Lumen 2018

S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 106 The Swedish soldiers were Protestants and their attitude towards Poles, who were predominantly Catholic, varied. At first, the Piarists in Warsaw enjoyed relative peace and to a certain degree benefitted from the protection of the Swedish authorities. They even taught their sons in their schools. 52 But the invaders were at times insulting and abusive towards the citizens of Warsaw. They showed particular hatred for members of the clergy. 53 One day Stanislaus of Jesus Mary and Joseph Starck were return- ing home from the city. They were walking by the Dominican church when suddenly they came upon a Swedish soldier with whom Stanis- laus began a discussion about the faith. The soldier, angered by his admonishments to convert, attacked the two religious with his sword. 54 Papczynski wrote later: “My companion (even though he was German) ran away, and I fell to my knees, bared my neck, and braced myself for the blow. However, by the decree of Divine Prov- idence, I did not sustain any wounds, even though I was struck three times with great force, which caused such great pain that I felt it for almost an hour and a half.” 55 Stanislaus was ready to give his life for the faith and to die a martyr’s death. Defense against the Deluge The Polish magnates and a large group of the nobility saw Charles X Gustavus as the future King of Poland who would be able to better protect the Polish territories in the southeastern part of the country and the territories threatened by Muscovy. Meanwhile, there were quite a few places where the Swedes were not faring well at all. They did not manage to take control of Gdansk [Danzig], Zamosc, part of Podlasie, the territories along the Polish-Silesian border, and especially the stronghold at Jasna Gora, i.e., the very heart of Poland. They had been faring quite poorly, in fact, ever since they began to commit merciless acts of plundering of property and desecrating of churches. 56 The plundering aroused hatred among the nobility and the peas- ants which resulted in a popular uprising against the invaders.