Year of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr In Tarnow’s Diocese (May 7,1978 - September 30,1979)

Abstract

The idea of “St. Stanislaus’Year” in Tarnów’s diocese was inspired by cardinal Karol Wojtyła, who prompted it to bishop Jerzy Ablewicz to commemorate the ninehundredth anniversary of a martyr’s death of St. Stanislaus. On Sunday, May 7, 1978 a celebration took place in Szczepanów, as announced in the letters of the Bishop of Tarnów the year before the nine-hundredth anniversary of
a martyr’s death of St. Stanislaus, thus marking the beginning of the ‘Year of St. Stanislaus’ in Tamow’s diocese. Cardinal Karol Wojtyła presided over a Holy Mass, which was concelebrated by the bishops of the dioceses in which St. Stanislaus of Szczepanów is especially venerated. The homily was preached by the Primate of Poland, cardinal Stefan Wyszyński. The Bishop of Tarnów said a prayer which he had written for the occasion: A prayer o f the congregation o f the diocese o f Tarnów to St. Stanislaus, its patron saint. The Mass ended with cardinal Karol Wojtyła’s solemn
blessing extended to the pilgrims gathered at the field-altar with the reliquary with the Saint’s skull, which had been brought from the Wawel Cathedral. In this solemn service participated 44 bishops from Poland and from abroad. The main Sunday ceremony was followed by its octave (from May 8 to 14). Pilgrims from Tamow’s diocese and from other parts of Poland and from abroad were coming to Szczepanów throughout the year. ‘St. Stanislaus’ Year’ in the diocese of Tarnów finished on September 30, 1979 with an all-diocesan pilgrimage to Wawel and Skałka in Cracow.
The “Year of St. Stanislaus’ was the time of deepening religious awareness as well as moral and spiritual revitalisation of the diocese. Pastoral activity was focused primarily on the  strengthening of religious beliefs and forming moral attitudes of the faithful. A special emphasis was laid on the sobriety of the diocesans. Within the Parish Apostolate of Sobriety, the so called Circles of St. Stanislaus were created with an aim to propagate abstemiousness from alcoholic beverages. A visible enlivening of the worship of St. Stanislaus in the diocese was observed.