Zygmunt Krzyżanowski
A sad history of the Smolensk diocese. A sad history of those lands. Not only for the Poles. When a diocese disappears, it signifies the loss of efforts, endeavors, and sacrifices of specific people.
Smolensk or Moscow? – this question had to be answered by King Sigismund III when he set out eastward in 1609. Taking the holy faith seriously, the monarch could not overlook the matter of the Universal Church in his reflections on the future of his kingdom. Sigismund decided that first and foremost, it was necessary to capture the Smolensk fortress. This choice was not particularly cautious. The future showed that it was impossible to hold Moscow for a long time, and one could not count on the Catholicization of the Russian capital through conquest. His son Władysław Sigismund (later King Władysław IV) could even claim sovereignty over the Grand Duchy of Moscow, but on the condition of conversion to schism (1).
After a heavy siege that lasted from September 29, 1609, to June 13, 1611, Smolensk was captured (2). It should be noted here that Sigismund III, as the Polish king and Grand Duke of Lithuania, returned what belonged to the Jagiellonians. Smolensk had been subordinated to Lithuania by Prince Vitautas in 1405 but was lost in 1514. It is also worth noting the human connections of Smolenshchyna with Poland. From that land came the Sapiehas – a family that produced four bishops, including Cardinal Adam Stefan (1867-1951), the Archbishop of Kraków. He was not the first Kraków pastor whose ancestors came from Smolensk land. Cardinal Jan Puzyna (1842-1911) could also trace his lineage back to that region, from which three bishops descended. Furthermore, one must mention the controversial figure of Father Hugo Kalantai, a figure in the Great Sejm, whose ancestors were refugees from Smolenshchyna. The sadly famous Vilnius bishop Ignacy Masalski is a descendant of priests expelled in the 15th century from Masalsk, located in the Vyzhyhski principalities far beyond Smolensk. His family also owned property in the Smolensk principality.
Asveya. Missionary Church of the Holy Trinity
As a result of the occupation of further lands by Moscow, many left their homeland, moving westward. Such were the princes Glazynichs (from whom Alekhna Vasilevich, the Smolensk okolnichy, received a number of villages over the Opotchanka from King Alexander in 1499), who also gave rise to the aforementioned Puzynas (in Podlachia) and the Aginskys in the Trotsky Voivodeship (from the village of Aginty/Vohinty). Indeed, few today know about the prematurely deceased Smolensk bishop Ludwik Karol Aginski (circa 1680-1718), but who has not heard of the famous polonaise “Farewell to the Homeland,” composed by Michał Kleofas Aginski (1765-1833)?
Thus, both the Puzynas and Aginskys had common ancestors from Kazelsk, located in the Vyzhyhski principalities (3). Not all connections can be traced and proven. For example, the brigadier Józef Kopec (1762-1827), who distinguished himself in the Kościuszko Uprising and was later exiled to Kamchatka, came from the Kopecs of Smolenshchyna, as evidenced by his coat of arms – Kroie (4).
The Smolensk principality was Russian and Orthodox. The Polonization and Catholicization of the mentioned families required time – sometimes it happened slowly, sometimes more quickly. From the moment of the principality’s occupation by Sigismund III, the Catholic faith had to be introduced in these territories from the beginning. It was decided to establish a new diocese. The Cathedral was chosen to be the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (5). We will not discuss all the problems associated with its emergence here – we will only state that on September 1, 1636, Father Piotr Parczewski was ordained as the first bishop, who had previously served as its administrator. Piotr Parczewski even survived the siege (1632-1634) of the great Moscow army and the liberation of Smolensk by Władysław IV.
