Steve’s Genealogy Blog

There is, unfortunately, a dearth of information about Polish genealogy on the Internet.

Certainly there are websites that discuss the process of conducting research in Polish records, including information about the Partitions of Poland, online gazetteers, online historical maps, and information about surnames.

But, there are relatively few Polish pedigrees published on the Internet. There are even fewer images of original documents on the Internet. Subscription databases such as Ancestry.com have very few original Polish documents, the very documents that are critical to tracing one’s Polish roots.

And so, Polish genealogists must depend on the birth/baptism, marriage, and death records filmed by the Family History Library, in Polish archives, and in Polish parishes. The Family History Library, while constantly working to film and digitize Polish parish registers (including civil copies of those registers), still has a long way to go to complete the task of preserving those records and making them more readily available to researchers.

Many genealogists researching Polish roots must still contact the parishes where the vital and religious events were originally recorded in order to trace their ancestry.

The Polish Diocese of Płock has made things a bit easier for those researching records maintained in their parishes. Their website provides a great deal of information about the diocese (in Polish), and also has information on the individual parishes, including photographs and histories of the churches.

Fortunately for me, several of the parishes to which my ancestors belonged are in the Płock Diocese.

Going to the main page of the Diocese of Płock, browse down the left sidebar until you find the link for Parafie (Parishes). It’s under the subheading of Structura Diecezji (Structure of the Diocese). The next page that appears is a search form for the parishes in the Diocese. Enter the name of the parish in the box next to “nazwa parafii” (name of the parish) and click “szukaj” (search).

By entering the name “Krasne”, another page appears with all parishes with that name. Click on the photo, and you’ll be brought to the homepage for the parish.

The homepage shows a photo of the current church and a history of the church in Polish. At the top of the page, you’ll find some basic information about the church, including the actual name of the church, the address, the dekanat (deanery), and the civil jurisdiction, including gmina, powiat, and wojewódstwo.

Krasne
parafia pw. św. Jana Chrzciciela
06-408 Krasne, Ludwika Krasińskiego 2
dekanat makowski
gm. Krasne, pow. przasnyski, woj. mazowieckie

Below that, you’ll find lots of useful information.

A list of the metrical books kept in the parish:

chrztów  od 1825 r.  (baptisms after 1825)
ślubów  od 1825 r.  (marriages after 1825)
zgonów  od 1891 r.  (deaths after 1891)

The names of the priests at the church:

proboszcz ks. kan. Remigiusz Sęderski, od 1984
wikariusze ks. Andrzej Rutkowski, od 2006  

A list of the villages served by the parish:

Augustów, Brzegędy, Filipy, Gawary, Gawronki, Helenowo, Kozin, Krasiniec, Krasne, Kulki, Kurowo, Kurówko, Łyszkowo, Mosaki, Nowa Wieś, Rukle, Ruszczyny, Szczuki PSK, Szczuki Wieś, Szlasy, Tabuły, Wężewo, Zalesie, Żbiki

Sure enough, there are two of the villages of my ancestors: Mosaki and Rukle.

So now, if I want to travel to the parish to view the metrical books, I know the address of the church, the villages included in the church books, and the years covered by those books. I even know the names of the priests, so that I can contact them directly. By clicking on the name of the priest, I even get his telephone number!

While the parish in Krasne has metrical books that go back far enough in time to be useful for my research, the same is not true for all parishes. The parish in Pałuki, only has books for:

chrztów  od 1918 r.  (baptisms after 1918)
ślubów  od 1928 r.  (marriages after 1928)
zgonów  od 1928 r.  (deaths after 1928)

The books available at the parish in Szwelice are even more limited:

chrztów  od 1945 r.  (baptisms after 1945)
ślubów  od 1945 r.  (marriages after 1945)
zgonów  od 1957 r.  (deaths after 1957)

While this is not particularly good news for me, since my ancestors lived in both the Pałuki and Szwelice parishes, I now know that I’m not likely to obtain any records for my ancestors directly from those parishes. In fact, I may not even get a response if I write to the parish. I have to look for those records in the diocesan or civil archives.

Every diocese in Poland does not have such useful websites. Still, it’s useful to search for a diocesan or parish website to see what information they do provide.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

Growing up Catholic, I attended mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York. The church was within walking distance of both of the houses in which my family lived since I was born.

The Christmas season was a special occasion in our church, and I especially enjoyed seeing the nativity scene in the church. The figures in the crèche seemed enormous to me, and awe-inspiring in the grandeur.

When my sisters and I were very young, we would attend services on Christmas Day, after being wrenched away from the gifts left by Santa. On Christmas day, the choir sang carols with which we were familiar, and we lustily sang along.

As we grew older, we asked to attend Midnight Mass, a request met with some skepticism by our parents who thought we’d just fall asleep during the service. Falling asleep proved not to be a problem, as often as not we ended up standing through the service, having arrived too late to secure seats in a pew.

