St. Paul the Hermit

Paul the Hermit is also known as Saint Paul of Thebes, the First Hermit (230-343). The above painting of Paul the Hermit resides in a side chapel at Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine in Doylestown (Philadelphia) Pennsylvania. The lions in the background are Paul’s protection. The chapel is dedicated to St. Paul the Hermit whose feast day is on January 15.

St. Paul the Hermit at the entrance to Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine.

The Pauline religious order was founded by Blessed Eusebius in 1250 in Hungary. The members of the order were hermits, living in caves in Hungary. For their patron saint they chose St. Paul the Hermit and are called the Pauline Fathers. “Alone with God alone” is the Pauline motto. The order adheres to the Rule of St. Augustine, which was given to them in the year 1308.

From the coat of arms of the Paulines. The date palm represents how St. Paul the Hermit produced clothing using the leaves of the palm tree. The fruit of the palm tree helped sustain the Hermit in the desert. The Raven with a loaf of bread in its beak is the bird, through Gods intercession, brought half a loaf of bread to the Hermit every day for 90 years.

The monastic order spread throughout the countries of Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Austria and Bavaria. The Paulines have a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and reside and operate Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine in Pennsylvania. The monks can be seen on the campus praying the rosary in their all white habit with a large five foot wooden rosary hanging on their sides.

The Chapel of Saint Paul the Hermit, at Our Lady of Czestochowa Shrine in Pennsylvania. Three additional side chapels in the Lower Church are dedicated to Our Lady of Nazareth, Divine Mercy and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Lower church altar on Adoration day. A replica of Our Lady’s Chapel from the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa Poland is above. The black and silver altar with the central replica painting of the Black Madonna. The original from 1382 resides in Poland.

Jesus in the stained glass window, from the Upper Church.

A massive 100 foot high stained glass window with the storyline of Americas founding fathers, the Paulines, and St. John Paul II to name a few.

St. John Paul II looking out at the Pennsylvania countryside. How good it all is at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa.