On April 11, the Catholic Church honors the memory of the 11th-century
bishop and martyr St. Stanislaus of Krakow, who died for the faith at
the hands of King Boleslaus II.
Canonized in 1253, St. Stanislaus is a beloved patron of the Polish
nation and people. In his own country he is commemorated May 8, the date
of his death in 1079.
Blessed John Paul II – who was Krakow’s archbishop in the “See of St.
Stanislaus” before becoming Pope – paid tribute to him often during his
pontificate. In a 2003 letter to the Polish Church, he recalled how St.
Stanislaus “proclaimed faith in God to our ancestors and started in
them...the saving power of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus
Christ.”
“He taught the moral order in the family based on sacramental marriage.
He taught the moral order within the State, reminding even the king
that in his actions he should keep in mind the unchanging Law of God.”
Through St. Stanislaus, God taught the Polish Pope's homeland to respect
“the Law of God and the just rights of every person.”
Born near Krakow in July of 1030, Stanislaus Szczepanowski was the son
of Belislaus and Bogna. His parents, members of the nobility, showed
great zeal and charity in their practice of the Catholic faith. Their
son studied for a time in his own country, and went on to learn theology
and canon law in Paris. The death of his parents left him with a large
inheritance, which he gave away to the poor.
After his ordination to the priesthood, Stanislaus served Church of
Krakow in different pastoral and administrative posts. Following the
death of the diocese’s leader, Bishop Lambert Zula, Stanislaus was
chosen as his successor in 1071. He did not want the position, but
obeyed Pope Alexander II’s order to accept it. Having done so, he proved
to be a bold preacher of the Gospel.
This boldness brought him into conflict with Poland’s ruler, King
Boleslaus II, who was becoming notorious for his violent and depraved
lifestyle. After a series of disputes over his scandalous behavior and
other matters, Stanislaus found no success in his efforts to reform the
king.
He excommunicated the sovereign – who responded with furious anger,
sending henchmen to kill the bishop. When they proved unwilling or
unable to do so, Boleslaus took matters into his own hands. He ambushed
Stanislaus and struck him down with a sword during his celebration of
Mass.
St. Stanislaus was soon acclaimed as a martyr, while Boleslaus II lost
his grip on power and left Poland. In later years the fallen monarch is
said to have lived in a monastery, repenting of the murder.
