The Mysterium Crucis is shown on the grounds of the Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary in Górka Klasztorna, which is located in the center of Krajna, some 1 Km North-West from the township of Łobżenica in the province Wielkopolska.  The Sanctuary is the oldest centre of the worship of Virgin Mary in Poland.  According to the chronicles of the Bernardins, in 1079 the Mother of God revealed herself to a local shepherd.

Throughout the ages the monastery went through a multitude of different fortunes.  During the Second World War, the Nazis established here a concentration camp in which they interned the monks and priests from the Sanctuary and nearby parishes, later the Jews and the Poles, and since 1940 after Dunkirk, the British POWs.  The memories of those events brought local population with the help of the spiritual leaders to honour all those murdered by staging production of the Mysterium Crucis.

Górka Klasztorna with its topography does not resemble Calvary.  It differs substantially from other Polish Calvaries, which were built with the worship of the Glory of Suffering and Death of Christ in mind.  Górka, as a place chosen by the Mother of God, resembles more other centres of the worship of Mary.  However the tradition of the shows of Passion left its mark in the look of the monastery and its surroundings.

The Suffering and Death of Jesus is not the only topic of the Mysteria in the Catholic Church.  Presently in Poland are also shown the Sleep and Assumption of Mary into Heaven.  Amongst scenaria of Passion also known are the centuries-old Calvary of Zebrzydow and the drama prepared by the Arch-brotherhood Of Lord’s Suffering active since XVI century by the Franciscan Church in Krakow.

The Architect, organizer and director of the first staging was Rev. Jan Czekała.

The Script for the show was based on the Holy Evangely and the book by Roman Brandstaetter "Jezus z Nazaretu" (Jesus from Nazareth).  The use of the novel about Jesus in writing the Mysterium introduced passages that do not exist in the New Testament and expanded the dialogues.

The Role of Christ in Górka’s Mysterium was played by his priests.  Since the time of Rev. Jana Czekały the figure of Jesus would be embodied by, among others, Rev. Stanisław Michalik MSF, Rev. Tomasz Górecki MSF, Rev. Marian Kołodziejczyk MSF, Rev. Marek Michalski MSF,  Rev. Sławomir Wiktorowicz MSF and Rev. Marian Kołodziejczyk MSF.  Currently the role of Jesus is performed by Rev. Robert Ablewicz.

The whole Mysterium is overseen by the director, producer Rev. Andrzej Kościukiewicz MSF, with selected group of other people, i.e. sound technicians, makeup artists, stenographers, entire back-office staff of specialists, information and order personnel, and numbers of other helpers needed to stage such enormous production.  Worth pointing out are the realistically portrayed scenes of beating and crucifixion, which add to the feeling of authenticity of the presentation.  A new addition is the music composed in 1998 for the Mysterium by Mr. Roberta Kanaana from Poznan.

For the Mysterium to have such a professional character and to represent the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ realistically there are over one hundred actors taking part, all wearing gear reflecting the times of the period.  It is the only mysterium where to encourage learning and to promote Christian culture most characters are played by non-professional actors who in daily life are regular farmers.  The most important characters in the drama are played for many years by the same people.  Each year there are some changes but only sporadic.  All participants are well known locally.  The roles they take on are often affecting their daily life.  Once someone was missing from a rehearsal because his cow was calving, on another occasion a butcher had to stop his work for the rehearsal and was watched all the time by his client to ensure that he’d get back to work promptly.  And then one keeps running into farmers referring to one another using their names from the play i.e. "Caiaphas, today you brought three cans of milk" or someone introduces to you "the three kids of Judas".  This way the prosaic life seems to be indirectly linked to the mystery of faith.  Even though people do not realise it, their life became uplifted – reaching to the heavens.

On the Revelation Place the gathered audience is treated to nearly three-hour long "Theatrum sacrum".  The show begins with a scene in the palace of Caiphas, where before the public the plot for capture of Christ is revealed.  Members of the Sanhedrin talk with Judas, and try to provide a justification for the imprisonment of the subversive prophet from Nazareth.  Then the action moves to the supper.  The actors replay the known from evangels scene, in which Jesus washes feet of his disciples.  During the Last Supper the Son of God establishes the sacrifice of the Eucharist.  The bread from the table is shared with the audience.  Action of the mysterium moves again, to the Mount of Olives.  There Christ prays and later is betrayed and dramatically captured.  In the seat of high priest Annas Judas receives his thirty pieces of silver.  The first interrogation takes place as well.  In the meantime in the courtyard of the high priest shows up Peter and Maria accompanied by John and Jacob.  Peter, recognised by Annans’s servants, denies his master and escapes.  John does not leave Maria and together with Jacob they witness the prosecution of Jesus.  In the further curtains of the drama the audience watches Christ before Caiaphas, Pilate, and Herod.   Wife of the Roman Governor attempts to stand up for Jesus and Pilate decides to utilise the privilege of releasing one prisoner for the Jewish holiday.  The public however does not choose the Son of God.  Pontius Pilate releases Barabbas and condemns Jesus from Nazareth to scourging and death by crucifixion.  As the scourging of Christ begins, Judas appears on the scene.  Desperate and remorseful traitor prepares a noose to hang himself.  Up to this point the passion was played in the area of the Place of Revelation.  The path to Golgotha leads outside the walls of the monastery through the Sacred Forest framing the monastery to the East and South with over six-hundred-year old oak trees.  Crucifixion takes place next on a especially prepared hill on the North side of the monastery.  After taking it down from the cross, the Christ’s body rests in the arms of His Mother.

The Audience throughout the presentation becomes its part – they take on the role of the masses from the pages of the evangel.  People’s reactions are spontaneous, and unpredictable.  Sometimes happens that someone tries to protect Christ from the brutal legionnaires, or someone starts a song at the time Christ’s death.  Amongst the spectators are also people for whom the passion becomes an object of jokes.  In those moments the viewers take on the character of the masses described in evangel where next to the believers were people indifferent and those who mocked Christ.  Through this the mysterium becomes even more authentic.  One of the actresses playing the role of a weeping woman said: "I tremble, afraid, that they scourge Jesus too severely, and that the mounted soldiers do not trample any one.  What angers me the most is that I see young people laughing off the scene of the crucifixion.  Older people are different – they cry and pray".The Atmosphere of the Mysterium, the dialogues filed with content from evangel move both, actors and spectators.  First performer of the role of Jesus described his feelings: "From the height of the cross one looks onto the world differently, one is not human.  There comes a moment when I saw my entire life as it supposedly happens at the times of deadly endangerment.  When I walk with the cross on my shoulders and children are crying and women are kneeling, even I forget who am I ".

director: Ks. Andrzej Kościukiewicz MSF

Musik: Robert Kanaan 

Sound: Henryk Szopiński