Seym of the Polish Republic pays a homage
(Catholic Information Agency)
In Poland, on 1 January 2012, the Year of priest Piotr Skarga began. A resolution of this matter was accepted by the Seym on 16 September 2011. This year it will have been the 400th anniversary of the preacher’s death. In the resolution parliamentarians emphasize that on the anniversary of the priest’s death, who ‘cared about respect for his Homeland and a better life for his compatriots bravely and with a word and a deed’ – ‘the Seym of the Polish Republic decides to pay a tribute to Piotr Skarga in its acknowledgement of His merits’. ‘He had a great oratorical talent, he could gain popularity among people of all the status and even kings listened to him. He appeared on history pages as a chief representative of counter-reformation, a philanthropist and the One who was courageous to name the biggest Polish faults for the sake of the Homeland. He called for changes of governing attitudes, for reforms in order not to lead the Polish Republic to a fall’ – sounds the fragment of the Seym Resolution. Parliamentarians also reminded the philanthropic activity and writing abilities of priest Skarga, which fruited with writing the work ‘Lives of the saints’, appreciated later by whole generations, also, among the others by the greatest Polish poets like Adam Mickiewicz. Piotr Skarga (Powęski) (1536 – 1612) was a preacher of Zygmunt III Waza, a rector of Jesuits College in Vilnius, the first rector of the Vilnius University, a founder of the Jesuits College in Płock, Rydza, and Dorpat. He founded the Bank of the Pious in Kraków, Arch-confraternity of Mercy, A Chamber of the needed, which took care of the poor. He is an author of many books and sermons but a real bestseller are read till today ‘Lives of the Saints’. He was buried in the church of the Saints Peter and Paul in Kraków.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 03/2012