Though she was venerated soon after her death, it wasn’t until the papacy of Pope John Paul II that the idea to canonise the “most Christian queen” (as proclaimed in a homily given at her funeral) emerged. Her claims to sainthood were largely based on legend and impossible to verify 600 years down the line, but the appeal of having a saint among the Polish rulers was large. The proof included a single instance of hearing Christ speak while praying in front of a large crucifix, bringing a drowned boy back to life by covering him with a mantle, and a curious case of leaving a footprint in already-set plaster while giving a poor stonemason a golden buckle from her shoe (no, the Queen did not weigh 300 pounds, good guess though). The “100% authentic” footprint in question is still visible and lovingly preserved on the facade of the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at ul. Karmelicka 19 - find it on the corner of the building to the right of the entrance, just above ground-level. The Church decided on the sufficiency of these claims and Queen Jadwiga added another title to her name in 1997.
Though she was venerated soon after her death, it wasn’t until the papacy of Pope John Paul II that the idea to canonise the “most Christian queen” (as proclaimed in a homily given at her funeral) emerged. Her claims to sainthood were largely based on legend and impossible to verify 600 years down the line, but the appeal of having a saint among the Polish rulers was large. The proof included a single instance of hearing Christ speak while praying in front of a large crucifix, bringing a drowned boy back to life by covering him with a mantle, and a curious case of leaving a footprint in already-set plaster while giving a poor stonemason a golden buckle from her shoe (no, the Queen did not weigh 300 pounds, good guess though). The “100% authentic” footprint in question is still visible and lovingly preserved on the facade of the Church of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at ul. Karmelicka 19 - find it on the corner of the building to the right of the entrance, just above ground-level. The Church decided on the sufficiency of these claims and Queen Jadwiga added another title to her name in 1997.
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