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Old Catholic Mariavite Church

Old Catholic Mariavite Church
Mariavite emblem composed of two angels and a monstrance
Mariavite emblem
Classification Old Catholic
Orientation Old Catholicism
Polity Episcopal
Prime bishop Maria Karol Babi ()
Associations World Council of Churches
Conference of European Churches
Polish Ecumenical Council
Region Poland and France
Headquarters Płock, Republic of Poland
Origin 1906
Płock, Vistula Land
Separated from Latin Church of the
Catholic Church
Separations Catholic Mariavite Church
Congregations 40 parishes
Members Fewer than 30,000
Ministers 4 bishops
25 priests
Other name(s) Old Catholic Church of the Mariavites
Official website mariawita.pl

The Mariavite Church was an independent Christian church that emerged from the Catholic Church of Poland at the turn of the 20th century. Initially, it was an internal movement leading to a reform of the Polish clergy. After a conflict with Polish bishops, it became a separate and independent religious denomination. The denomination was led by Jan Maria Michał Kowalski from the 1920s until 1935 when Kowalski was deposed and a schism resulted in two groups. The Mariavite Old Catholic Church, also called Old Catholic Church of the Mariavites and Old Catholic Mariavite Church of Poland was led after 1935 by Maria Filip Feldman () in Płock; the Catholic Church of the Mariavites was led after 1935 by Kowalski in Felicjanow. The Old Catholic Mariavite Church was, and still is, the larger of the two groups.

After 1935, the leadership of the smaller group, the Catholic Mariavite Church remained in the hands of Kowalski, and later in the hands of his widow, Maria Izabela Wiłucka-Kowalska. The Old Catholic Mariavite Church is a member of the Polish Ecumenical Council, and also of the World Council of Churches. It is not currently a member of the Old Catholic Union of Utrecht. The Catholic Mariavite Church stands away from the ecumenical movement. Since 2015, Maria Karol Babi () is the prime bishop of the Old Catholic Mariavite Church.

The term comes from Latin phrase "who imitate the life of Mary."


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