Poznan 1999, Poland
The Grand Master flew over Warsaw to Poznań to his
ancestral homeland where his family was first recorded
in the XIII.th century and this was his first visit for over
60 years. The investiture on 11 December 1999 was
organized by the Commander for the area of Greater
Poland, Chev. Capt. Tadeusz Stocki, supported by the
Grand Prior of Poland, Chev. Stanisław Pagacz. The
ceremony was held in the Grand Hotel where the
reception was ably organized by Chev. Col. Kazimierz
Walczak. The Lt. Grand Master, Piotr Nowina-Sokolnicki,
attended together with members of his family as did
Commander Chev. Lech Grzybowski from Częstochowa
and Commander Chev. Orland Machnikowski. Very
worthwhile persons from the Poznan area were
invested including Dame Dr. Krystyna Lybacka, Member
of Parliament, and deputy Leader of the Opposition, płk.
Piotr Dubiel and dr. Marian Król from Poznań.
The Kraków Investiture, 7th May 1999
On Friday, 7 May, the members were transported to
Szczepanów, birthplace of St. Stanislas. The holy Mass
was celebrated in the Church of. St. Stanislas during
which a copy of the coronation sword of King Stanislas
Augustus was blessed and the certificate of blessing was
signed by the priest, Canonic Biełatowicz, the Grand
Master Juliusz Nowina Sokolnicki and the Grand Prior of
Poland, Chev. Pagacz. In the future it will be this sword
that will be used in all investitures in Poland. The
following day, in the House of Polonia, a press
conference was held following speeches by Professor
Majchrowski of the Jagiellonian University and the
Grand Master. They were broadcast the same evening.
Attending were representatives from the commandries
of Częstochowa, Łódź, Siedlce and Poznań. The
uniformed Cpt. Baron Stocki of Poznań acted as Sword
Bearer to the Grand Master, and all, in a moving
ceremony, reaffirmed their Oath of Loyalty to the Grand
Master.
Motu Proprio
In 2001 A.D., the Grand Master, exercised his “Motu
Proprio” discretion, and awarded the Grand Cordon of
the Order of Stanislas, to H.E. Arpad Goncz, President of
the Republic of Hungary. The Grand Master was
represented by H.E. General J.D. Karaszy-Kulin, the hero
of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956.
Nieborów Palace. The palace and garden complex in
Nieborów and the nearby sentimental and romantic
garden in Arcadia are connected within a single project
in the historical and artistic context. These monuments
are authentic examples of an aristocratic residence
designed by the greatest architect of that time, Tylman
van Gameren.
Poland 2000An especially important investiture will be held on St.
Stanislas Day, 8th May 2000, in Czestochowa with a visit
excursion to Kraków to join the solemn annual
Procession with Relics of St. Stanislas from castle
Wawel to Skałka, in the Minor Basilica of the Pauline
Fathers on Skałka.Poland 2001On 15 September 2001, a General meeting was held by
the Association of the Knights of the Order of St.
Stanislas in Częstochowa. With effect of 1st January
2002, the appointment of a Grand Prior in Poland has
been abolished and Commanders are now directly
responsible to the Grand Master and the Grand
Magistry. There are now 16 Administrational provinces
within Poland, instead of the previous 48, and The
Grand Master felt it would be more appropriate to have
these boundaries reflect the older historical provinces.Poland 2001Cardinal Grocholewski has received more than 20
honorary Doctorates. Delegation of the Priory of
Greater Poland, based in Poznań, comprising Prior
Count Tadeusz Stocki G.C.St.S., Chev. Dr. Marian Król
G.C.St.S., former Vievod of Poznan and Father Janus
Rakoczy C.S.St.S., Chaplain to the Priory and curator of
the Sanctuaries of St. Stanislas in Pruśce decorated His
Eminence Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, a native of the
Poznan region, with the Grand Cross of the Order.