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Nasza Przeszłość

Vol. 93 (2000): Our Past

Articles

The history of the Mariae Vitae Congregation, i.e. Mariavites

  • Małgorzata Borkowska
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.2000.93.107-152  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2000-06-30

Abstract

During the late Baroque period, three small but very active religious communities were established in Poland, one of which was the Sorores Mariae or Mariavite congregation, founded in 1737 in Vilnius. Their activities were mainly aimed at helping Jewish converts integrate into the Christian community after being baptized. Founder, Fr. Stefan Turczynowicz was inspired by the life of Saint. Vincent de Paul and the challenges of his era. Thanks to the approval of the bishop and the Pope, the congregation developed dynamically, establishing 17 religious houses in the Vilnius diocese. However, their actions irritated local Jews, which led to the dissolution of the congregation by the diocesan authorities, although this order was valid only in the western part of the diocese. Meanwhile, the second founder, Mother Visitator M. Angela Potemkin, obtained the support of Pope Clement XIV for the congregation. After difficult times in 1802-1804, when the Vilnius diocese came under Russian rule, the congregation underwent restructuring, focusing on running schools and small hospitals. After organizational changes in which their autonomy was taken away, until 1842, when the monastery property was confiscated and the admission of new members was forbidden, the congregation tried to continue its activities until its gradual extinction, which occurred with the death of the last Mariavite nun in 1914.

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