Father Parczewski was, presumably, the most important Smolensk bishop. He came from an Orthodox family from the Mstsislaw Voivodeship, located south of Smolensk. He received his education in Brześć and Vilnius (6). He had to grapple with all the problems associated with organizing the diocese, the borders of which were not defined for a long time – initially, the diocesan territory was supposed to include the Seversk and Chernihiv principalities as well. Parczewski could not count on strengthening the bishopric by including part of the vast areas of the Vilnius diocese. He could also not hope for an influx of priests, which other bishops resisted (we assume that primarily their arrival was blocked by the Vilnius bishop Abraham Wojna). There is no doubt that the Smolensk diocese was never properly valued by the episcopate of the Commonwealth (7). Even a seat in the Senate for the new bishop was obtained not without opposition (1638).
, fragment, Royal Castle in Warsaw.”)
The capitulation of the Moscow army before King Władysław IV (17th century), fragment, Royal Castle in Warsaw.
Moreover, spreading the faith there had to be done in a special way. In Rome, it was believed that better results could be achieved by persuading the local population to union rather than converting them to Roman Catholicism. It is hard to disagree with the correctness of such a decision. However, one must note the complexity of the task faced by the Jesuits, brought to Smolensk by the local voivode Alexander Gasewski, who opened a college in the city in 1620 (8). The Bernardines also operated in the diocese from 1620, and from 1625, the Dominicans (9). The former established the Brotherhood of St. Michael the Archangel, which took care of a hospital for soldiers (10). They also had a library, to which books were brought by Paul from Lenczyca (11). Unfortunately, Bishop Parczewski did not know how to cooperate with the orders and did not utilize their potential. This is evidenced by the complaints sent to Rome about the activities of the monastic orders (12).
Real defeats and failures were only beginning. Just before the Swedish Deluge, not only the territories of the diocese but a significant part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was occupied by Moscow’s troops. The blame for the surrender of Smolensk in 1654 was placed on the local voivode – Philip Kazimierz Abuchowicz. However, it must be acknowledged that the Commonwealth did not do much to properly secure the fortress. Its maintenance was shifted to the local voivodes. Even when there was a threat, the king appointed an inappropriate defender in the person of the aforementioned Abuchowicz. It was necessary to appoint a magnate who could contribute to the defense from personal resources or an experienced commander prepared for such an important task. He was ultimately appointed by Jan Kazimierz after the refusal of this position by Paweł Jan Sapieha (13). In the besieged Smolensk itself, there was insufficient resolve to fight. Part of the Smolensk nobility left, and an inexperienced replacement arrived in their place. The Smolensk bishop Franciszek Dolamat-Isakowski fled the city when hostilities began and died even before the end of May of that same year (14). One could even conclude that the most stubborn supporters of the city’s defense were the Jesuits, as it is written that “they often argued with the voivode to the teeth (…) walking along the walls, they called the people – thus death took us all the faster (15).
As the monographer states, until 1678, “the existence of the Smolensk diocese was problematic” (16). In that year, Veliž, Nevel, and Sebez were returned to the Commonwealth. The number of parishes fell from twelve in 1652 to three (17).
The treaty signed in 1686 by the Poznań voivode Krzysztof Gżymułtowski contained records about the return of cult items from the lost cathedral, among which was probably the relic of St. Kalystrat, which had been in the Vilnius cathedral since 1749.
For Catholics who remained under Moscow’s rule, the tsar guaranteed freedom to perform services in homes and access to churches located outside the state (18). What could the implementation of those guarantees look like? Founded by Martyn Aginski, the great chancellor of Lithuania, the Jesuit mission in the suburb of the Smolensk settlement lasted 3 years: from 1687 to 1691 (19).
, bishop of Smolensk in 1685-1687”)
Konstanty Kazimierz Brzostowski (1644-1722), bishop of Smolensk in 1685-1687
A report from 1693 states that the schismatic “metropolitan old brick bishop’s church was dismantled for seven years, and the bodies of Catholics, having been exhumed, were burned.” The document also mentioned re-baptism and oppression of the nobility that remained in Smolenshchyna (some were turned into serfs). In Smolensk, some Romanovich was not only forced to change his faith but was also tortured to find out if he “knew about hidden Catholics.” It came to peculiar situations: “It happened that the son of the priest of the Smolensk Spasskaya Church studied Latin in his youth in Vitebsk and became a Jesuit. He, already a cleric, came and visited his father. Voivode Galavin took him for questioning: “Why did you betray the tsar while being a serf?” He ordered him to be baptized and ordained as a priest, and now he is a priest.” The following year, the voivode was humiliated and beaten with whips for his actions by the order of the tsar (20). Later, various situations occurred: sometimes Jesuit missionaries from the mission established in Mstsislaw reached the outskirts of Smolensk (21), and in the 19th century, a Catholic church was even built in Smolensk (22).
