#Church of St. Casimir

[postcard-from-the-past]

Church of St. Casimir in Vilnius, Lithuania

Russian vintage postcard, mailed in 1903 to France

[jontycrane]

Vilnius

My final stop travelling through the Baltics was Lithuania’s capital Vilnius. I found it more pleasant than Riga and less touristy than Tallinn (helped by not having cruise ship visitors) and home to more than a hundred churches, of which I visited seventeen. It was a lovely place to wander around, enjoying the architecture. Before WW2 nearly half the population of Vilnius was Jewish and home…

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (March 4)

On March 4, the Catholic Church honors Saint Casimir Jagiellon, a prince whose life of service to God has made him a patron saint of Poland, Lithuania, and young people.

In 1984, Pope John Paul II addressed Lithuanian pilgrims commemorating the 500th anniversary of the prince's death.

He said, "the Church proclaimed Casimir a saint and placed him before us not only to be venerated but also that we might imitate his heroic virtues and follow his example of holiness.”

“His witness of great faith and fervent piety continues to have special meaning for us today,” the Pope said, noting especially the challenging call he offers to young people.

“His life of purity and prayer beckons you to practice your faith with courage and zeal, to reject the deceptive attractions of modern permissive society, and to live your convictions with fearless confidence and joy.”

Casimir Jagiellon was born on 3 October 1458, the third of thirteen children born to Poland's King Casimir IV and his wife Elizabeth of Austria.

King Casimir IV’s father had converted to Catholicism from paganism and introduced Christianity to Lithuania.

King Casimir IV was, therefore, raised in a good Catholic home, which he also provided to his children.

A faithful Catholic herself, Queen Elizabeth was the loving mother of her thirteen children.

He and several of his brothers studied with the priest and historian John Dlugosz, whose deep piety and political expertise influenced Casimir in his upbringing.

The young prince had a distaste for the luxury of courtly life. He instead chose the way of asceticism and devotion.

He wore plain clothes with a hair shirt beneath them and slept frequently on the ground. He would spend much of the night in prayer and meditation on the suffering and death of Christ.

Casimir showed his love for God through these exercises of devotion and also through his material charity to the poor.

He was known as a deeply compassionate young man who felt others' pains acutely.

The young prince was only 13 years old when his father was asked by the Hungarians to offer his son as their new king.

Casimir was eager to aid the Hungarians in their defense against the Turks and went to be crowned. This plan was unsuccessful, however, and he was forced to return to Poland.

After his return, Casimir resumed his studies with Dlugosz, while developing a canny grasp of politics by observing his father's rule.

In 1479, the king left Poland to attend to state business in Lithuania, leaving Prince Casimir in charge of the realm between 1481 and 1483.

Advisers to the prince joined his father in trying to convince Casimir to marry. But he preferred to remain single, focusing his life on the service of God and the good of his people.

After experiencing symptoms of tuberculosis, Casimir foresaw his death and prepared for it by deepening his devotion to God.

He died en route to Lithuania on 4 March 1484 and was buried with a copy of a Marian hymn he frequently recited.

He was believed to have been canonized by Pope Leo X in 1521 or Pope Adrian VI in 1522.

His canonization was finally confirmed by Pope Clement VIII in 1602.

One notable miracle took place in 1519 when the Lithuanian army was engaged in battle with the Russians.

It is said that Saint Casimir appeared to the Lithuanian soldiers in a vision and directed them to a place where they could best defend their city, which they successfully did.

This might be the reason that Casimir is the patron saint of both Poland and Lithuania.

Five centuries after his death, Pope John Paul II recalled how St. Casimir “embraced a life of celibacy, submitted himself humbly to God’s will in all things, devoted himself with tender love to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and developed a fervent practice of adoring Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.”

“To all,” the Pope said, “he was a shining example of poverty and of sacrificial love for the poor and needy.”

On 11 June 1948, when many Lithuanians were displaced war refugees, Pope Pius XII named Casimir the special patron of Lithuanian youth.

[opticandmasturbation]

Michał Stachowicz (14 August 1768, in Kraków – 26 March 1825, in Kraków) was a Polish painter and graphic artist in the Romantic style.

