Father Wyszynski Pilgrimage

to struggle with final sufferings that lasted a month came upon him. On Saturday, October 4, the liturgical commemoration of his second patron, St. Francis of Assisi, Fr. Casimir could not rise from bed. Witnesses of the Servant of God’s last days spoke of his extraordinary patience and gratitude towards those attending to him. He remained mentally fit, of peaceful mind and in assent with God’s will until his last moment. He wished to stay together with the Suf- fering Christ. He calmly prepared himself for passing from this life to another, believing firmly that Satan was powerless in the face of a venerator of Mary Immaculate. He frequently repeated: “Blessed be the Name of the Lord!” He comforted the weeping novices, telling them not to lose heart: “Do not weep! The Most Blessed Vir- gin is your Foundress. When I will leave this body and my soul will be led to God, as I hope will happen, hav- ing put my trust in Divine Mercy and the merits of my Savior, I will assist you even better” (A. Fischer). Crushed by malaria, he left this world on Octob- er 21, 1755, mourned by the small group of Por- tuguese Marians. According to local custom, he was buried on the same day in sand without a coffin, in the presence of only a few participants at the funeral. His body was placed under the floor of the church in Bal- sam ã o. It was not until 1759, that his earthly remains were exhumed from the sand and placed in a coffin, 50 P ILGRIMAGE TO THE E ND OF THE E ARTH