Category: Places

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Studzieniczna

Probably everyone has heard about the Sanctuary in Studzieniczna, today a settlement in the administrative part of Augustów. At the beginning of the 18th century, on one of the islands of Lake Studzieniczna, there was a hermitage in which a monk from the Camaldolese monastery in Wigry lived. The hermitage was in the place "famous for miracles", which is reportedly testified by a visit of the Augustów deanery from 1700. Former Polish army officer Wincenty Murawski, aka Morawski, settled there. Murawski was an herbalist and apparently the water from the well he dug had healing properties, in particular it helped with eye diseases. On the island there was a copy of the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa, initially the painting hung on an oak, and later in a wooden chapel built by Murawski. In 1782, Murawski made a pilgrimage to Rome, where he obtained the right to four complete indulgences per year, with the most important one for Pentecost, next on July 26 for St. Anna, May 16 for St. Nepomuk and September 23 for St. Tekla. He also brought pictures of saints, which he placed in the chapel. Currently, there is a stone chapel there, built in 1872 by Ludwik Jeziorkowski, engineer of the Augustów Canal. The chapel's foundations are based on 64 oak piles driven into the ground. At the end of the 19th century, a dyke connecting the island with the mainland was built. The indulgence ceremonies are held in Studzieniczna to the present day, and just before the war the indulgence on Pentecost lasted three days. During the penultimate pilgrimage to Poland in 1999 Studzieniczna was visited by Pope John Paul II, there is a monument where he got off the ship to the shore.

Ciekawy opis takich uroczystości odpustowych zamieścił w 1931 roku w „Kurierze warszawskim” dziennikarz, pisarz i felietonista Julian Podoski. Urodzony pod Zamościem, a związany z tymi terenami poprzez ojca, Tadeusza Podoskiego, który był pierwszym komisarzem-starostą powiatu augustowskiego od listopada 1918 roku do listopada roku 1919. Julian przez kilka miesięcy wydawał “Gazetę Augustowską”, a z Augustowem związał się dosłownie, żeniąc się w 1931 roku z Zofią, córką powiatowego lekarza augustowskiego, Jana Jaworowskiego. Felietony Podoskiego o Augustowie i okolicach ukazywały się w „Kurierze Warszawskim” w latach 1929 – 1938. Julian Podoski był przyjacielem Kornela Makuszyńskiego i Mariana Walentynowicza. Wspólnie z tym drugim rysował komiksy do Świata Młodych w latach 40-tych i 50-tych XX wieku. Wśród felitonistów piszących o tych terenach jest jeszcze Karol Hoffman, Ferdynand Ossendowski, Bronisław Stefanowski piszący pod ps. Stefan Stojan i kilku innych. Poniższy felieton jest jednym z kilkudziesięciu tekstów opisujących historię, obyczaje i codzienne życie mieszkańców tzw. Kresów północnych (czyli Augustowa, Raczek, Suwałk, Sejn, Grodna) od 1919 do 1939 roku. Prawdopodobnie już w lipcu ukaże się drukiem nasza kolejna książka, licząca ponad 400 stron i bogato ilustrowana archiwalnymi fotografiami, pt. „Augustów, Suwałki, Sejny, Grodno i pogranicza 1919-1939. Felietony korespondentów Kuriera Warszawskiego”. Również w tym czasie planujemy wydać reprint przewodnika „Pojezierze Suwalsko-Agustowskie” z 1937 roku, książka powstaje przy współpracy z Biblioteką Uniwersytecką im. Jerzego Giedroycia w Białymstoku.

In Studzieniczna

Indulgence at Pentecost in Studzieniczna - At the well at which the figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared - Through dam to the chapel - Prayers in a wooden church - Pilgrims at the foot of the chapel on an islet - Burning candles and pilgrimage on the knees - Graces of the Holy Virgin from Studzieniczna - Beggars - A friend from Warsaw - Vendors - "Cold ice water" and bagels - And when the third day of the indulgence ends ...

