Priest Józef Stanek’s Statue
Józef Stanek was born on 1916 in Lapsze Nizne (Spisz). When he was a 7 years old child he was wa witness of a family tragedy- tyfus took life of both his parents and grandparents. He served as a ministrant from his early days and his next steps ensured everybody that he will start seminar and spiritual studies. He graduated in 1941 and took holy ordinations from the hands of Warsaw archdiocese ordinary- Stanislaw Gall. After the orders he started specialist studies at the Secret Department of Sociology at the Warsaw University. From the beggining of the Warsaw Uprising he was staying in Warsaw so in the middle of August 1944 he became a chaplain of the Home Army group ‘Kryska’ which was operating in Powiśle. Józef Stanek got a pseudonym ‘Rudy’ and started pastoral activity- he performed holy masses and prayers. He helped soldiers and citizens living in Powiśle. He did not run to the left side of the Vistula river (with evacuating troops) and got caught by the SS on September 29th 1944. Tortured an beaten up he died the same day- due to witness testimonies- hanged on his own stole. It was a martyr death of a man aged 28 years old. John Paul the second beatified Proest Józef Stanek on June 13th 1999 in Warsaw.