Lumen 2018

the evangelical vows in the Order of the Piarist Fathers. And then there came that day ... . On July 22, 1656, in the capital city, liberated for a brief period of time and facing a new threat from the Swedes, Stanislaus of Jesus Mary Papczynski made his religious profession. 74 He took simple vows, which were allowed by Pope Alexander VII’s breve Dudum felicis recordationis of January 24, 1656. At the same time, the pro- fessed made an oath to persevere in the congregation till the end of his life. 75 The aforementioned breve was promulgated in Rome on March 12, 1656, 76 but the new formula of the profession was pre- pared by the General Curia of the Piarist Fathers only on July 18 th of the same year. 77 Thus, on July 2, when Stanislaus completed his novi- tiate, the new formula was not yet officially accepted in Poland or even decided upon in Rome. Therefore, he made his profession even before the official text of the formula was delivered. 78 Perhaps, upon Stanislaus Papczynski’s insistence, the Vicar-Provincial Superior, Fr. Novari, allowed him to take simple vows using the original formula (from before 1646) adapted to simple vows. Due to the events taking place in Warsaw, it was not possible to postpone this profession. After a two-month siege 79 the city was liberated by the Polish-Lithuanian forces, but it was feared that the Swedes might try to recapture it. At that time, Papczynski and the other Piarists fromWarsaw were staying at the Old Town or somewhere outside Warsaw because their monastery on Dluga Street burned down on May 6, 1656. It was at this unknown location that the ceremony of Stanislaus Papczynski’s religious profession took place. According to the practice followed at that time, the vows were made for life. An old formula adapted to the profession of simple vows was used, along with an oath to per- severe in the congregation till death. Vicar-Provincial Superior, Fr. Alexander Novari, most likely made the decision [as to which for- mula to use] with regard to novice Stanislaus all by himself, since contact with superiors in Rome was extremely difficult during the war and the exchange of correspondence could have taken quite a few months. 80 The document of the profession, composed according 111 At the Piarist Fathers