Born into a typical peasant family as the second of three male children, from an early age Wojciech Blaszyński helped his parents on the farm. In the winter, free from agricultural work, he visited the local organist, who was also a teacher. There he learned how to read and write. In 1820, after long persuasions, he obtained permission from his father to continue his education in Slovak Trzciana, where the Franciscans taught him Latin free of charge.
After completing a two-year Latin course and the beginnings of philosophy, he went to Oradea to continue his studies there. He supported himself by tutoring and alms received by students from the rich inhabitants of the city. He decided to become a doctor. In 1827, he passed his final exams and for the next two years he studied philosophy. In 1829, he returned to his family home in Chochołów. After nine years of absence, he was not recognized by his own parents. This prompted him to think more deeply about the meaning of his life, which resulted in his desire to become a priest.
In 1829 he was admitted to the Seminary of Lviv. He completed three years of theology with a very good result and together with 17 other candidates was ordained priest in 1833 by the Bishop of Tarnów, Msgr. Franciszek Pisztek. Just before his ordination, his mother Rozalia died. Father Blaszyński's first parish was Maków Podhalański. In 1836 he was transferred to Sidzina, a nearby village, which then belonged to the Maków parish. In 1838, Sidzina became an independent parish. Father Wawrzyniec Stramski became the first parish priest while Blaszyński continued to be his vicar.
In Sidzin he did not stop his intensive pastoral mission. However, he began to notice the impossibility of reaching all the faithful due to the excess of duties and lack of time. So he decided to enlist the help of lay associates. He chose among his parishioners the most talented and zealous and taught them the catechism and the truths of faith so that they could teach others. In this way, a movement called "Sidziniarek" was born.
The fame of Blaszyński and "Sidziniarek" reached far beyond the boundaries of the parish. His innovative, for those times, methods of evangelization through lay people brought him a large group of supporters and opponents, mainly among the clergy.
Blaszyński urged local residents to join the Brotherhood of Sobriety, founded in 1844. He took vows of abstinence from alcoholic beverages. His commitment to the fight against alcoholism also earned him the reluctance of the innkeepers. Many of the area's inns had to close due to the loss of customers.
Blaszyński's great dream was to build a church in his hometown of Chochołów. On March 17, 1853, the ceremony of consecration of the foundation stone for the new temple took place. Being the parish priest in Sidzin all the time, he managed the construction of the church and secured the necessary material resources. The construction of the church encountered many difficulties.
On August 11, 1866, during the dismantling of the scaffolding on the church under construction in Chochołów, a tragic accident occurred. One of the beams, falling down, unfortunately hit Father Blaszyński, as a result of which the priest died on the spot. The funeral, which took place on August 13, was attended by several thousand people.
The construction of the church in Chochołów was completed in 1886. In 1938, the remains of Fr. Wojciech were re-buried in Chochołów.
After completing a two-year Latin course and the beginnings of philosophy, he went to Oradea to continue his studies there. He supported himself by tutoring and alms received by students from the rich inhabitants of the city. He decided to become a doctor. In 1827, he passed his final exams and for the next two years he studied philosophy. In 1829, he returned to his family home in Chochołów. After nine years of absence, he was not recognized by his own parents. This prompted him to think more deeply about the meaning of his life, which resulted in his desire to become a priest.
In 1829 he was admitted to the Seminary of Lviv. He completed three years of theology with a very good result and together with 17 other candidates was ordained priest in 1833 by the Bishop of Tarnów, Msgr. Franciszek Pisztek. Just before his ordination, his mother Rozalia died. Father Blaszyński's first parish was Maków Podhalański. In 1836 he was transferred to Sidzina, a nearby village, which then belonged to the Maków parish. In 1838, Sidzina became an independent parish. Father Wawrzyniec Stramski became the first parish priest while Blaszyński continued to be his vicar.
In Sidzin he did not stop his intensive pastoral mission. However, he began to notice the impossibility of reaching all the faithful due to the excess of duties and lack of time. So he decided to enlist the help of lay associates. He chose among his parishioners the most talented and zealous and taught them the catechism and the truths of faith so that they could teach others. In this way, a movement called "Sidziniarek" was born.
The fame of Blaszyński and "Sidziniarek" reached far beyond the boundaries of the parish. His innovative, for those times, methods of evangelization through lay people brought him a large group of supporters and opponents, mainly among the clergy.
Blaszyński urged local residents to join the Brotherhood of Sobriety, founded in 1844. He took vows of abstinence from alcoholic beverages. His commitment to the fight against alcoholism also earned him the reluctance of the innkeepers. Many of the area's inns had to close due to the loss of customers.
Blaszyński's great dream was to build a church in his hometown of Chochołów. On March 17, 1853, the ceremony of consecration of the foundation stone for the new temple took place. Being the parish priest in Sidzin all the time, he managed the construction of the church and secured the necessary material resources. The construction of the church encountered many difficulties.
On August 11, 1866, during the dismantling of the scaffolding on the church under construction in Chochołów, a tragic accident occurred. One of the beams, falling down, unfortunately hit Father Blaszyński, as a result of which the priest died on the spot. The funeral, which took place on August 13, was attended by several thousand people.
The construction of the church in Chochołów was completed in 1886. In 1938, the remains of Fr. Wojciech were re-buried in Chochołów.
