 Saint Stanislaus of Cracowb.1030 d.1079 Feastday: April 11
Snislaus of Cracow This Statue is located in a niche above the old server sacristy (now the archive office) door next to the main altar. This Statue was placed in its niche sometime in 1918 by Daprato Statuary Company who also crafted this statue. St Stanislaus was born June 26, 1030 at Szsepanow in the diocese of Crakow, Poland. He studied in Gniezno and possibly Paris, France, where he studied canon law and theology. Out of humility, he refused the degree of doctor and returned home. On the death of his parents, Stanislaw gave away his ample fortune, to the poor, and received the priesthood from the Bishop of Cracow. He was a parish priest in Czembocz. In 1072, he was the Bishop of Cracow. After his conflicts with King Boleslaw II of Poland and his pagan ways, Stanislaus was condemned as a traitor on April 11, 1079, and died by the hand of Boleslaw at the altar during mass in St. Michael's church outside the gates of Cracow. His body was initially at Skalka church in Cracow, but in 1088 it was transferred to Wawel Cathedral. St. Stanislaus reproached King Boleslaw for his immoral way of life, since it was his practice to have mothers suckle dogs instead of their children as a punishment for crimes against their husbands. This punishment was mainly for wives of his soldiers who had cheated on their husbands while they were away on campaigns. Boleslaw Smialy ("the Bold") (1040-1081) ordered the unfaithful wives to breastfeed young puppies, while children born of their illegitimate liasons were to be fed by bitches. St. Stanislaus was reputed to have raised Piotowin from the dead, who appeared as a witness before the king over the rightful acquisition of a piece of church land. Stanislaus' body was cut up over a pond and a fish swallowed his finger. Boleslaw was excommunicated and expelled from the church by Pope Gregory VIII because of Stanislaus' condemnation of his practices. Stanislaus is the national saint of Poland, and patron saint of the archbishops of Cracow.
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