Michalczew, church and cemetery

I noted last week while mentioning the church in nearby Dobiecin that the parish had been founded by Father Tadeusz Stokowski, the same one who was murdered in Michalczew in 1990 – the case remains unsolved.

The All Saints' festival prompted me to (albeit ten days later) to visit the church and the cemetery at Michalczew, to have a closer look than during my previous visit in April of this year. Then, the church gates were locked; this time I'd arranged my trip by train to arrive while Mass was going on, allowing me access to the grounds. Below: front elevation, view from the street; the Church of the Holy Family – Michalczew's own Sagrada Familia.

Before I take you on a virtual tour of the church and its grounds, here's a recap of the story for new readers. Fr Stokowski was parish priest in Michalczew since October 1957, having been tasked with creating a new parish for the nine villages between the existing parishes of Warka and Chynów. The communist authorities blocked construction of a proper parish church for over 20 years; Mass was held in a wooden hut. Permission was finally given in 1978 after the election of Cardinal Wojtyła as Pope, which led to a thaw in relations between communist state and Catholic church.

Designed by Fr Stokowski in person, the church was built by parishioners with their own money and labour during the materially challenged years of the late communist era. It was consecrated in 1982. 

On the morning of Sunday 3 June 1990, parishioners were gathering for the annual Confirmation ceremony. The church had been specially decorated for the occasion. A bishop from the Warsaw diocese had just arrived – but where was Fr Stokowski?  People started searching. Within minutes, inside the presbytery across the road from the church, they discovered the dead body of his housekeeper. And no sign of  the parish priest. The Mass went ahead, officiated by the bishop, but without the ceremony.

Later, while feeding the sheep that Fr Stokowski kept in a barn behind the presbytery, neighbours found his dead body under a pile of hay. The police determined that he had been strangled. Though money and commemorative coins were found lying around on the floor, there was no sign that anything had been stolen from the presbytery. Nor were there any signs of a break-in; the housekeeper seems to have let in the murderer. Fingerprints were taken, but despite extensive efforts to find the killer or killers, no suspect has ever been arrested. The mystery endures to this day.

Left: Fr Stokowski's body resides in the church grounds, rather than in the parish cemetery. Flowers and candles on his grave suggest his parishioners still revere him.

Below: the headstone reads: In holy memory of Father Canon Tadeusz Stokowski Lived 66 years In the priesthood 40 years Murdered 2 June 1990 Founder and Parish Priest, Michalczew.

Below: one of three grottos in the grounds, this one being the Grotto of the Annunciation.

Left: western facade. The barrel-shaped roof is most unusual; does it reflect Fr. Stokowski's aesthetic vision, or is it the result of the building materials available at the time? The church has two altars inside, one accessible from ground level, the upper one being accessible via an aerial walkway, visible in the pic below.

Below: the church viewed from the rear; the rows of benches visible in the foreground face the church's third, outdoor, altar. The base of its rear elevation is decorated with eight bas-reliefs depicting various scenes from the Old Testament (the white rectangles). 

Below: "Joseph is sold by his brothers to Midianite merchants" (Genesis 37:28)

Below: The dying Jacob blessing his 13 sons over Judah spoke of the prophecy of the coming of the Saviour. "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah until tribute come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." (Genesis 49:10). [I must say, the text somewhat departs from the Scriptures...]

Below: bas-relief on the front of the church – "Moses miraculously led the Israelites across the Red Sea to the Promised Land. Through Holy Baptism, God leads us from this earth to Heaven."

Dan Brown fans and conspiracy theorists would no doubt be scouring the church grounds for hidden meanings – symbols and ciphers that could offer clues into the reason for the parish priest's murder, and the identity of the killer or killers.

Left: again, from the rear of church, showing the ramp leading up to the upper-level hall. The roof's unusual shape is nicely presented from this angle.

On to the cemetery, 300m away. The shape of the cemetery chapel nicely reflects that of the church. Below: the front view. Under the image of Jesus the words "I am life and resurrection".

Below: looking back the other way; the rear of the chapel is inscribed with the words: 'I was taken to heaven with body and soul" and an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Walking around the cemetery, I was struck by the fact that the men here died at an even younger age than in Chynów, with plenty of headstones giving age of death as late 40s and 50s.

Next, I shall have to pay a visit to the actual church itself, pop inside and check out the vibe. How is it decorated?

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