Although the guarantee of free religious practice also applied to the Orthodox population in the remaining part of Smolenshchyna, the Union continuously developed. Its beginning can be traced back to 1624 when the Orthodox Archbishop of Smolensk, Sergey, died, and his place was taken by a Uniate – Leon Kreuza. In 1772, there were 100,000 Uniates in the territories of Smolenshchyna that remained in the Commonwealth.
The diocese, which was in its embryonic state, would have to wait a long time for a shepherd who would truly lead it. The cathedral did not have a bishop’s residence. Often, the Smolensk diocese was treated as another level in a career that would ensure a place in the Senate and a springboard for further advancement in service. A scandalous reaction from one of the Smolensk bishops to the absence of his name on the nomination list for the Vilnius bishopric was even recorded: Bogusław Gasewski “turned red (…), hit Father Zankovich, who was proposed for the Vilnius bishopric, in the face with a chalice, and drew blood. He threw a bottle or flask a second time, but God watched over him so that he did not hit.” Zankovich himself was restrained by the monks present at the incident (23).
, National Art Collection at Wawel.”)
King Sigismund III against the backdrop of captured Smolensk (17th century), National Art Collection at Wawel.
It cannot fail to surprise us that Jerzy Hylzen, who appeared in the diocese in 1745, claimed that he found no traces of the activities of his predecessors (24). After years of defeats and neglect, a remarkable pastor finally arrived – one can say that boldly. He came from an Inflant noble family that converted to Catholicism at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. He lived in the estate of his brother Jan August in Dagda in Inflant, very close to the borders of the diocese. Also in Inflant, in Krasław, he maintained two clerics in a seminary of Lazarists, funded by Płater. Family ties were helpful – the bishop’s brother had a wife from the Płater family. Additionally, the family managed to acquire Asveya from the Sapiehas in 1749, which was located in the territory of the diocese. There, a church was built, and charitable activities were conducted (25). Unlike Parczewski, Bishop Hylzen had no conflicts with the clergy. He visited the diocese every year, and when he did so for the first time, he had the impression: “When I was in Canada, it did not resemble Poland and Europe” (26). He personally delivered sermons in churches. Four times he sent reports on the state of the diocese to Rome (27). During his time, a bishop’s curia operated in Nevel. Bishop Hylzen would have gladly accomplished more, but there were no willing participants for implementation. In 1763, he handed over the diocese to Gabriel Wodziński to live the rest of his life piously in Warsaw. However, after his death in 1775, he was buried in Asveya (28). When, after the first partition, the remainder of the diocese came under Russian rule, there were 7,000 Catholics in this territory (mainly nobility). In 1783, its territory was annexed to the newly formed Mogilev Archdiocese (29). However, there were still two Smolensk bishops: the famous historian Adam Naruszewicz (1788-1790) and Tymoteusz Gażyński (1790-1809).
A sad history of the Smolensk diocese. A sad history of those lands not only for the Poles. When a diocese disappears, it signifies the loss of efforts, as well as the endeavors and sacrifices of specific people. Looking at the magnificent churches that are a testament to the better history of other dioceses, we remember that no one knows the future. We do not know if the achievements of the church in Poland, of which we are so proud, will also not be lost. The losses suffered by the church in the West serve as a great warning…
Notes:
1 T. Długosz, Dzieje diecezji smoleńskiej, Lwów 1937, p. 11.
2 The Roman Curia allocated 40,000 ducats for this purpose, ibid., pp. 11-12.
3 T. Zielińska, Poczet polskich rodów arystokratycznych, Warszawa 1997, p.186.
4 A. Boniecki, Herbarz polski, cz. 1, t. XI: Warszawa 1907, p. 113. Families associated with the Smolensk Principality based on: K. Pietkiewicz, Wielkie Księstwo Litewskie pod rządami Aleksandra, Jagiellończyka, Poznań 1995, pp. 143-148.
