Ozernoye is a small village in the steppes of northern Kazakhstan, located between Petropavlovsk and Kokshetau. Founded nearly 90 years ago, it became a settlement for Poles deported from Ukraine by the Soviet Union in 1936 and during World War II. Initially, the village's collective farm grew wheat, but the collapse of the Soviet Union led to its closure, widespread unemployment, and a population decline to fewer than 200 residents.
Despite its decline, Ozernoye has become a significant Catholic pilgrimage site, housing the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace, the only Marian shrine in Central Asia. Local legend tells of a miracle in 1941 when, during a famine, the villagers prayed to the Virgin Mary. The snow melted, forming a lake with abundant fish that saved them from starvation. In 1997, a statue of the Virgin Mary with a fishing net was erected by Lake Mariyamkol and consecrated by Pope John Paul II.
The first Catholic church in Ozernoye was established in the early 1990s, and a larger temple followed. In 2011, the parish was declared the 'national sanctuary of Our Lady Queen of Peace, patroness of Kazakhstan.' Thousands of pilgrims visit annually, preserving the connection between the descendants of the deported Poles and their heritage. Recent developments include a new hotel and the restoration of the local cemetery by Polish pilgrims. Despite the village's challenges, the community remains connected through their faith and Polish identity.

Type of Data Point - News or Reportage

'Our Home Is In Kazakhstan': Polish Descendants Of Soviet Exiles Create Spiritual Sanctuary - Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Visit page of City/Town - Ozernoye - North Kazakhstan Region

Inserted: 29-07-2024 23:07:38