Saint Stanislaus Kostka

An image of St Stanisław Kostka (1550–1568) depicts a praying man. Saint Stanisław was a man of prayer, he often took part in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, kneeling with his hands crossed on his chest. This is how he is depicted in the painting; the expression of rapture on his face and upraised eyes show that the painter may have shown the saint during one of his visions. The depiction is accompanied by the letters IHS in the upper left corner, from which (as well as from the halo surround the saint’s head) a glow emanates. The saint is depicted in the commonly accepted manner – as a young man, in monastic garb, immersed in prayerful ecstasy. His upraised eyes and lips slightly parted in prayer indicate fervent concentration. The saint is one of the patrons saints of Poland, as well as the patron saint of children, youth, and altar servers. He was born in Mazovia, into a noble family with many children. He started his education with a private teacher and continued it in Vienna. This was a time when children of noble families were sent abroad for further education. In July 1564, he and his brother went to Vienna, where they both started their education at the Collegium Nobilium. Stanisław was admitted to the third year of grammar studies. He initially had difficulties with his studies but soon, thanks to hard work, he found himself among the top students, showing a particular aptitude for foreign languages. He fell seriously ill at the beginning of December 1565. During his illness, he had two visions – of Saint Barbara and the Virgin Mary with the Child, who gave him the Child to hold and told him to join the Jesuit Order. Stanisław was accepted as a candidate to the Jesuit Order for a two-year novitiate, and then at the Roman College, for a thirty-day trial. He took his religious vows in 1568, the same year he fell ill and died on 15 August 1568. He was beatified in 1606, and canonised by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726.