A rural village of 130 inhabitants in central Poland now has the largest statue of Mary in Europe. On 15 August, Konotopie brought together clergy, hundreds of devotees and politicians such as former president Lech Wałęsa to consecrate a new statue of ‘Our Lady of Mercy’.

The celebration was timed to coincide with the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which in many traditionally Catholic countries is a public holiday marking the later dogma proclaimed by the Church of Rome in 1950, which asserts that Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, was assumed ‘body and soul’ into the ‘glory’ of heaven.

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The monument, standing over 55 metres tall, surpasses other Catholic landmarks such as the famous ‘Christ, The Redeemer’ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (38 metres). The new Virgin also surpasses what was the largest Christian monument in the country: the ‘Jesus Christ, King of the Universe’ in Świebodzin, standing 52 metres tall and built in 2010.

The Virgin of Konotopie has been paid for by a wealthy family from the region. They say the investment is a “personal vow of gratitude for having regained health and life”.

A new ‘sanctified’ site for Catholic pilgrimage

Following the recitation of the Rosary and a Mass, Bishop Krzysztof Wętkowski blessed the statue. “Here in Konotopie, Mary, in this image we see, welcomes us all; she leans towards us and opens her arms to invite us to lift our gaze upwards, towards God and towards heaven”, the bishop told the crowd, according to news agencies.

The regional Catholic leader also said that the site has now been “sanctified by the prayers of the pilgrims”, which will encourage tourism to this small town.

The image of Mary, entirely grey in colour, is built of reinforced concrete. According to Euronews, after the ceremony, two helicopters flew over the site, scattering red rose petals.

Poland, Europe’s Catholic stronghold

According to statistics on religion in Europe, such as those in a recent Pew Research report, Poland is by far the country with the highest number of  Roman Catholics in Europe. 96% say they were brought up in this religion.

The papacy of John Paul II has been key to this devotion to Mary in Poland. In 1976, Karol Wojtyła became the first non-Italian pope and led the Vatican for 27 years, exerting a strong religious influence over his country of origin.

In contrast to Poland, identification with the Vatican’s faith is falling sharply in other traditionally Catholic countries such as France and Spain, and even Italy.

Mary, a central figure in Roman Catholicism

The figure of Mary is essential to understanding Roman Catholicism. Since 1854, the Church of Rome has held that she was ‘conceived without sin’.

Her figure is studied and promoted internationally at Mariological Congresses, such as the most recent one, held in September 2025 in Rome, which was attended by 600 experts on Mary.