Lumen 2018

ask fervently, with tears in his eyes, that they should all come to the aid of the souls of the dead. He claimed that there were a lot more souls suffering in Purgatory than there were people in the whole world. He said that they suffered terribly as they tried to requite God’s justice. Therefore, he offered all his illnesses, pains, labors, per- secutions (and he suffered so many of them), mortifications, and all other pious works, in sacrifice for the souls in Purgatory. He in- structed his brothers to always remember this duty of mercy towards the dead and to commend them to the Blessed Virgin Mary Immac- ulately Conceived as to the most gracious Mother and the most mer- ciful Protectress of the Souls in Purgatory. 139 In 1676, Fr. Papczynski made a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady in Studzianna, about 50 kilometers (in a straight line) away from the Korabiew Forest. He fell gravely ill then and asked to be taken to the icon of the Holy Family, famous for miracles. 140 At that time, Fr. John Ligeza, Fr. Stanislaus’s close friend and confessor, was the superior of the Oratorian monastery in Studzianna. After con- fession and after Holy Mass, Fr. Stanislaus went to the cell assigned to him. There, he felt that he was losing all his strength and senses. Half dead, in ecstasy, he once again experienced the mystery of the suffering of the souls in Purgatory. As he watched this tremendous suffering, he felt that the Blessed Mother was asking, together with all the souls, that he might return to life to help the dead. While Fr. Stanislaus was in ecstasy, the residents of the monastery, having fin- ished their dinner, came to his cell to see what was happening with him. They thought that he was dead and informed Fr. Ligeza about it. They were already wondering what arrangements ought to be made for his funeral. But their superior was not alarmed by this news and assured them that Fr. Stanislaus had not died. He also said that he knew where Fr. Stanislaus was. Soon afterwards, Fr. Papczynski returned to life and, having received the Superior’s blessing, emaci- ated by the fever, went to the church and delivered a long sermon to a crowd of the faithful about the need to help the souls suffering in Purgatory. Then he returned to his monastery and ordered his confreres to pray the rosary and say the Office of the Dead every day. S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 286