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Kamień
Śląski
is a village in Poland situated in the Opole province. For long centuries (from the XII c.) Kamień Śląski was well-known as the seat of knights and noblemen families. In the year 1183 Jacek Odrowąż, saint of the Roman Catholic Church, was born here. Also blessed Czesław and Bronisława come from Kamień Śląski. Jacek Odrowrąż was canonized in the year 1594. Since then development of his worship in the place of his birth can be observed. After converting the chamber of St Jacek's birth into a chapel more and more worshippers started to go on a pilgrimage to Kamień Śląski. In the last years of the WWII the castle, in which St. Jacek was born, was used as a hospital. On 22nd of January the Soviet Army entered Kamień Śląski and caused considerable damage within the castle buildings. The castle was plundered and the St Jacek's chapel was burnt down. Since then the castle served as the seat of all sorts of institutions, military among others. Further damage to the castle was done due to next two fires and further plundering. After sociopolitical transformations in the year 1989, the future of the castle started appearing in a new light. New local government asked the Opole diocese to take over the severely damaged complex. On the basis of the agreement from 14th December 1990 Gogolin administrative districts passed on the ruins of the castle to authorities of Opole diocese. Immediately a decision about its reconstruction was made. Intensive works supervised by dr. Albert Glaeser lasted for 4 years. Unfortunately not all monuments could be restored. Wooden ceiling coffers and stucco decorations suffered to irreversible damage. Nevertheless, chambers were granted baroque character and were furnished with stylized furniture. The Chapel of St Jacek was so heavily destroyed that it was not possible to restore the interior decorations to their state before WWII. Today's appearance of the chapel referres to the style of the entire castle. An antique rococo altar (from Siestrzechowice near Nysa) was placed inside. Sculptures of St Jacek, Bl. Czesław and Bl. Bronisława were additionally made. In the Jubilee Year 2000 the chapel of St Jacek was pronounced the diocesan sanctuary of the Holy Year. |