St. Stanislaw's Church, Krakow
East end of St. Stanislaw's Church. Photo by Christopher Walker.
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West front of St. Stanislaw's. Photo © Zuzana Bohackova.
Paulite monk at St. Stanislaw's Monastery. Photo © Zuzana Bohackova.
Detail of facade with all-seeing eye. Photo by Christopher Walker.
The Church of St. Stanislaw (Kosciól na Skalce, "Church on the Rock") is a Paulite church and monastery on the banks of the Vistula River in Krakow. It is dedicated to St. Stanislaw, the bishop of Krakow who was murdered on this site on orders of the king in 1079.
History
A Romanesque church originally stood on this elevated site, located on the Vistula embankment south of Wawel Hill. It was here in 1079 that Bishop Stanislaw (or Stanislaus; 1072–1079) was beheaded and dismembered by order of King Bolesław.
The cause of the conflict between bishop and king is complex and not entirely known, but it reached a boiling point when Stanislaw excommunicated the king. The king then accused the bishop of treason and had him brutally killed in this church. The violent story is remarkably similar to that of King Henry II and Bishop Thomas à Becket in Canterbury, England.
Legend has it that the saint's body was miraculously reassembled, which made an apt symbol of the restoration of Poland's unity after its years of fragmentation. A martyr's cult began immediately after his death; in 1088 his relics were moved to Wawel Cathedral where they remain today.
Stanisław was canonized by Pope Innocent IV in Assisi in 1253. He was the first native Polish saint and is still patron saint of Poland, Kraków, and some Polish dioceses.
In the 14th century, the Romanesque church was replaced by a new Gothic church by King Casimir III (1310-70). Since 1472, the church has belonged to the Pauline Fathers, who have a monastery here. In 1733-1751 the church received a Baroque makeover.
Beginning in the 19th century, the church also became the last resting place for well-known Polish writers and artists; among those buried here are the composer Karol Szymanowsk, and the painter and playwright Stanislaw Wyspianski, and poet Czeslaw Milosz.
Festivals and Events
Each year on May 8, a procession led by the Bishop of Kraków carries Stanislaw's relics from Wawel Cathedral to St. Stanislaw's Church.
Originally a local event, the procession was popularized in the 20th century by Polish Primate Stefan Wyszyński and Archbishop of Kraków, Karol Wojtyła (a.k.a. Pope John Paul II). The latter called Saint Stanisław the patron saint of moral order.
| Names: | Kosciól na Skalce; St. Stanislaw's Church; Church of Sts. Michael and Stanislaus; Church on the Rock |
| Type of site: | Church and monastery |
| Faith: | Roman Catholic (Paulite order) |
| Status: | Active |
| Dates: | mid-14th century |
| Architecture: | Gothic with Baroque renovations |
| Location: | Between uls. Paulinska and Skaleczna on the Vistula embankment, Stare Miasto, Kraków, Poland |
| Website: | skalka.paulini.pl |
Map
Location map and satellite view of St. Stanislaw's Church. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Krakow Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Fodor's Poland, 1st. ed. (May 2007).
- St. Stanislaus of Krakow Route - Cracow Online
- Stanislaus of Szczepanów - Wikipedia
- Skałka - Wikipedia