Studzieniczna, in May

It was warm, May rain at night. In the morning, on the first day of Pentecost it cleared up completely. In the streams of hot sun, in a downpour of golden rays, the swarm of people of Suwałki region goes to the annual indulgence, in Studzieniczna, in the poviat Augustow. Hundreds and thousands of wagons, carts, vans and carriages are heading in the same direction - towards the miracles of the famous chapel on the island of Lake Studzieniczne. According to ancient tradition, the Mother of God was to appear at the well, and at the same time began to heal the sick and the cripples. Miracles multiplied. The news of the place, famous for miracles, spread more and more widely. More and more believers began to converge on all sides of the Suwałki-Augustów lakes, forests and villages. As the years went by, when extraordinary phenomena continued, a three-day indulgence was announced here.

Studzieniczna lies among the forests, where the Białe and Studzieniczne lakes are adjacent. From the island where the miracle happened for the first time, a dyke leading to the wooden church and the neighboring village of the same name was built. On the island itself is a white, stone chapel and a well, next to which the figure of the Mother of God was placed, in the place where she was supposed to appear on that fateful day.

Now, not only the islet, dike and area around the church, but the space of several kilometers of forest is occupied by pilgrims and their camps. The crowd of people sways and vibrates, pouring in two streams at the feet of the image of the Blessed Virgin and pouring from them.

Local people prevail. However, there is also a lot of intelligence.

Fourteen priests who came to the area cannot keep up with religious services. The crowd is squeezing more and more , although masses are celebrated without interruption. Thirsting for grace comes constantly. At times, it seems that the fence of the church graveyard will not withstand the pressure of the people and shatter soon. The smell of burning incense and the sound of silver bells flows from the crowded interiors of the temple.

The door to the islet's chapel is wide open. Those who want to experience grace or thank for the experienced grace kneel or lie prostrate at the altar.

After saying a short prayer to allow further waves of pious people access to the temple, people approach the church grandfather, who "leases" wax candles. Later, those who give thanks or are just asking for mercy in earthly pain or distress come out. According to their vows, they circle the chapel three times, being careful that the flames don't go out. Many of the pilgrims come to this wonderful place on their knees.

Dozens of men and women look weird in the scorching sun gloomy in prayers, full of fervent faith in a miracle to come true!

Apparently, the Mother of God in Studzieniczna is kind to these miserable people, because half of those present are those who have received grace.

The chapel in Studzieniczna is surrounded by lake waters everywhere. Behind the water, the dark wall of pine forests glistens in the sunny heat. Among the tall trees, the "shingle", a wooden parish temple, prays with the people.

Not only did the pious come to a wonderful place. Every free corner is full of professional beggars. There is such a multitude and variety of them that you will get confused soon. Moreover the beggars are not embarrassed and they push the image of their disability as close to the pilgrims' eyes as possible to stimulate the homies to sacrifice. There are shouts and screams in various tones, intended to increase the pity of those who do not beg ... The most terrible stumps and wounds were put on public display ... Deaf-mute stimulate the sensitivity of pilgrims by ringing the bells or clappers.

By looking at this cluster, you can immediately distinguish two species of beggars. The first is - village louts of all varieties and shades. A collection so rich that more than one ethnographer would have a lot to do here, finding types that reach back to a distant space of time. The second type is "smart". Various "cripples" with faces on which, under the mask of piety, hide eyes glistening with... insolence, their pupils fly anxiously and vigilantly. Each of these ladders has a helper, from time to time he moves closer to the "patron" and raises some of the beggar's gifts in nature, so that they do not stab too much in the eyes of further donors...

Among other things, on the dam, right by the lake, in the shadow of a trembling aspen I met an old friend. Not only I know him, but all Warsaw also knows him! He stands all autumn and winter, or rather he sits on a sheet in front of the church of St. Cross. A plaque is hung around his neck: "Deaf from birth". He draws public attention here with the same bell he uses in the capital on Krakowskie Przedmieście Street. When I recognized him and came closer to take him into the camera's viewfinder, he shook restlessly. Maybe he met me. After all, I passed by him so many times, returning from the editorial office!

