Today May 7

Today is the feast of St. Stanislaus of Cracow. Stanislaus Szczepanowski was well-educated in Poland and France, was ordained a priest in Cracow and inspired the many penitents in his parish. He became bishop by acclaim after Bishop Lampert died. He was an inspired preacher, strict in discipline and indefatigable in visitation. His house looked like Dorothy Day's in "Entertaining Angels," crowded with the poor from door to door.

Stanislaus got into trouble by speaking truth to power, especially in the case of King Boleslaus II's rampant cruelty and adultery. When he kidnapped one of his noble's wives as a concubine, Stanislaus stood up and denounced him, threatening him with excommunication. This action -- denying the king Communion -- is a simple, if brave, solution to this problem of disobedience. One could rightly say Boleslaus excommunicated himself as a consequence of his own actions and Stanislaus was only pointing out this fact. Thus, before receiving Communion again, the king must absent himself, ponder his action and before presenting himself again, repent, go to confession, renounce the sin and make restitution if possible. But he did not. Instead, he went on the offensive and accused Stanislaus of not paying for land he had purchased for the church from a man named Peter, now deceased. The dead man's nephews were persuaded to sue Stanislaus in court. Supposedly he worked an actual miracle in which Peter himself appeared from the dead, still partially wrapped in his shroud and averring that the bishop had paid him fair and square. He then returned to the grave.

But even this did not "catch the conscience of the king," and he ordered his guards to kill him. The men came back, saying they could not do so because he was surrounded by the so-called "shekinah," or heavenly light. (Some people have experienced this down through the ages, beginning with Moses). So, Boleslaus himself mounted the steps of the cathedral, entered and slew Stanislaus in front of the very altar of sacrifice. The guards followed, hacked up the body and scattered it, but it was preserved from beasts of prey somehow and three days later the faithful gathered it up and buried it by the door of the cathedral.

While it is not true (as is sometimes said) that the people immediately rose in revolt against Boleslaus and overthrew him, it did hasten his downfall. Thus ever to tyrants.