His father was a printer, bookbinder and bookseller. In 1782, he was enrolled in classes at the Painter's Guild, where he studied with Franciszek Ignacy Molitor, a Czech painter working at the Royal Court, and Kazimierz Mołodziński (?–1795), a religious painter. In 1787, he became a Master in the guild. From 1817 until his death, he was a teacher at Saint Barbara's gymnasium and, for many years, was a member of the Kraków Scientific Society

In 1816, he received a major commission from Bishop Jan Paweł Woronicz [pl] to do wall paintings at the Bishop's Palace, which took two years to complete. Only thirty-two years later, they were destroyed by a fire. In 1820, he was given another major commission from the architect, Sebastian Sierakowski, to paint a mural at the Collegium Maius depicting the history of the Jagiellonian University

His best known works depicted contemporary historical events, many of which he witnessed, such as "Kościuszko's Oath on the Market Square" and "The Entrance of Prince Józef Poniatowski into Kraków". He also did genre scenes, portraits, and religious paintings; notably the Stations of the Cross at the Church of St. Casimir the Prince and images for two side altars at the church in Jangrot. He also worked as a lithographer and illustrated the Monumenta regum Poloniae Cracoviensia (Tombs of the Kings of Poland in Kraków)

-wiki

[ultraheydudemestuff]

St. Stephen Church

1930 W. 54th St.

Cleveland, OH

St. Stephen’s Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church located at 1930 W. Fifty-fourth Street in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio. St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church was founded in 1869 due to a need for a second German parish on the west side of Cleveland. The first German parish, St. Mary's, increased so much that Cleveland was in need of a second parish for German-speaking Catholics. In April 1869 the first bishop of Cleveland, Bishop Louis Amadeus Rappe, appointed Fr. Stephen Falk to have a two-story building built. The building would be used as a church on the upper level and a school on the lower level to accommodate the 200 families from St. Mary's that lived west of 44th Street.

The newly ordained Fr. Casimir Reichlin became the first pastor and said the first Mass of the parish on May 1, 1870. He served as pastor of St. Stephen's for 38 years. In 1873, Fr. Reichlin realized that a new church building was needed to accommodate the growing parish. The Cleveland-based architect firm called Cudell and Richardson was hired to design and build the structure that still stands today as St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church. Work on the new Gothic style building was begun in 1875, but due to economic depression in the mid-1870s, it was stopped. Parishioners mortgaged their own properties to raise funds for the new church. It was dedicated on November 20, 1881, by the second bishop of Cleveland, Rev. Richard Gilmour. Volunteer German and Hungarian woodworkers completed the interior of the church.

The building is made entirely of stone, mainly Amherst stone. The church is 165 feet long and 74 feet wide. The architect style is Gothic and the shape of the church is cruciform. On each side of the main altar are six enormous wooden pillars that branch out into many columns. The high altar, side altars and pulpit are made entirely of oak wood and decorated with beautiful German woodcarvings. The church pews are also oak. A Mexican onyx and brass Communion rail was installed over the years and the floor of the sanctuary and aisles is made of black and white marble tiles.

Over the next 40 years, the parish added a rectory, convent for the Sisters of Notre Dame and two school buildings including one for and an all girls two-year high school which opened in 1905. After World War II, St. Stephen's parish experienced unprecedented growth due to the population growth in Cleveland and throughout the country. On June 8, 1953, a tornado severely damaged the church structure. Work to restore the building began immediately. The church was reopened on November 6, 1953. In the late sixties, the parish enrollment was at a low due to migration of families to suburban towns. St. Stephen's parish graduated its last high school class in 1970 and the following school year moved the elementary level classes into the old high school building.

St. Stephen's was listed with the National Register of Historic Places on November 11, 1977. In 1986, St. Stephen School combined with St. Michael and St. Boniface Schools and formed Metro Catholic School. In the 2010 round of parish closings in Cleveland, Ohio, due to an unfortunate shortage of priests in the diocese, Bishop Richard Lennon spared St. Stephen's because of its historical significance. St. Stephen's is a fully active Roman Catholic Parish in the Diocese of Cleveland. This means that they have a full parish staff and church council. They have regular Sunday Masses as well as daily Masses. German Mass is offered every first Sunday at 11am. In addition to German and English Masses, St. Stephen's also offers Tridentine Latin Masses every Sunday at 9:30am as well as daily Tridentine Latin Masses at varying times.

St. Stephen's hosts many church events and fund raisers as well as promotes those of other local parishes. St. Stephen's also promotes pro-life events as well as home school events. In keeping with its German tradition, one of the many cultural activities that is offered at St. Stephen's is a German summer camp. This summer camp allows children to be introduced to the German language in a fun setting through crafts, games, and scavenger hunts. The summer camp requires no prior knowledge of the German language. The parish observes “Priesthood Sunday” to celebrate the gift of the holy priesthood in the life of the Catholic Church and encourages parishioners to pray for and submit a note of appreciation to numerous priests.

[gracelikeleaves]

by jaime.silva on Flickr.The towers of St. Casimir Church in Vilnius, Lithuania.

[prubun]

by jaime.silva on Flickr.The towers of St. Casimir Church in Vilnius, Lithuania.