Attending Midnight Mass provided benefits, however. The midnight service was much more elaborate than the services on Christmas day. There was a procession. There was incense. There were many more candles than we normally saw at church. And, upon returning home, my sisters and I were each allowed to open one Christmas present before we went to sleep, an opportunity not available to us before we started attending Midnight Mass.

Some years later, perhaps when I was in about fourth through eighth grades, I was an altar boy and was able to participate in the Christmas services directly. For Midnight Mass, quite a few of the altar boys assisted, some laying out the vestments for the priests, some preparing the wine, water, and hosts, some preparing the thurible and incense, some lighting the candles.

As an altar boy, my favorite job was as thurifer. I would empty the ashes from the thurible, fill the incense boat, place a round piece of charcoal in the thurible, and light the charcoal. The charcoal, itself, amazed me. It was laced with gunpowder which allowed the charcoal to light quickly without using flammible liquids. The top of the charcoal had ridges in a star shape and, when lit, the charcoal would begin to spark, first along the star ridges, then into the body of the charcoal, until the entire charcoal was glowing red.

At the appropriate point in the service, I would carry the thurible to the priest. Another alter boy would carry the boat of incense, which the priest would bless. I would raise the lid of the thurible and the priest, using an elaborately decorated spoon, would sprinkle incense on the now-glowing charcoal. I would then lower the lid onto the base and pass the smoking thurible to the priest, who would proceed to cense the altar, the nativity scene, the book of the Gospel, and the congregation.

Returning home after the service, my mother remarked that I smelled of incense. I didn’t mind. I rather liked the smell.

Written for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories - Day 17.

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko

The Old Town of Vilnius is one of the largest in Europe, and the churches of the Old Town seem to appear wherever one’s gaze wanders. Some of the churches have been breathtakingly restored. Others remain in a state of disrepair.

The Church of Saint Anne was contsructed in the Late Gothic style over a period of 100 years and was completed in 1581. Napoleon is said to have been so enchanted with the Church of Saint Anne that he wished he could carry it back to Paris in the palm of his hand. Whether Napoleon ever made such a statement is debatable. In fact, he stationed some of his cavalry in the church during the Napoleonic Wars, during which time most of the stained glass was broken and the wax ceilings destroyed by the soldiers’ campfires.

The Church of Saint Anne

SOURCE: The Church of Saint Anne in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

The Bernardine Church, properly the Church of Saints Francis and Bernardino, was constructed by Bernardine monks at the beginning of the 16th century. Nestled behind the Church and Belltower of the Church of Saint Anne, the Bernardine Church still contains most of its original Gothic polychrome murals.

The Bernardine Church

SOURCE: The Bernardine Church in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the Southeast part of the Old Town is apparently part of the Convent of the Visitants. Both the church and the convent are protected inside a walled courtyard and are in some degree of disrepair.

The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

SOURCE: The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

In Vilnius, there are two churches named for the Assumption. The Church of the Assumption in the Southeast part of the Old Town of Vilnius is close to the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Missionary Monastery is adjacent to the church.

The Church of the Assumption

SOURCE: The Church of the Assumption in Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko

The Roman Catholic Vilnius Cathedral is built on the site of an ancient pagan temple dedicated to Perkūnas, the god of thunder and fire. Five different cathedrals have been built on this site, each one destroyed by war or natural disaster.

The Vilnius Cathedral

SOURCE: The Vilnius Cathedral, Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

Under Stalin and Soviet rule, the statues of Saints Helena, Casimir, and Stanislaus on the roof were destroyed. The Cathedral was used as an auto repair shop. After Stalin’s death, the Cathedral was converted to an art gallery. In 1988 the structure was returned to the Roman Catholic Church and  eight years later the statues of Saints Helena, Casimir, and Stanislaus were replicated and replaced.

Altar of the Vilnius Cathedral

SOURCE: Altar of the Vilnius Cathedral, Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

In Cathedral Square, surrounding the cathedral itself, there exists one paving stone that is different from all the others. On it is the word “stebuklas”, the Lithuania word for “miracle”. Local legend says that you must search for the miracle stone yourself - no one can reveal the exact location. When you find the stone, you can make a wish while turning 360 degrees clockwise.

The Miracle Stone

SOURCE: The Miracle Stone in Cathedral Square, Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

Like other cathedrals, the Vilnius Cathedral contains many small chapels. One such chapel is the 17th Century Baroque Chapel of St. Casimir which survived the destruction of the previous cathedral and was incorporated into the present one. This chapel contains the remains of St. Casimir, patron saint of Lithuania, who died of Tuberculosis in 1484 at the age of 25. Casimir was the son of Casimir IV Jagiellon and grandson of Władysław II Jagiełło both of whom, in their respective times, served as Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland.