The three-day indulgence in Studzieniczna has fame established by cohorts of beggars and traders. The former managed to squeeze into the cemetery fence and just near the chapel, famous for its miracles. The traders are more modest. They quickly founded improvised stalls along the main trail leading to the gate in the church fence. They sell everything! Even the ladies from the capital who went to Studzieniczna for the indulgence do not hesitate to put glass "pearls" on their neck for ... 60 grosz per meter string! Bicause: "If you fell among crows, croak like them" ... The cries of the vendors lure amateurs: "To water, to water ... Sweet, cold, ice, better than Jewish soda!" And such nectar consists of ... a bucket of cold water from the lake, a quart of "natural fruit" vinegar, half a pound of fine sugar, and other additions that come to "lemonade" from all parts of the world, in the form of flies and various other insects. You can strengthen your weakened physical condition with... excellent sausage, dried for a year and so hard thatyou can confidently use it for... thumps for threshing grain... You can bite it only with the help of pliers, a saw and a chisel ... The flower of the indulgence trade, however, are dryers. Various! And these really are excellent.

The screaming and encouragement of the stall keepers sound until late at night. And when the evening falls and the last day of the indulgence ends, it gets emptier and quieter around. The crowd disappears quickly. All that is left is the forest, the rustling of the evening prayer and the belated pilgrims who lie prostrate at the foot of the wonderful chapel and repeat the words of faith stubbornly:

"After all, you will heal me, Blessed Virgin Mary of Studzieniczna, because the goodness of our Lord, Heavenly Father, is so infinite that nothing can be denied to Mother of Jesus from Nazareth. Amen!"

Julian Podoski
 
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Z Solistowskiej Góry do Ameryki

Grzędy Topograficeskaja Karta Carstva Polskago

Nieznany epizod z historii wsi Grzędy

Wieś Grzędy… miejsce niezwykłe i szczególne na historycznej mapie powiatu grajewskiego. Wprawdzie osada nie istnieje już od ponad 75 lat – jednak historia i życie jej mieszkańców ciągle wzbudzają żywe zainteresowanie turystów, miłośników regionu i historyków. Wieś składała się z ponad 20 gospodarstw rozrzuconych na kilku piaszczystych wydmach. I tak na Nowym Świecie mieszkali Łubowie, Kosakowscy, Rowki, Sienkiewicze, Biercie, Milewscy, Grabowi, na Dębowej Górze posadowione były gospodarstwa Zyskowskich, Kuklińskich, Czajków, Kołakowskich, Olendrów, Zawistowskich. Na Pojedynku mieszkali Kaplowie, i dwie rodziny Grabowych. Na Longwi żyli m.in. Kumkowscy i Mońkowie. Na Solistowskiej Górze mieszkali Czajki i nieco dalej Kuklińscy.

Kilka lat temu wpadł mi w ręce list z 1886 roku pisany z Ameryki przez Kazimierza Czajko z Grzęd do Aleksandra Nawrockiego z Rajgrodu. To ciekawe znalezisko dało mi asumpt do poszukiwań historycznych o wsi Grzędy i jej mieszkańcach.

Aby prześledzić proces osadniczy rodziny Czajków na Solistowskiej Górze, warto na początku przybliżyć losy członków tej rodziny. Otóż protoplastami naszych osadników byli pochodzący z Tajenka Jan i Jadwiga z Kuberskich, którzy w 1829 roku w kościele w Bargłowie zawarli związek małżeński. Młodzi mieszkali w Woźnejwsi, gdzie na świat przychodziły kolejne dzieci:Kazimierz (*1837), Wincenty(*1840, urodzony w Ciszewie),Jan (*1843), Józef (*1846),Teofila (*1847), Antoni (*1850).

