Dusza ziemi wieluńskiej. Konwent sióstr bernardynek w Wieluniu (1613–1914)

Abstract

After Aleksander Koniecpolski’s death, the Sieradzki voivode and a Wieluński starost, his wife Anne decided to found a monastery for nuns in Wieluń. This new place was to be given to the Convent of Carmelites, Poor Clare Sisters or Bernardines. Anne Koniecpolski bought a palace, previously belonging to an archbishop of Gniezno, from the city authorities and after having been given a permission from an archbishop Wojciech Baranowski to form The Convent of Bernardines, on 7 September 1612, she started building. Krzysztof Scipio Camp, the provincial of Bernardines, on 28 August 1613, appointed five nuns from St. Andrew Monastery in Warsaw. They started their contemplation life in the Monastery in Wieluń on 13 October 1613. The monastic church was consecrated in December 1616. The founder bought for a monastery a few estates in Kowale, Zawisna and Gana for twelve thousand zlotys. After a few years the nuns purchased a village called Gaszyn. They had to struggle with some other etates’ owners in their neighbourhood. There were usually about twelve nuns in this monastery and the cancidates come mainly from the noble families of this area. In 1796 the monastic etates were taken by the Prussian authorities. In 1819 the authorities deprived Brnardines of their monastery and church which were given to the evangelical community. Sisters Bernardines had to adapt a devastated Pauline Monastery to their own monastic rules. They founded an elementary school for the poorest children and a girls’ boarding school in this monastery. Both schools were maintained by the nuns and some of well-educated ones were teachers there. After January Uprising the authorities suppressed both schools and the monastery was changed into a permanent one (without a noviciate). The reconstruction of the monastery was held in the XX century. Eight candidates joined it and Mother Elżbieta Mińska was Mother Superior.