St Stan Illustrated Story

49 T radition maintains that during this period Fr. Papczynski was also the Moderator of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Grace at the Piarist church in Warsaw. In 1651, the picture of Our Lady of Grace had been solemnly crowned with the authorization of the Holy See. This was the first such crowning in Poland and one of the first in Europe. During the epidemic of 1664, on the petition of the local Magis- trate and the faithful, Our Lady of Grace was made Patroness of War- saw. It may be presumed that Fr. Papczynski and his confraternity did much to influence this decision since the confraternity had been founded precisely for the purpose of imploring Our Lady of Grace to preserve the city “from pestilence, disease and all afflictions.” The Saint often exhorted the members of the Confraternity to fulfill this fundamental obligation when they were gathered around the figure of Our Lady “delle Grazie.” His teaching obligations at the College of the Piarist Fathers in Warsaw, in addition to his pastoral activities, absorbed most of Fr. Sta- nislaus’s time and energy. He soon became popular. There were many who admired and respected him.