Pierwszym z tej familii, który osiadł na Solistowskiej Górze był Kazimierz Czajko. W 1856 roku zawarł on związek małżeński z 18 letnia Wiktorią Dobrydnio z Orzechówki. Małżonkowie zamieszkali w Woźnejwsi, gdzie w 1858 roku na świat przychodzi córka Rozalia, w 1862 roku Józef. W 1870 roku umiera żona Kazimierza, który – co wcale nie było rzadkością, jeszcze w tym samym roku ponownie zawiera związek małżeński z 25 letnią Anną Klimont z Tajna. W akcie zaślubin jest zapisany jako Kazimierz Czajkowski. W 1872 roku w Dreństwie przychodzi na świat córka Anna, rok później Feliks, Kazimierz (*1876), Piotr (*1878), Antoni (*1880). Poza Anną, wszystkie dzieci urodziły się już w Grzędach. Można zatem przyjąć, że Kazimierz wraz żoną i liczną rodziną zamieszkał w Grzędach – Solistowska Góra w 1872 lub 1873 roku. Nie znamy niestety statusu majątkowego Czajków. Jest jednak wysoce prawdopodobne, że sytuacja rodzinna, niejako wymusiła przenosiny na Solistowską. Nowa żona, a także powiększająca się rodzina, powodowały bez wątpienia liczne konflikty w przeludnionej chacie. Ciekawe, że kilka lat później w ślady Kazimierza poszedł jego młodszy brat Jan, który z poślubioną w 1873 roku Franciszką ze Skowrońskich oraz z dwójką dzieci, Franciszką (*1874) oraz Karolem (*1875) również zamieszkał na Solistowskiej. Trudno jednoznacznie powiedzieć, czy pomiędzy braćmi była jakaś umowa, i w związku z tym rodzina Jana zamieszkała w chacie Kazimierza, czy też w nowej -wybudowanej przez siebie. Tego nie wiemy. Faktem jest, że w następnych latach w Grzędach na świat przychodzą kolejne jego dzieci. Aniela (*1880), Konstancja (*1882) Jan (*1884), Józef (*1893), Julianna (*1886), Franciszek (*1887), Wiktoria (*1887) i Józef (*1893).

Około 1885 roku nastąpiło ważne wydarzenie w rodzinie Czajków. Kazimierz, jego syn Józef oraz nie mieszkający w Grzędach brat pierwszego Wincenty, postanowili wyjechać do Ameryki. Byli zatem najprawdopodobniej pierwszymi emigrantami z zagubionej wśród bagien wsi Grzędy. Co było przyczyną tak ryzykownego działanie jak wyjazd do dalekiej Ameryki? Bez wątpienia bieda, przeludnienie wsi, brak ziemi i jak to dzisiaj powiedzielibyśmy brak perspektyw.

Według Anny Adasiewicz, która przeglądała ewidencje pochowanych na cmentarzach w Stambaugh, Iron, emigracja z miejscowości nadbiebrzańskich za ocean rozpoczęła się jeszcze na początku lat 80 XIX wieku. Duża część emigrantów pochodziło z Białaszewa, Osowca, Tajna, Rajgrodu. Pani Anna przytacza historię rodziny Konstantego i Rozalii Zyskowskich z Stambaugh, miasta znanego z kopalni złota. Konstanty urodził się w 1837 r i zmarł 15 maja 1920r w Iron River, Michigan. Rozalia Gardecka i Konstanty wzięli ślub w Rajgrodzie w 1864r. Wyemigrowali w 1884r z 4 dzieci (najprawdopodobniej z Rajgrodu). Ich syn Zygmunt, już chyba urodzony w USA, później odziedziczyli parcelę 40 arowe, na której odkryto później złoża żelaza i miedzi. W wyniku konfliktu o złoża cennego kruszcu został zamordowany w 1924r i sprawa morderstwa i praw do ziemi ciągnęła się przez wiele lat w sadach. Praprawnuczek Konstantego, Raymond Bisque napisał na ten temat książkę.

Continue reading Z Solistowskiej Góry do Ameryki

 
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About the Holy Place in the "Orli Lot" magazine

The presented article, entitled "The Holy Place in the Augustów Primeval Forest", appeared in 1932 in the "Orli Lot" magazine. It was a ethno-geographical monthly published by the Polish Society for Local Studies in Krakow for the purpose of Circles of Local Studies. from 1920 to 1950. The author of the text is Seweryn Udziela, born in 1857 and deceased in 1937, teacher, ethnographer, folklore researcher and folk expert. The Ethnographic Museum in Krakow bears his name. Illustrations of crosses and roadside shrines from the area of Augustów and Suwałki were made by Stefan Bykowski from Bydgoszcz, a collaborator of the Augustów regional magazine "Nasz Głos".