Click on the photograph of the Chapel of St. Casimir and look closely at the white plaster depiction of the Madonna and Child behind the altar and notice how oddly broad the Blessed Virgin’s smile is. Though not clear enough in this photograph to notice, the silver portrait towards the bottom of the photograph shows St. Casimier with three hands, depicted in this way to emphasize his generosity.

The Chapel of St. Casimir

SOURCE: The Chapel of St. Casimir in the Vilnius Cathedral, Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 22 October 2007.

Outside the cathedral stands the Clock Tower. The lower tier of the Clock Tower was part of the 14th century fortifications of the Lower Castle and contains many gunports. Two additional tiers were added in the 1520s to convert the structure to a bell tower. A fourth tier, added still later, contains a clock.

The Vilnius Cathedral and Clock Tower at Night

SOURCE: The Vilnius Cathedral and Clock Tower at Night, Vilnius, Lithuania. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 22 October 2007.

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko

As a whole, Lithuania’s population is Roman Catholic, but as a result of the strong Russian influences throughout history, Vilnius is home to several Russian Orthodox Churches, including the Church of St. Nicolas and the Church of the Holy Spirit.

The Church of St. Nicolas (Exterior)

SOURCE: The Church of St. Nicolas (Exterior). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

The Church of St. Nicolas is located on a busy part of Didžioji Street, close to a bustling flea market. Candlelit and serene, this small church is a quite respite from the activity outside.

The Church of St. Nicolas (Interior)

SOURCE: The Church of St. Nicolas (Interior). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

In stark contrast to St. Nicolas, the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit is a busy destination for tourists. The exterior courtyard is currently being renovated, but the modest exterior of the church belies the opulence inside.

The Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit (Exterior)

SOURCE: The Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit (Exterior). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

The focal point of the Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit is a glass topped case containing the bodies of Saints Anthony, Ivan, and Eustace, martyrs killed when they refused to renounce their faith.

The Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit (Interior)

SOURCE: The Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit (Interior). Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 25 October 2007.

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko

While living in the Lithuanian village of Likiškės, my grandmother’s family attended church in Butrimonys, although some records show that, at times, they attended church in Stakliškės.

The Church in Butrimonys - 1

SOURCE: The Church in Butrimonys - 1. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.

The Church in Butrimonys - 2

SOURCE: The Church in Butrimonys - 2. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.

Shrine at the Church in Butrimonys

SOURCE: Shrine at the Church in Butrimonys. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.

Memorial to the Lithuanian Martyrs in Butimonys

SOURCE: Memorial to the Lithuanian Martyrs in Butrimonys. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 24 October 2007.

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko

In addition to the stained glass windows depicting events in the life of Christ, the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York has many other stained glass windows. Besides the eight Life of Christ windows, I have a photograph of only two other windows, one of which I showed previously: The Poor Widow.

The only other photograph I have of the windows is one of the Angel Raphael.

The Angel Raphael

SOURCE: Raphael. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

There are a few pictures of the other windows on the web:

• Angel with Trumpet (from the former choir loft)
• St. Louise de Marillac (from the former choir loft)
• Angel with Lyre (from the former choir loft)
• The Baptism of Jesus
• Michael the Archangel
• Tributes to the First Three Pastors

The windows I’ve called the Angel with Trumpet, St. Louise de Marillac and Angel with Lyre can be seen in the photo I took of the interior of the church, facing the entrance. The Angel with Trumpet is on the left, St. Louise de Marillac is in the middle. and the Angel with Lyre in on the right. These widows were once at the back of the choir loft. In 1633, St. Louise de Marillac and St. Vincent de Paul formed the Daughters of Charity, the first community of non-cloistered nuns.

Three windows paying tribute to the first three pastors depict saints who were influential in the lives of the first three pastors of St. Vincent de Paul and also show parish buildings with which those pastors were associated:

• In Honor of Father John J. Hanlon - Pastor from 1889-1902. Father Hanlon’s tribute shows Saint John Baptist Mary Vianney and (at the bottom) the original Church of St. Vincent de Paul.
• In Honor of Father Michael L. Walsh - Pastor from 1902-1913. Father Walsh’s tribute shows Saint Dominic and (at the bottom) the new Church of St. Vincent de Paul formally dedicated on 01 Nov 1908.
• In Honor of Father William R. Charles - Pastor from 1913-1944. Father Charles’ tribute shows Saint Pius X and (at the bottom) the Vincentian Institute High School.

All these stained glass windows were installed when the new Church of St. Vincent de Paul was built between 1904 and 1908, except the tribute windows. The tribute windows were installed in 1957 in the new addition, when the church was enlarged.

Copyright © 2007 Stephen J. Danko

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The last portrays The Resurrection.

