Saints Canisius, Kostka, Gonzaga And Victory Of The Poles Over The Cossacks At Chocim

First Jesuits its success seemed for some time doubtful. in Poland. Here there were two Provinces, and

it was Peter Canisius, Provincial of Upper Germany, who first of the Jesuits penetrated into Poland.

Rumours had reached the Pope of a Diet to be held at Piotrkow in 1558, where religion was to be the chief subject of discussion. Justly alarmed at the imminent prospect of the secession of Poland, he sent Mentuatus as legate to the Diet, accompanied by Canisius.

The Jesuit lost no opportunities of preaching and furthering the interests of Rome by all possible means; he pointed out the evils of the mutual accusations which the clergy and court brought against each other;

the king, who constantly refused to persecute, was encouraged to refuse any modification of episcopal rights, and the Diet was induced to prohibit all innovation. The visit of Canisius' did not lead at once to any further steps on the part of the Jesuits, but Polish youths began to visit their school at Vienna, and among them Stanislas Kostka ', who led a saintly life, and was canonized after his death. He became acquainted with Canisius, and on his departure from Vienna proceeded to Rome, where he met Warszewski, afterwards high in the favour of Sigismund III, and Aloysius Gonzaga; here he died in 1568 at the age of eighteen.

The Poles paid great veneration to his name : he was claimed as the Patron of Poland, and legends grew up that his appearance at Chocim gave the victory to the Poles, and rescued the city of Przemysl from the Cossacks.

It was in 1564 that Cardinal Stanislaus Hosius wrote to the General Superior James Lainez asking for some members of the Society. The General dispatched some from Rome and others from Lower Germany, with Christopher Strombelius as leader. Their journey was beset with hardships; they could enter neither city nor village because of the plague, and slept in the open air.

Link (here)

Watercolor of the victorious Polish forces at Chocim, the mounted winged Hussar's are featured in the piece.