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Jaktorowo: church of St. Anne

Date of construction: 1763-1776

St. Anne is not well known because not much information can be found about her in written sources. Even so, her image often appears in the works of art. She is always presented in a characteristic scene. What is the scene?

On the top of the pulpit’s canopy in Jaktorowo there is a figure of St. Michael the Archangel. Why is he fighting the dragon? What does this scene refer to? What does the name Michael mean?

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Jaktorowo: church of St. Anne

St. Anne is the patron saint of the church in Jaktorowo and her picture appears twice on the main altar. She was the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. The altarpiece painting shows a family scene of the teaching of Mary. St. Anne is a patron saint of families and her cult as the grandmother of Jesus emphasizes the role of grandparents in children’s upbringing and the importance of multigeneration of families where the grandparents are the ones who pass on the knowledge and experience they gained during their long lives.

Picture of St. Anne who is teaching Mary highlights the wisdom of mother, her care, devotion and eagerness to pass knowledge as well as love and trust in God.

Not much information exists about the life of St. Anne. In the Apocrypha it says that she and her husband Joachim were very pious and honest marriage but they didn’t have children for a long time which was a great misfortune. Thanks to God’s intercession when they were quite old, they were given a daughter Mary whom they devoted to God.

The Mother of the MadonnaThere is one sweet Saint above
Whom I fear we do not love
With the love which is her meed.
Worthy of our love indeed
Is the good and kind St Anne:
Let us praise her all we can. (…)
What new grace shall I implore?
Ah! to feel yet more and more
Of that filial love and zeal
Which the Breton peasants feel –
Honoring as best I can
Mary’s Mother, good St Anne.
ks. Jan Twardowski

On the pulpit’s canopy was placed a sculpture of St. Michael the Archangel, a fiery warrior, the Prince of Heavenly Army who fights for justice and law. He was the one who turned against Lucifer when he persuaded angels to revolt against God. The Hebrew meaning of the name Michael is “Who is like God” – the exclaimed the Archangel when he started the fight with evil. He is commonly thought to be the archangel of justice and judgment, grace and compassion. He helps everyone who find themselves in horrible oppression. Michael is the angel of judgment and God’s punishments, but also the angel of God’s grace.

God’s apostle is shown in full armour. St. Michael is defeating a dragon, a personification of Satan.

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Jaktorowo: church of St. Anne

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