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Vol. 65 (1986): Our Past

Articles

Kamila Bystrzonowska's charitable activities for Siberian priests in the light of Archbishop Feliński's correspondence

  • Kornel Gadacz
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.1986.65.61-90  [Google Scholar]
Published: 1986-06-30

Abstract

The Polish Library in Paris, the Kórnik Library, the Archbishopric of Paris and the Archive of the Resurrectionist Priests of Rome keep ten letters of Archbishop Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński, the "Diary" and the letters of Countess Kamilla Bystrzonowska. In the light of the "Diary", Bystrzonowska's selfless charity work for the poor, both Poles and French, in Paris is clearly highlighted. Archbishop Feliński's letters, published here for the first time, show Bystrzonowska's help for Polish priests who were exiled to Siberia by the tsarist authorities after the January Uprising (1863-1864). About 410 priests were exiled. They received six rubles a month for their maintenance. Since this pension was insufficient, many people organized help for them. For several years, manifestos regarding the deportees were announced. The manifesto of Alexander III of May 27, 1883 announced amnesty. It was necessary to cover the costs of the priests' return journey to their homeland. In the years 1878-1889, Bystrzonowska pleaded before Parisian churches among the aristocracy and clergy in favor of priests exiled to Siberia. Her efforts were strongly supported by Archbishop François Marie Benjamin Richard, Archbishop of Paris. He sent the collected money to Archbishop Feliński, who in turn helped Polish priests. Because until 1883 he lived in exile in Jarosław, Russia, and thanks to his observations, he knew perfectly well the needs of priests exiled to Siberia. Archbishop Feliński's letters to Kamila Bystrzonowska and others, as well as the testimonies of his contemporaries, show the heroic virtue of Christian love of Bystrzonowska, who devoted her entire life to serving her neighbor. She died on September 1, 1889 and was buried in the Montparnasse cemetery.

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