This scene shows Jesus rising from the tomb, the guards terrified, and the angel who would announce the resurrection to those who would visit the tomb later. Note the marks from the nails in Jesus’ hands and feet.

The Resurrection

SOURCE: The Resurrection. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{28:1} Now on the morning of the Sabbath, when it began to grow light on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher.
{28:2} And behold, a great earthquake occurred. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and as he approached, he rolled back the stone and sat down on it.
{28:3} Now his appearance was like lightning, and his vestment was like snow.
{28:4} Then, out of fear of him, the guards were terrified, and they became like dead men.
{28:5} Then the Angel responded by saying to the women: “Do not be afraid. For I know that you are seeking Jesus, who was crucified.
{28:6} He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where the Lord was placed.
{28:7} And then, go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has risen. And behold, he will precede you to Galilee. There you shall see him. Lo, I have told you beforehand.”
{28:8} And they went out of the tomb quickly, with fear and in great joy, running to announce it to his disciples.
{28:9} And behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Hail.” But they drew near and took hold of his feet, and they adored him.
{28:10} Then Jesus said to them: “Do not be afraid. Go, announce it to my brothers, so that they may go to Galilee. There they shall see me.”

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor.  The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Matthew 28:1-10. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-01_Matthew.htm>. Accessed 14 Jul 2007.

This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and Loving Memory of Patrick Brennan”.

Copyright © 2007 Stephen J. Danko

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The seventh portrays The Agony in the Garden.

This window shows Jesus facing an angel who holds the chalice Jesus prays will pass from him. It also shows two of the men who joined him in the Garden of Gethsemani, one of whom holds the sword with which he would later cut the ear from the servant of the high priest. In the background, Judas is seen leading those who would come to arrest Jesus.

The Agony in the Garden

SOURCE: The Agony in the Garden. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{26:36} Then Jesus went with them to a garden, which is called Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples, “Sit down here, while I go there and pray.”
{26:37} And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and saddened.
{26:38} Then he said to them: “My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. Stay here and keep vigil with me.”
{26:39} And continuing on a little further, he fell prostrate on his face, praying and saying: “My Father, if it is possible, let this chalice pass away from me. Yet truly, let it not be as I will, but as you will.”
{26:40} And he approached his disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter: “So, were you not able keep vigil with me for one hour?
{26:41} Be vigilant and pray, so that you may not enter into temptation. Indeed, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
{26:42} Again, a second time, he went and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this chalice cannot pass away, unless I drink it, let your will be done.”
{26:43} And again, he went and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.
{26:44} And leaving them behind, again he went and prayed for the third time, saying the same words.
{26:45} Then he approached his disciples and said to them: “Sleep now and rest. Behold, the hour has drawn near, and the Son of man will be delivered into the hands of sinners.
{26:46} Rise up; let us go. Behold, he who will betray me draws near.”
{26:47} While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived, and with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the leaders of the priests and the elders of the people.
{26:48} And he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying: “Whomever I will kiss, it is he. Take hold of him.”
{26:49} And quickly drawing close to Jesus, he said, “Hail, Master.” And he kissed him.
{26:50} And Jesus said to him, “Friend, for what purpose have you come?” Then they approached, and they put their hands on Jesus, and they held him.
26:51} And behold, one of those who were with Jesus, extending his hand, drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
{26:52} Then Jesus said to him: “Put your sword back in its place. For all who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
{26:53} Or do you think that I cannot ask my Father, so that he would give me, even now, more than twelve legions of Angels?
{26:54} How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must be so?”

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor.  The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Matthew 26:36-54. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-01_Matthew.htm>. Accessed 14 Jul 2007.

This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God - Gift of Mr & Mrs John Bowers”.

Copyright © 2007 Stephen J. Danko

Eight stained glass windows in the Roman Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Albany, New York depict events in the life of Jesus Christ. The sixth portrays Jesus Blessing the Children.

Jesus Blessing the Children

SOURCE: Jesus Blessing the Children. Stained Glass Window in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, Albany, New York. Created approximately 1904-1908 in Munich, Germany. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko 09 Jul 2007.

{10:13} And they brought to him the little children, so that he might touch them. But the disciples admonished those who brought them.
{10:14} But when Jesus saw this, he took offense, and he said to them: “Allow the little ones to come to me, and do not prohibit them. For of such as these is the kingdom of God.
{10:15} Amen I say to you, whoever will not accept the kingdom of God like a little child, will not enter into it.”
{10:16} And embracing them, and laying his hands upon them, he blessed them.

SOURCE: Conte, Ronald L. Jr., translator and editor.  The Sacred Bible. Catholic Public Domain Version. Mark 10:13-16. Online <http://www.sacredbible.org/catholic/NT-02_Mark.htm>. Accessed 14 Jul 2007.

This stained glass window includes the inscription: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Mr Mrs Joseph Wiley”.

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko