Bogurodzica

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The Bogurodzica is the oldest religious song and the oldest poetic text in Poland . The song of the " Theotokos " Mary was probably written in the 13th century by an unknown composer. The work was first written in 1407, 1408 and 1409. The Bogurodzica was the coronation hymn of the Polish King Władysław I and the battle song of the Poles in the battles of Tannenberg in 1410 and Warna in 1444 .

The first stanza is addressed to the Mother of God, the second to Christ .

1. Bogurodzica Dziewica,
Bogiem sławiena Maryja!
U Twego Syna Gospodzina,
Matko zwolena Maryja
Ziści nam, spuści nam Kyrie elejson
2. Twego dziela Chrzciciela, Bożycze,
Usłysz głosy, napełń myśli człowiecze,
Słysz modlitwę, jąż nosimy,
A dać raczy, jegoż prosimy:
A na świecie zbożny pobyt,
Po żywocie rajski przebyt, Kyrie elejson

A German adaptation by Hans-Peter Hoelscher-Obermaier can be found in Antonina Jelicz (Ed.): Polish Middle Ages. A literary reader. Suhrkamp 1987, p. 143:


  1. Our Lady, Immaculate, Consecrated Lady Mary, By the son on the throne, benedeite Frau Maria, Pray for us, pray for us! Kyrie eleison.
  2. For the sake of your own Baptist, Son of God, hear the voices, give people the right reward! Hear the prayer from our midst And grant what we ask: blessings are sufficient on earth, after death an eternal life. Kyrie eleison.


Bogurodzica by Józef Brandt (1909).

Web links

Commons : Bogurodzica  - collection of images, videos and audio files