DUBINY - KRYNOCZKA, GM. HAJNÓWKA, POW. HAJNOWSKI
"Miraculous spring" in the Bialowieza Forest in a place called "Krynochka" and the charming "Miednoje". It is located in the forest, about 3 km from Hajnówka. Local tradition says that children grazing animals were supposed to experience an apparition here. In great light an icon appeared to them on a tree, next to it a miraculous spring gushed out. The icon was moved to the village of Lipiny, but the icon miraculously returned to the place where it appeared. A shrine was then erected there.
Another legend mentions a woman who prayed at the site with her children. On the third day of Easter, a miracle happened, a row of candles spontaneously lit up in front of her.
According to another legend, the first to appear at the spring were monks of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra fleeing from the Tatars. They were to build an Orthodox church here, then the spring acquired miraculous healing powers. In 1848, the current Orthodox church of St. Brothers Martyrs of the Maccabees, mother Salomea and teacher Elezar was built. Wells and a canopy on four poles were built on the spring. The spring water was said to be particularly helpful in treating eye and lung diseases. Votive crosses brought by pilgrims surrounded it, and handkerchiefs were also hung around it after washing after rubbing the sick spots. According to folk accounts, there were supposed to be many walking sticks left here around the chapel, as the crippled and sick no longer needed them after a miraculous recovery. The site was restored in 2000. Krynoczka is now one of the most important Orthodox holy places in Podlasie.
Geographic coordinates: 52.7317, 23.6293
Information sources: Pine 2001, 22-28; https://www.hajnowka.pl/strona/dla-turysty-atrakcje-swiatynie/921-krynoczka-uroczysko-krynoczka (accessed 20.04.2023); field queries
