant Jesus in her left hand and in her right one she has
the golden scepter. Mary's face has pronounced features of
a young beautiful lady. Her right ear is adorned with an earring
and it is so exposed as if she were listening to the believers'
requests. Mary's feet covered with sandals are stamping the
snake which is slithering on the globe. Next to the feet there
is visible the golden horn of the crescent with human face
on it. Infant Jesus is holding in his left hand blue orb and
in his right one a red rose (the roses are also in the Wejher's
blazon. On the Head of Mary and the Infant Jesus there are
golden crowns inset with precious stones. These crowns were
ceremoniously sacred and put by the pope John Paul II on 5th
June 1999 on the Sopot's Hippodrome.
The Wejherowska's Calvary website was created within the framework of the project: 'Preservation and availability of Pomeranian heritage by means of Cultural Park foundation in Wejherowo' which is financed by EU.