Lumen 2018

way in his letter of October 6, 1667. He wrote about Fr. Stanislaus’s virtue, which was as inseparable from him as a shadow from every person, and about his worthy life as a religious. He called Papczynski an unshakeable column of his religious order and its special orna- ment. He recommended him as a religious filled with the spirit of the founder of his congregation. 65 The documentary value of the testimonials contained in these letters of recommendation is great, indeed, because Fr. Papczynski main- tained close contact with all of these aforementioned religious orders in Warsaw. He was often invited to preach at their churches, and the superiors of these orders knew him very well. He shared a special bond of friendship with Fr. Wilga. It was in his monastery that Fr. Stanislaus sought peace and solitude. 66 Supplied with these letters of recommendation, Fr. Papczynski set out on his journey from Warsaw to Rome towards the end of Octo- ber 1667. He did stop at Kazimierz near Cracow for a brief period of time and resumed his journey to the Eternal City in the middle of November 1667. Several weeks in the Eternal City After a long and tiring journey at an unfavorable season of the year, the Polish pilgrim arrived in Rome around Christmas of 1667. He waited long at the gate of the city, but, at dusk, one of the soldiers took him to the Piarist residence at St. Pantaleon’s house. 67 He had to wait there again because the Superior General, notified of his ar- rival, had him wait at the door for a quarter of an hour. In Fr. Pa- pczynski’s opinion, the Superior General was consulting with his councilors as to how to receive the troublesome pilgrim. 68 He, in turn, surprised by such treatment, was ready to seek shelter for the night at some inn. Yet, in the end, he was received kindly and stayed at the monastery for several weeks, surrounded by loving confreres. When he began to inquire about the reason why he had been sum- 175 At the Crossroads