Warsaw. Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski visiting the Presidential Palace. Delivered by an extraordinary president

As reported by the press office of the Archdiocese of Krakow, on Monday, during his visit to Warsaw, Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski celebrated Holy Mass. in the Chapel of the Presidential Palace. It was attended by President Andrzej Duda and First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda. The Metropolitan of Krakow gave the couple the relics of Saint. Florian and Saint Jadwiga the Queen.

Saint Florian was a soldier in the army of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. He refused to sacrifice to the gods, for which he was sentenced to flogging, torture and finally drowning in the Anisa River. His relics were brought to Krakow in 1184 at the request of Prince Casimir the Just. “Tradition has it that the horses carrying the relics to Wawel stopped at Kleparz and did not want to move for a long time until Bishop Gedko of Krakow decided to found a temple in honor of the saint in this place,” the archdiocese says in a statement.

The Metropolitan of Krakow pointed out that in 1528, in the great fire that consumed this part of Krakow, only the church of St. Florian. Since then, the saint has been revered throughout Poland as a patron during fires, floods and storms. Florian is also the protector of steelworkers, firefighters, chimney sweepers, potters and bakers, and his holiday is celebrated in Krakow.

Jędraszewski also reminded that this year is the 650th anniversary of the birth and the 640th anniversary of the arrival in Krakow and the coronation of Jadwiga of Anjou as the king of Poland.

“Jadwiga wanted 'the glory of the Lord to resound constantly' in the Wawel Cathedral, which is why she founded and equipped the College of Psalters, who 'sing psalms before the Blessed Sacrament day and night.' The symbol of Queen Jadwiga's special spirituality are the two letters MM, which she ordered to be placed on the walls. his chamber, referring to the evangelical Mary and Martha, pursuing a contemplative and active life, respectively,” said the archbishop.

There is no information about the visit of the Krakow Metropolitan on the website of President Andrzej Duda's office.

Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski became famous for many controversial statements delivered during homilies. He does not hide his sympathy for Law and Justice politicians. In June 2021, he emphasized saying about Lech and Jarosław Kaczyński that “it is our duty to thank God for them”. In turn, in August 2019, the church hierarch used the term “rainbow plague” against LGBT+ people.

– Fortunately, the red plague is no longer on our land, which does not mean that there is no new one that wants to take over our souls, hearts and minds. Not Marxist, Bolshevik, but born of the same spirit, neo-Marxist. Not red, but rainbow – said Jędraszewski during the mass in St. Mary's Church on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising.

Last year President Andrzej Duda awarded Archbishop Jędraszewski with the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta “for outstanding merits in pastoral work, for promoting patriotic attitudes.”