[wynonasrider]

by jaime.silva on Flickr.The towers of St. Casimir Church in Vilnius, Lithuania.

[rustykev]

Today we celebrate the Blessed Memorial of St. Casimir. Pray for us! Read up on this Holy man of God and listen to the Mass readings and Psalm for today, drawing closer to Our Lord's Most Sacred Heart. God love you.

Also, pray along and listen to the Morning Prayer of the Church.

[annanielsson]

Statue of Liberty from Greenwood Heights by Anna Nielsson

[wildbeautifuldamned]

Antique Stained Glass Window-St Casimir's Polish Catholic Church-Fleur De Lis ebay rehousearchitecturalsalvage

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (March 4)

On March 4, the Catholic Church honors Saint Casimir Jagiellon, a prince whose life of service to God has made him a patron saint of Poland, Lithuania, and young people.

In 1984, Pope John Paul II addressed Lithuanian pilgrims commemorating the 500th anniversary of the prince's death.

He said the Church “proclaimed Casimir a saint and placed him before us not only to be venerated but also that we might imitate his heroic virtues and follow his example of holiness.”

“His witness of great faith and fervent piety continues to have special meaning for us today,” the Pope said, noting especially the challenging call he offers to young people.

“His life of purity and prayer beckons you to practice your faith with courage and zeal, to reject the deceptive attractions of modern permissive society, and to live your convictions with fearless confidence and joy.”

Casimir Jagiellon was born on 3 October 1458, the third of thirteen children born to Poland's King Casimir IV and his wife Elizabeth of Austria.

He and several of his brothers studied with the priest and historian John Dlugosz, whose deep piety and political expertise influenced Casimir in his upbringing.

The young prince had a distaste for the luxury of courtly life and instead chose the way of asceticism and devotion.

He wore plain clothes with a hair shirt beneath them, slept frequently on the ground, and would spend much of the night in prayer and meditation on the suffering and death of Christ.

Casimir showed his love for God through these exercises of devotion and also through his material charity to the poor.

He was known as a deeply compassionate young man who felt the pains of others acutely.

The young prince was only 13 years old when his father was asked by the Hungarians to offer his son as their new king.

Casimir was eager to aid the Hungarians in their defense against the Turks and went to be crowned.

This plan was unsuccessful, however, and he was forced to return to Poland.

After his return, Casimir resumed his studies with Dlugosz, while developing a canny grasp of politics by observing his father's rule.

In 1479, the king left Poland to attend to state business in Lithuania, leaving Prince Casimir in charge of the realm between 1481 and 1483.

Advisers to the prince joined his father in trying to convince Casimir to marry. But he preferred to remain single, focusing his life on the service of God and the good of his people.

After experiencing symptoms of tuberculosis, Casimir foresaw his death and prepared for it by deepening his devotion to God.

He died en route to Lithuania on 4 March 1484. He was buried with a copy of a Marian hymn he frequently recited.

His canonization was initiated by his brother, King Sigismund I the Old, in 1514. Tradition holds that he was canonized in 1521.

Five centuries after his death, Pope John Paul II recalled how St. Casimir “embraced a life of celibacy, submitted himself humbly to God’s will in all things, devoted himself with tender love to the Blessed Virgin Mary l, and developed a fervent practice of adoring Christ present in the Blessed Sacrament.”

“To all,” the Pope said, “he was a shining example of poverty and of sacrificial love for the poor and needy.”

[gouachevalier]

Pope Francis at the Chapel of Saint Casimir in Vilnius Cathedral, Lithuania.

(Credits: Laima Penek, Vatican News)

[adammcdowell]

by jaime.silva on Flickr.The towers of St. Casimir Church in Vilnius, Lithuania.

[tiny-librarian]

The Crypt of  Church of the Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady, in the Franciscan Kostanjevica Monastery in Slovenia. 

Inside are buried 6 members of the French Royal Family, with a niche containing the remains of  Louis Jean Casimir, a Court Minister who accompanied Charles X into exile. This has given the place the nickname of “Little St. Denis”, after the Church in Paris that is the traditional burial site of the French Monarchy.

On the left hand side are: Louise Marie Therese d’Artois, Duchess of Parma; Henri, Comte de Chambord, and Maria Theresa of Austria-Este, Comtesse de Chambord.

On the right side are: Louis Antoine d’Artois, duc d’Angouleme, Charles X, and Marie Therese Charlotte, Duchesse d’Angouleme.

[life-of-architecture]

Nowy Sącz kościół św. Kazimierza, 1908-1912 architekt: Teodor Talowski foto z 14 sierpnia 2016

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Nowy Sącz, Poland St. Casimir Church built in 1908-1912 architect: Teodor Talowski taken on 14 August 2016