5 It was a wooden structure. T. Długosz, op. cit., pp. 27 and 53.
6 H. Lulewicz, “Parczewski Piotr,” [in:] Polski słownik biograficzny, t. XXV/2, Wrocław 1980, p. 210.
7 T. Długosz, op. cit., pp. 45-46.
8 Encyclopedia of knowledge about Jesuits in the lands of Poland and Lithuania. 1564-1995, Kraków 1996, pp. 626-627.
9 T. Długosz, op. cit., p. 17.
10 J. Flaga, “Associations and religious brotherhoods at Bernardine churches until the end of the 18th century,” [in:] Five hundred and fifty years of the presence of the Bernardines in Poland (1453-2003), ed. W. F. Murawiec OFM and D. A. Muskus OFM, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska 2006, pp. 550-551.
11 E. Lenart OFM, “Bernardine libraries in Poland from the second half of the 15th to the end of the 18th century,” [in:] Five hundred and fifty years…, op. cit., pp. 668 and 670.
12 T. Długosz, op. cit., pp. 61-62. He also strongly opposed the Smolensk Benedictines, in whose monastery, contrary to the rule, windows faced the market and there was no enclosure, ibid., pp. 66-67.
13 Memoirs of Filip Michał and Teodor Obuchowicz (1630-1707), Warszawa 2003, pp. 106-108.
14 T. Wasilewski, “Isjakowski Dołomat Franciszek,” [in:] Polski słownik biograficzny, t. X, Wrocław 1962-1964, p. 170.
15 Quoted in: T. Długosz, op. cit., p. 49.
16 Ibid., p. 69.
17 Ibid., p. 56.
18 Ibid., p. 69.
19 The missionary was Michał Jakowicz, who confessed about a thousand people, baptized fifteen, and eight converted; Encyclopedia of knowledge…, op. cit., pp. 626-627.
20 K. Sarnecki, Memoirs from the times of Jan Sobieski. Diary and accounts from 1691-1696, Wrocław 1958, pp. 356-358 and 360.
21 Encyclopedia of knowledge…, op. cit., pp. 626-627.
22 T. Długosz, op. cit., p. 75.
23 E. Rostworowski, “Gosiewski Bogusław,” [in:] Polski słownik biograficzny, t. VIII, Wrocław 1959-1960, p. 341.
24 T. Długosz, op. cit., 71.
25 S. Litak, Atlas of the Latin Church in the Commonwealth of Both Nations in the 18th century, Lublin 2006, p. 425.
26 Quoted in: E. Rostworowski, “Hylzen Jerzy Mikołaj,” [in:] Polski słownik biograficzny, t. X, Wrocław 1962-1964, p. 130.
27 T. Długosz, op. cit., pp. 71-72. “He also graced the pulpit” outside the borders of his diocese, see: J. Kitowicz, Description of customs during the reign of August III, Warszawa 1999, p. 105 (incorrectly identified as the bishop of Samogitia). A sample of his preaching: Pastoral voice of J.W.J.X.J. Bishop Smoliński to his sheep, and to those sheep as a reminder of his affection…, Kraków 1756. Hylzen was also a bibliophile and publisher; see E. Rostworowski, “Hylzen Jerzy Mikołaj,” op. cit., p. 130.
28 E. Rostworowski, “Hylzen Jerzy Mikołaj,” op. cit., p. 130.
29 P. Nitecki, Bishops of the Church in Poland. Biographical dictionary, Warszawa 1992, p. 265.
Source: Zawsze wierni nr 5/2010 (132), Informational Service BIBUŁA.