In the spotlight: Tadeusz Rydzyk

The mass was attended by a number of prominent politicians, including Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro, Sejm speaker Marek Jurek, Coordinator of Secret Services Zbigniew Wasserman, Self-defense leader Andrzej Lepper, and head of the League of Polish Families, Roman Giertych.

This year marks a rebirth of the right-wing Catholic radio station. Established in 1991 it quickly became notorious for its anti-Semitic right-wing rhetoric, which drew criticism even from ecclesiastical circles.

Since its popularity peaked in the second half of the 1990s, the role and significance of the station declined and it became marginalized, but this year it has enjoyed something of a renaissance. First came an infamous row with the legendary Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa, who was accused on the radio station of being a communist secret service agent. Many also credit Rydzyk and his station with swinging the parliamentary and presidential elections in favor of Law and Justice (PiS) and Lech Kaczyński. Rydzyk openly spoke about the need to "sink the [Civic] Platform." One of Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz's first media appearances after taking his post was on Radio Maryja's airwaves.