Lumen 2018

After Anne Karska’s death, her son did not want to part with the icon, either, and asked the Marians to allow him to keep it in the house chapel until his death. He abided by this decision even though the Marians insisted that he should transfer the icon to the hermitage. At that time, God sent various troubles and illnesses on the Karski family. Everyone was convinced that this was happening because of their refusal to fulfill the testament and the will of their predecessors. Nevertheless, Karski, albeit gravely ill himself, did not give up the icon because he considered it to be a great family treasure. He was very ill for three years and preferred to die, rather than to lose the icon. However, he ordered his sons to give it to the Marians. His heir, Joseph Karski, also asked the Marians and Fr. Wyszynski himself to allow him to keep the icon until his death. The Marians refused, but he did not give it up anyway. He only expressed a wish that after his death the icon be transported with his body to the Ko- rabiew Forest. Soon he fell ill and died at his prime. His wife, fulfilling the will of her dead husband, buried him by the Marian monastery, but the icon remained in the hands of Joseph Karski’s heirs. At that time, almost all of the family became ill and finally decided to give the icon to the Marians. The permission of the local Ordinary was obtained so that the icon could be moved to their monastery. 95 The icon of the Blessed Mother was very solemnly transferred to the Marian monastery and placed above the altar. After this act, all members of the Karski family regained their health and experienced many special blessings. The image of the Blessed Mother at the Ko- rabiew Forest became famous for many miracles and attracted many pilgrims. 96 Apart from the icon of the Blessed Mother, a few other relics of the Marian past have survived to our times. One of them is Julian Turski’s († April 2, 1771) tombstone decorated with various coats of arms (Grabie, Poraj, Nalecz, and Jelita). A souvenir of King John III Sobieski has also survived. It is a magnificent cope called the “Turkish” cope and made from a Turkish caparison seized at S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 272