Born into a typical peasant family as the second of three male children, from an early age Wojciech Blaszyński helped his parents on the farm. In the winter, free from agricultural work, he visited the local organist, who was also a teacher. There he learned how to read and write. In 1820, after long persuasions, he obtained permission from his father to continue his education in Slovak Trzciana, where the Franciscans taught him Latin free of charge.
After completing a two-year Latin course and the beginnings of philosophy, he went to Oradea to continue his studies there. He supported himself by tutoring and alms received by students from the rich inhabitants of the city. He decided to become a doctor. In 1827, he passed his final exams and for the next two years he studied philosophy. In 1829, he returned to his family home in Chochołów. After nine years of absence, he was not recognized by his own parents. This prompted him to think more deeply about the meaning of his life, which resulted in his desire to become a priest.
In 1829 he was admitted to the Seminary of Lviv. He completed three years of theology with a very good result and together with 17 other candidates was ordained priest in 1833 by the Bishop of Tarnów, Msgr. Franciszek Pisztek. Just before his ordination, his mother Rozalia died. Father Blaszyński's first parish was Maków Podhalański. In 1836 he was transferred to Sidzina, a nearby village, which then belonged to the Maków parish. In 1838, Sidzina became an independent parish. Father Wawrzyniec Stramski became the first parish priest while Blaszyński continued to be his vicar.
In Sidzin he did not stop his intensive pastoral mission. However, he began to notice the impossibility of reaching all the faithful due to the excess of duties and lack of time. So he decided to enlist the help of lay associates. He chose among his parishioners the most talented and zealous and taught them the catechism and the truths of faith so that they could teach others. In this way, a movement called "Sidziniarek" was born.
The fame of Blaszyński and "Sidziniarek" reached far beyond the boundaries of the parish. His innovative, for those times, methods of evangelization through lay people brought him a large group of supporters and opponents, mainly among the clergy.
Blaszyński urged local residents to join the Brotherhood of Sobriety, founded in 1844. He took vows of abstinence from alcoholic beverages. His commitment to the fight against alcoholism also earned him the reluctance of the innkeepers. Many of the area's inns had to close due to the loss of customers.
Blaszyński's great dream was to build a church in his hometown of Chochołów. On March 17, 1853, the ceremony of consecration of the foundation stone for the new temple took place. Being the parish priest in Sidzin all the time, he managed the construction of the church and secured the necessary material resources. The construction of the church encountered many difficulties.
On August 11, 1866, during the dismantling of the scaffolding on the church under construction in Chochołów, a tragic accident occurred. One of the beams, falling down, unfortunately hit Father Blaszyński, as a result of which the priest died on the spot. The funeral, which took place on August 13, was attended by several thousand people.
The construction of the church in Chochołów was completed in 1886. In 1938, the remains of Fr. Wojciech were re-buried in Chochołów.
After completing a two-year Latin course and the beginnings of philosophy, he went to Oradea to continue his studies there. He supported himself by tutoring and alms received by students from the rich inhabitants of the city. He decided to become a doctor. In 1827, he passed his final exams and for the next two years he studied philosophy. In 1829, he returned to his family home in Chochołów. After nine years of absence, he was not recognized by his own parents. This prompted him to think more deeply about the meaning of his life, which resulted in his desire to become a priest.
In 1829 he was admitted to the Seminary of Lviv. He completed three years of theology with a very good result and together with 17 other candidates was ordained priest in 1833 by the Bishop of Tarnów, Msgr. Franciszek Pisztek. Just before his ordination, his mother Rozalia died. Father Blaszyński's first parish was Maków Podhalański. In 1836 he was transferred to Sidzina, a nearby village, which then belonged to the Maków parish. In 1838, Sidzina became an independent parish. Father Wawrzyniec Stramski became the first parish priest while Blaszyński continued to be his vicar.
In Sidzin he did not stop his intensive pastoral mission. However, he began to notice the impossibility of reaching all the faithful due to the excess of duties and lack of time. So he decided to enlist the help of lay associates. He chose among his parishioners the most talented and zealous and taught them the catechism and the truths of faith so that they could teach others. In this way, a movement called "Sidziniarek" was born.
The fame of Blaszyński and "Sidziniarek" reached far beyond the boundaries of the parish. His innovative, for those times, methods of evangelization through lay people brought him a large group of supporters and opponents, mainly among the clergy.
Blaszyński urged local residents to join the Brotherhood of Sobriety, founded in 1844. He took vows of abstinence from alcoholic beverages. His commitment to the fight against alcoholism also earned him the reluctance of the innkeepers. Many of the area's inns had to close due to the loss of customers.
Blaszyński's great dream was to build a church in his hometown of Chochołów. On March 17, 1853, the ceremony of consecration of the foundation stone for the new temple took place. Being the parish priest in Sidzin all the time, he managed the construction of the church and secured the necessary material resources. The construction of the church encountered many difficulties.
On August 11, 1866, during the dismantling of the scaffolding on the church under construction in Chochołów, a tragic accident occurred. One of the beams, falling down, unfortunately hit Father Blaszyński, as a result of which the priest died on the spot. The funeral, which took place on August 13, was attended by several thousand people.
The construction of the church in Chochołów was completed in 1886. In 1938, the remains of Fr. Wojciech were re-buried in Chochołów.
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
