Tucked away from the main basilica, the story of the Kaplica pw. Podwyższenia Krzyża Świętego begins humbly. Originally, a chapel dedicated to the Holy Cross stood here. It was first mentioned in 1510. Think of a small sacred space. This served as a place of worship for locals.
In 1525, a church was erected. Marta Möller, a widow of a Warsaw councilor funded it. This church acted as a branch of St. John’s Collegiate Church. It was rebuilt in 1615 to accommodate growing needs.
The Holy Cross parish was established in 1626. Jan Wężyk the Bishop of Poznań made it official. This marked a new chapter for the religious community.
A significant change occurred in 1653. Bishop Kazimierz Florian Czartoryski handed the church and parish over to the Vincentian Fathers. Queen Louise Marie Gonzaga requested this change. She was the wife of King John Casimir. From then on the church became the central house of the Congregation of the Mission in Poland.
After the destruction caused by the Swedish invasion, a new church was needed. Construction took place from 1679 to 1696 in the Baroque style. Józef Szymon Bellotti, a royal architect designed it. Abbot Kazimierz Jan Szczuka and Primate Michał Stefan Radziejowski funded the construction. Radziejowski consecrated the church on October 14 1696.
Józef Fontana designed the towers with late-Baroque helmets. Jakub Fontana his son designed the facade in 1756. Jan Jerzy Plersch created the sculptures decorating it. Piotr Hiacynt Śaliwicki served as the parish priest during this time.
In 1704, a tradition began here. Michał Bartłomiej Tarło initiated the first Gorzkie Żale service in Poland. He was the parish priest. The Brotherhood of St. Roch helped him. This brotherhood was active at the church since 1688.
During Stanisław August Poniatowski’s reign, St. Cross Church gained importance. It became an important temple alongside St. John’s Collegiate Church. State ceremonies took place here. This included bestowing the Order of Saint Stanislaus. The Four-Year Sejm held a ceremonial session here. This marked the first anniversary of the Constitution of May 3. After the session, participants marched to the current Botanical Garden. They laid the foundation stone for the Temple of Divine Providence.
In September 1814, Józef Poniatowski’s remains were brought from Leipzig and interred in the church. They were moved to Wawel Cathedral in Kraków in 1817.
Tragedy struck on December 25 1881. Panic during a mass led to a stampede. About 30 people died. Rumors blamed Jews for the incident. This led to a pogrom against the Jewish population.
The church suffered damage during World War II. Images like the Last Supper by Franciszek Smuglewicz and Crucifixion by Jerzy Siemiginowski were destroyed. During the Warsaw Uprising, it was a stronghold for the Germans. On August 23 1944, insurgents captured the church. However, on September 6 1944, the Germans detonated two Goliath vehicles filled with explosives. The explosion damaged the facade destroyed the vaulting and altars. About 45% of the building was destroyed.
Reconstruction finished in 1950. In 2002, Pope John Paul II elevated St. Cross Church to the rank of minor basilica. The Kaplica pw. Podwyższenia Krzyża Świętego stands as a symbol of resilience. It is a testament to Warsaw’s enduring spirit.