Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

Tuesday, April 11th, 2006...9:28 am

St. Stanislaus

Some Romanism today:

Depending on whose calendar you look at, either today is St. Stanislaus day, or we should wait until May 8th. The day is supposed to be the anniversary of Stanislaus’s martyrdom in 1079. Not only can people not agree on the day, but there is a dispute about whether he qualifies as a martyr.

The man born Stanisław Szczepanowski is one of the patron saints of Poland. He served as bishop of Kraków at a time when the Polish nation was still being established. He spoke out against immorality among the people, but was also willing to point out immorality among their leaders as well. This made him run afoul of the king, Bolesław II the Bold. The king and he struggled against each other for years. Legend has it that at one point the king brought Stanisław into court over a land dispute, Stanisław resurected a long dead witness just to testify on his behalf. This was not a man who should be messed with.

The final straw came when the king mistreated the wives of soldiers who were on a protracted war against Ruthenia. The king had also kidnapped the wife of a nobleman for his own purient reasons. Stanisław criticized him for both of these, participated in a plot to depose the king, and excommunicated him. In retaliation, Bolesław branded Stanisław a traitor, which in those days meant execution.

Bolesław sent soldiers into a church to execute Stanisław while he was celebrating mass (thus drawing some historical comparisons to St. Thomas Becket). The soldiers refused to do it, so Bolesław did it himself and had the body dismembered.

Since he was killed for what can be called a political dispute and not for his faith, some say that he doesn’t qualify as a martyr. However, he was killed for speaking the truth to and challenging those in power. To him, that was a responsiblity that his faith called him to.

Interestingly, Bolesław abdicated and became a penitent at a monastery in Hungary. Benedictine monks in Eastern Europe later venerated him as Blessed Bolesław, King and Penitent. Forgiveness is always possible.

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