Lumen 2018

S TANISLAUS P APCZYNSKI 384 concluding all the formalities with the Order of Franciscan Friars, Fr. Joachim sent a request to Pope Innocent XII in October of 1699. In reply, he received a breve entitled Exponi nobis nuper , dated No- vember 24, 1699. The breve was, in fact, a letter addressed to the Apostolic Nuncio in Poland, informing him that the Marians had re- ceived the Rule of the Ten Virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary in brotherly communion with the Franciscan Order. The letter further mentioned that the Marians obtained the privileges granted to all re- ligious institutes which had adopted the same rule. The pope threat- ened to punish those who would question the rights given to the Marians and obligated the Apostolic Nuncio to make sure that the orders contained in the aforementioned letter were carried out. 79 The papal breve did not grant anything to the Marians de iure , but expressed a concern that they de facto receive everything that they were entitled to by the power of their incorporation into the Order of Franciscan Friars. It is a very important document for the Marians because it confirms everything that resulted from their ag- gregation to the Franciscan Order and removes any doubts as to the legality and the binding power of that act. The original copy of the breve, which Fr. Kozlowski brought to Poland, 80 was later handed to the Apostolic Nuncio in Warsaw who ordered his office to make a copy of it 81 and attach it to the docu- ment, in which the act of incorporation of the Marians into the Fran- ciscan Order was confirmed. After the act of incorporation of the Marians into the Franciscan Order under the Rule of the Ten Virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary had been completed and the necessary documents associated with this aggregation obtained from Pope Innocent XII, Fr. Kozlowski remained in Rome for over a year, i.e., till the end of December 1700. It may be surmised that he began preparations to his return to Poland in July (the first letter of recommendation is dated July 27, 1700), 82 but it is certain that he was still in Rome on September 18, 1700 (the date of the last letter of recommendation, written in