More information on this topic can be obtained, among others on the websites of the Seweryna Udziela Ethnographic Museum in Krakow, Benedictine Publishing House in Tyniec, PWN Encyclopedia, PTTK Central Library and Wikipedia.


The Holy Place in the Augustów Primeval Forest

Seweryn Udziela

In the spruce forest with a mix of pine trees at the mouth of the Rozpuda River to Jałowe Lake, there is the so-called "Holy Place" already in the territory of the village of Jaśki in the Raczki parish in the Suwałki poviat.

It is a group of wooden crosses and chapels placed on poles and iron crosses plugged on top of them. The most interesting is a pole carved out of one piece of stone, and showing a tree trunk 2 meters high and 4 decimeters in diameter. Imitates the pine trunk as accurately as possible; at the bottom you can see the roots coming out of the ground, the bark is forged with meticulous accuracy, on the trunk there is a hub and another mushroom with a hat; upper part is evenly cut and iron cross is stuck in it. The most important among these chapels is the one with the statue of St. John the Baptist, carved in a tree, about 6 dm high. The other one has a picture of the Mother of God set behind the glass, and the other has Jesus Crucified.

All these chapels stand close to each other in a group, you can see that they are old and they create this "Holy Place" known and worshiped by the Polish and Catholic population; in an area with a radius of several miles, it is considered a wonderful place.

Tradition maintains that the "Holy Place" is very ancient; the oldest people say that their parents have already said that it existed for a long time. Legends about its emergence are also vague and general. Everyone says that the Virgin Mary once appeared on a tree to a girl grazing a cow, so a chapel with the Virgin Mary was put on the spot. Again St. John the Baptist appeared to the shepherd boy, so another chapel is dedicated to Saint John. Then a few wooden crosses were placed there.

They were once not liked by some Moscow forester and he ordered to cut them. However, when no one dared to cut these crosses, angry he cut them off by himself and pushed them into the River Rozpuda flowing here. However, the crosses did not flow with water, but even when they were pushed further, they returned here, swimming under water. Seeing this, people saw this miracle as an indication that the crosses want to stay at the Holy Place, pulled them out of the water at night and put them again where they once stood.

People come to this wonderful Holy Place with prayers for health, and in the stream flowing at the foot of the crosses, flowing from the neighboring Jałowe Lake to Rozpuda River, sick children are washed, leaving their T-shirts and handkerchiefs with which they tie the crosses.

Also older patients go to the care of the Mother of God and Saint John and make pilgrimages to this place. They wash themselves with water, dip in handkerchiefs and cover sick areas. Such wraps are effective when a rash covers the body, when ulcers form, sores, when the head hurts. I saw a mother leading a lame girl into the water, maybe nine years old with one crutch.

On a day of St. John the Baptist, June 24, there is a kind of church fair, I say kind of, because there is no church in the place, there is not even a chapel in which there would be even a small altar, used to celebrate mass. Priests also do not take part in any folk festival. Only a vicar from Raczki has been sending a church servant with a iron can to collect contributions from some time. He stands under the statue of St. John, puts the can in an accessible and visible place, and next to it - a church crucifix.

People from all around come on foot and arrive in carts. All cars full of older and smaller children and babies, because today is a children's festival; after all, the Virgin Mary and Saint John appeared to the children.

The church fair is crowded, there are several thousand people there. They leave the carts in the woods, and the path leading through the woods to the Holy Place is crammed with stallholders on both sides. In the stalls I saw the most candy, some cakes; there are stalls with rolls, puppets, and sausages; there were only two stalls with devotions, beer, soda water and ice cream in others; a couple of stalls with children's toys, but these were factory products, not local folk products.

A bunch of beggars wailed songs about the Mother of God and Saint John and asked for alms.

Everyone who came knelt in front of the shrines, prayed and tossed a penny to the can. Who was sick he went to the water. The priests do not want to take care of the Holy Place and organize this folk fair and sanctify it somehow. Yes, it is really a folk festival.

This day is also a pastoral holiday.

When rushing the cattle home from the morning feed, each shepherd dresses them with field flowers, hanging wreaths made of them on the horns and on the neck of each cattle. Today each shepherd also receives from the landlady in the gift 50 groszy for each cattle grazed.