If you weren’t aware its interesting history, you might just call this another pint-sized Texas town, perched on a shady hilltop with a nice breeze and a beautiful view. But there’s a lot more to Panna Maria, which means “Virgin Mary” in Polish, than meets the eye. This quiet community holds the title of the first Polish settlement in America, and it still maintains a place in the history of Poland, well known among the people of the old country. According to Pope John Paul II, “Panna Maria, Texas, is famous in Poland. Everyone knows about Panna Maria and the first Polish immigrants who settled in Texas.”
This small town was founded in 1854 by 100 Polish families led by Father Leopold Moczygemba. After a nine-week voyage to Galveston, the settlers rented Mexican carts to transport their farm tools and bedding as well as the cross from their parish church. They made the difficult journey to central Texas on foot, finally stopping at the hillside that overlooks the San Antonio River and Cibolo Creek. The day was December 24, 1854, and the pioneers offered a midnight mass beneath one of the large hilltop oaks. They settled here.
The year that followed was a grueling one, a time when the pioneers learned the harshness of their new home. A cold winter was followed by a hot, dry summer, filled with snakes and insects. Most of the settlers did succeed with their new venture and were soon joined by more Polish immigrants.
Attractions
Church of the Immaculate Conception. TX 81, in town. Within two years of settling in Panna Maria, the pioneers built the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the first Polish church in America. The original church was destroyed by fire and replaced in 1878 by the present structure, which serves as the center of worship for Panna Maria’s citizens.
The church is home to a replica of the mosaic of Our Lady of Czestochowa, or the Black Madonna. The original Black Madonna is enshrined at the Monastery of Jasna Gora in Czestochowa, Poland, a city about 65 miles east of the area from which the original Panna Maria pioneers originated. According to tradition, the Madonna was painted by St. Luke and then found in the Holy Land in A.D. 326 by Saint Helena, mother of Constantine the Great.
This replica, a gift to the United States from Poland, was presented to the town by President Johnson in 1966. It rests on display at the front of the church along with hand-carved chairs and a gold chalice that belonged to Pope John Paul II. These priceless treasures were presented to the people of Panna Maria in 1987.
The church is open daily. For a small donation, you can purchase a brochure outlining the history of the Black Madonna and Panna Maria’s early settlers.