zestochowa represents a special stage in the exhibition's journey. Famous for its shrine to the Virgin Mary, this important town in Poland's spiritual and political history needs no introduction. During the period of soviet domination it was a great symbol of resistance to communism.

adeus Wrona, the mayor of Czestochowa, having seen the exhibition in Lourdes in 1990, had expressed his desire to bring it to his city for the visit of the Pope, and the 6th World Youth Day in August 1991.

r Wrona made available for us a wonderful place: the Mining Museum, built on the site of an old mine shaft, in a lovely wood, just at the side of the Sanctuary's esplanade on Jasna-Gora hill.

he only posters allowed on the esplanade of the sanctuary were for the Pieta, and these were placed on metal and wooden triptychs, specially constructed for the occasion.

he day on which the Holy Father came, a wave of young people swept over everything. The triptyches were stormed by the young people who, like Zachaeus in his tree, climbed up them, to get a better view of John-Paul II.

he lasting memory of those days is the deep emotion of the young people who remained sitting for hours on end in front of the photographs of the Pieta - young people with whom, not having a common language, we could only communicate though signs.