Protestant heritage

Although Poland today is associated with a strong Catholic Church, Kraków was not always religiously homogeneous. In 1528, the church of St Stephen was situated in the south-western part of Szczepański Square. Jacob of Iłża, who was a master and lecturer at the Academy of Kraków, served as the local preacher and proclaimed the spirit of the Reformation. Because of his views, Jacob had to stand trial before the bishop and was removed from his position. These were difficult times for the Reformation in Kraków, due to a ban on the dissemination of Lutheran writings published in 1520 by Sigismund I the Old. Only after his death did the suppressed stream of the Reformation begin to develop in Kraków.

Poland, like many other countries of Western Christianity, was embraced by the Reformation because the Polish Church's law and morality had become unacceptable. Many sincere and zealous Christians who practised Protestant models of preaching, liturgy, and church governance became ready to express the long-awaited renewal. By giving Scripture the role of chief authority in matters of faith, the Reformation movement was seen as a return to the roots of the original New Testament model of life and Christian faith.
 

During the reign of King Sigismund Augustus, the Polish Reformation reached the peak of its power. At that time, according to Brückner[1], evangelical congregations in Poland numbered as follows: in Małopolska – 250, Wielkopolska – 120 Polish and 110 German, in Lithuania – 208. Total: 686, including 110 German ones. John Calvin, dedicating his commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews to the Polish king, wrote in the preface: "There are many signs that allow you to have almost certain hope that in fact you are like Hezekiah and Josiah, destined by God to quickly restore the pure teaching of this Gospel in the Polish kingdom, which has suffered violence by the influence of Satan and human treachery."

Very significant is the fact that the creators and supporters of the reformation movement were educated and amongst the noblest representatives of Polish society. All these factors gave the Protestant churches extraordinary impetus for development and attracted those who wanted to be in a "real" church. In 1553, thanks to the generous support of Nicholas Radziwiłł, the Lithuanian protector of Calvinism, the Brest Bible was published – a complete translation of the Scriptures into Polish.

Poland's independence from Rome was quickly followed by profound reform according to Calvinist demands. However, it was clear that these initial achievements of the Reformation, and the survival and spread of reform, needed one essential factor—the support of the king. In countries where the Reformation received such support, Protestant churches took a dominant position in society and the country. Where this support was missing, the Reformation movement first went on the defensive and was later marginalised.

The events that happened in the city on the Vistula quickly stood out across the country, gaining corresponding significance. As cases of overt attacks on churches demonstrated, Catholics proved to be the winners. However, they did not win through argument or Christian attitude, but through brutal physical violence.

Representing the Reformed movement, Christ the Saviour Church seeks to uphold the Kraków Protestant tradition that prevailed under Wawel nearly 500 years ago. Our congregation is launching several projects to revive ancient sacred music, forgotten songs, hymnals, and other liturgical elements. We also intend to explore and promote the history of Protestantism in the city of Polish kings.

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[1] A. Brückner, Dzieje Kultury Polskiej, t. 2: Polska u szczytu potęgi, Kraków 21931, s. 31.