Polish Marian Shrine

The Polish Marian Shrine is a cherished spiritual destination dedicated to Our Lady of Czestochowa, affectionately known as the Black Madonna.

Established in the 1970s by Melbourne’s Polish community, and reflecting their deep Marian devotion and cultural heritage, the shrine is the only church in Australia consecrated by St John Paul II (then Cardinal Karol Wojtyła during his visit to Melbourne in 1973). With strong ties to the Society of Jesus and the Resurrection Sisters, the shrine offers a serene space for prayer and reflection, and features a striking replica of the revered icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, along with relics and a statue of St John Paul II, a relic of hair from the beard of St Maximilian Mary Kolbe and a relic of a small bone fragment of Blessed Celine Borzecka, founder of the Sisters of the Resurrection, who donated the land on which the shrine stands.