Stanislaus of Szczepanow
| Saint Stanislaus of Szczepanów | |
|---|---|
Saint Stanislaus
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| Bishop and Martyr | |
| Born |
July 26, 1030 Szczepanów, Poland |
| Died | April 11, 1079 (aged 48) Kraków, Poland |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Canonized | September 17, 1253, Assisi, Italy by Pope Innocent IV |
| Major shrine | Wawel Cathedral |
| Feast | April 11, May 7 (Traditional Roman Catholics), May 8 (in Poland) |
| Attributes | Episcopal insignia, sword, resurrected Piotr |
| Patronage | Poland, Kraków, moral order |
Stanislaus of Szczepanów, or Stanisław Szczepanowski, (July 26, 1030 – April 11, 1079) was a Bishop of Kraków known chiefly for having been martyred by the Polish king Bolesław II the Bold. Stanislaus is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Stanislaus the Martyr (as distinct from Stanislaus Kostka).
According to tradition, Stanisław was born at Szczepanów, a village in Lesser Poland, the only son of the noble and pious Wielisław and Bogna. He was educated at a cathedral school in Gniezno (then the capital of Poland) and later, according to different sources, in Paris or Liège. On his return to Poland, Stanisław was ordained a priest by Lambert II Suła, Bishop of Kraków.
After the Bishop's death (1072), Stanisław was elected his successor but accepted the office only at the explicit command of Pope Alexander II. Stanisław was one of the earliest native Polish bishops. He also became a ducal advisor and had some influence on Polish politics.
Stanisław's major accomplishments included bringing papal legates to Poland, and reestablishment of a metropolitan see in Gniezno. The latter was a precondition for Duke Bolesław's coronation as king, which took place in 1076. Stanisław then encouraged King Bolesław to establish Benedictine monasteries to aid in the Christianization of Poland.
Stanisław's initial conflict with King Bolesław was over a land dispute. The Bishop had purchased for the diocese a piece of land on the banks of the Vistula river near Lublin from a certain Peter (Piotr), but after Piotr's death the land had been claimed by his family. The King ruled for the claimants, but – according to legend – Stanisław resurrected Piotr so that he could confirm that he had sold the land to the Bishop.
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