Letters of the rev. Wincenty Danek to Archbishop Józef Bilczewski from the Years 1900-1919 (Part I)

Abstract

This edition of historical sources covers the letters of a clergyman of the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Lviv, the Rev. Wincenty Danek (1870-1945), to Archbishop of Lviv Józef Bilczewski (1860-1923). The documents span the years 1900-1919, i.e. almost the entire pontificate of the Lviv bishop. They are kept along with other archbishop’s memorabilia in the Archives of the Lviv Archdiocese in Kraków. However, the letters of Archbishop Bilczewski to the Rev. Danek have not survived. That makes the ones covered in this edition even more valuable, given than they have never undergone scientific research before. Their additional benefit is the subjects discussed. They report the Rev. Danek’s attempts to organise a permanent pastoral care for his compatriots in Budapest, and above all, to build a church. With the approval of both Hungarian ecclesiastical and state authorities, as well as of Archbishop Bilczewski, the reverend undertook a large-scale fund-raising and support campaign across the Hungarian and Galician communities. He established contacts with the Hungarian aristocracy related to the Polish landowners; he enlisted aid from the imperial court in Vienna; he won the trust of some members of the Austro-Hungarian government and parliament, which helped secure funds for the planned investment project. Its implementation was interrupted by the outbreak of the Great War, which is why the Church of Our Lady of Succour to the Faithful was not completed until 1926. The consecration of the temple followed four years later.