Summary
52°12′16″N 20°25′15″E / 52.20444°N 20.42083°E
 First compartment of the museum with a bronze statue of St Maximilian | |
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| Established | August 1998 |
|---|---|
| Location | Niepokalanów, 96-515 Teresin, Poland |
| Type | religious, historical and missionary |
Museum of St. Maximilian Kolbe "There was a Man" (in Polish: Muzeum św. Maksymiliana "Był człowiek") – is a museum, located in Niepokalanów monastery in central Poland, 42 km from Warsaw. The museum is dedicated to the life and work of its founder – father Maximilian Kolbe, evangelization activity of Niepokalanów, and the Franciscan missions throughout the world[1].
Founding of the museum edit
The museum is located in one of the old buildings in Niepokalanów, where there used to be a laundry and a carpenter's workshop. The exhibition, which spans three rooms, was created by the employees of the Museum of the town of Pabianice[2]. Now it is open to visitors every day from 8.00 to 18.00.
On 6 August 1998, two historical compartments of the museum were opened to the public by card. Józef Glemp[2], who expressed his hope that the new exhibition will be a good catechesis, showing the visitors a shortest path to God. A month later, on 20 September 1998, the museum was extended and a third compartment (missionary) was opened by Franciscan bishop Jan Wilk, working in Brazil mission.
Exhibitions edit
In the first compartment, visitors are welcomed by the statue of St Maximilian, made of bronze by the Italian sculptor Roberto Joppolo[3] of Viterbo. The statue was blessed by Pope John Paul II in October 1982 during the ceremony of canonization of St. Maximilian Kolbe.
In the second compartment, a visitor can see pre-war photographs and exhibits with explanations concerning the life and activities of the founder of Niepokalanów – St Maximilian – from his childhood, through youth, studies and Japan mission until building a large publishing monastery, called Niepokalanów[4]. There is also a replica of his second room, where he lived from mid-1936 (after his return from Japan) until February 1941 (when he was arrested)[1].
The third compartment presents collection from the Franciscan missions in the world, offered mostly by the missionaries working in Japan, Brazil, Zambia, Peru, Kenya or Tanzania. There are some peculiar pieces in this collection: a portrait of St. Maximilian made from post stamps[2], dried piranhas and skin of exotic snake, an image of the Mother of God woven from cereal grains.
Photo gallery edit
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Main entrance to the museum -
Compartment with Japan collection -
Dark time of war and martyrdom -
St Maximilian's flat (replica)
References edit
- ^ a b "Muzeum św. Maksymiliana (Beginnings of the museum - Exhibitions - St Maximilian's room)" (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-04-21.
- ^ a b c Roman Soczewka. Niepokalanów – Pilgrimage and tourist guide. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Zet, 2004 (third edition revised). pp. 8, 44, 75. ISBN 83-7364-185-8.
- ^ "Biography and work of Italian sculptor Roberto Joppolo (1939-2022)". Retrieved 2024-04-18.
- ^ "Maximilian Kolbe Biography (Early Life – Kolbe in Japan – Second World War – Kolbe in Auschwitz)". Retrieved 2024-04-24.
Further reading edit
- O. Mariusz Paczóski, 70 lat Niepokalanowa (Seventy years of Niepokalanów). Wydawnictwo Ojców Franciszkanów, Niepokalanów 1999, ISBN 83-87638-14-5 (book in Polish)
- Saint Maximilian’s 'City of the Immaculata' – historical information about the Niepokalanów and its founder
- Miasto Niepokalanej (City of the Immaculate), p. 216-219, in: Rycerz Niepokalanej (The Knight of the Immaculate) nr 7-8/2010, Niepokalanów, ISSN 0208-8878 (article in Polish)
- Monastery of Niepokalanów – the past and nowadays, documents (in Polish) and photos