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==Life==
==Life==
[[File:Zabawa sanktuarium Błogosławionej Karoliny Kózkówny grób 23.04.09 p.jpg|thumb|left|185px|Her former grave in Zabawa.]]
[[File:Zabawa sanktuarium Błogosławionej Karoliny Kózkówny grób 23.04.09 p.jpg|thumb|left|185px|Her former grave in Zabawa.]]
Karolina Kózka was born on 2 August 1898 in [[Małopolskie]] as the fourth of eleven children to the peasant farmers Jan Kózka and Maria Borzęcka; she was [[baptized]] on 7 August at the local parish church of Saint John the Baptist.<ref name=SQPN/><ref name=SEB/>
Karolina Kózka was born on 2 August 1898 in [[Małopolskie]] as the fourth of eleven children to peasant farmers, Jan Kózka and Maria Borzęcka; she was [[baptized]] on 7 August at the local parish church of Saint John the Baptist.<ref name=SQPN/><ref name=SEB/>
⚫
Her childhood was spent on her farm. From 1904 until 1912 she attended the local primary school and had further schooling from 1912 to 1913.<ref name=SEB/> She would often gather her neighbours and relatives and invited them to read the [[Bible]] together under a [[pear tree]] near her home. Kózka loved reciting the [[Rosary-based prayers|rosary]] and used beads her mother had given her. She would fall asleep praying to Mary.<ref name=SQPN/> Kózka prayed on her long walk to [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]]. Her uncle Franciszek Borzęcki was an inspiration to her and she would help him in his role of librarian. She also helped out teaching the [[catechism]] to children of the parish. During [[Lent]] she would lead her family in singing about the [[Passion of Jesus|Passion of the Lord]] and at [[Christmas]] would intone carols. Some of the villagers referred to her home as "the little church".<ref name=SZ/>
Her childhood was spent on her farm.
⚫
From 1904 until 1912 she attended the local school and had further schooling from 1912 to 1913.<ref name=SEB/> She would often gather her neighbours and relatives and invited them to read the [[Bible]] together under a [[pear tree]] near her home. Kózka loved reciting the [[Rosary-based prayers|rosary]] and used beads her mother had given her. She would fall asleep praying to Mary.<ref name=SQPN/> Kózka prayed on her long walk to [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]]. Her uncle Franciszek Borzęcki was an inspiration to her and she would help him in his role of librarian. She also helped out teaching the [[catechism]] to children of the parish. During [[Lent]] she would lead her family in singing about the [[Passion of Jesus|Passion of the Lord]] and at [[Christmas]] would intone carols. Some of the villagers referred to her home as "the little church".<ref name=SZ/>


Kózka received her [[Confirmation (Christian sacrament)|Confirmation]] on 18 May 1914 before making her first confession on 13 November of that year, and then her [[First Communion]] on 15 November. She is said to have had a particular devotion to the Mother of God evidenced by her custom to recite therosary]] deep into the night. In 1914 with the outbreak of [[World War I]] Russian forces began occupying Polish towns and cities under [[Partitions of Poland|Russian rule]] and in mid-November entered [[Wał-Ruda]]. Tensions grew as stories swirled about soldiers looting and raping women which exacerbated fear in the area. At the start of the occupation a Russian soldier come to the Kózka farm but he left after he was offered a meal.<ref name=SZ/>
Kózka received her [[Confirmation (Christian sacrament)|Confirmation]] on 18 May 1914 before making her first confession on 13 November of that year, and then her [[First Communion]] on 15 November. She is said to have had a particular devotion to the Mother of God evidenced by her custom to recite the rosary deep into the night. In 1914 with the outbreak of [[World War I]] Russian forces began occupying Polish towns and cities under [[Partitions of Poland|Russian rule]] and in mid-November entered [[Wał-Ruda]]. Tensions grew as stories swirled about soldiers looting and raping women which exacerbated fear in the area. At the start of the occupation a Russian soldier come to the Kózka farm but he left after he was offered a meal.<ref name=SZ/>


On 18 November 1914 at around 9.00 in the morning an armed Russian soldier came to the house asking questions about Austrian forces before ordering Kózka and his daughter to accompany him to the commanding officer. When the pair and the soldier reached the edge of the forest the soldier ordered the father to return home, which he did reluctantly, leaving his daughter with the Russian. Two Polish men, Franciszek Zaleśny and Franciszek Broda, were in the vicinity and witnessed from behind the bushes, the soldier's attack on the Kózka daughter. From their account, the soldier attempted to force himself upon her but she struggled and thwarted his attempted rape. Enraged, the soldier then stabbed her with his [[bayonet]] multiple times.<ref name=SZ/> She managed to escape and ran some 800 meters towards nearby swamps which saved her from further attacks. The soldier saw her fall and gave up the chase believing her to be dead. However it would have been too late to save her as her [[carotid]] was slit and she bled to death in the swamps some time before 9.40.<ref name=SQPN/><ref name=SEB/> However, it was not until 4 December 1914 that her body was found and she was buried on 6 December with around 3000 people attending her funeral.<ref name=SQPN/>
On 18 November 1914 at around 9.00 in the morning an armed Russian soldier came to the house asking questions about Austrian forces before ordering Kózka and his daughter to accompany him to the commanding officer. When the pair and the soldier reached the edge of the forest the soldier ordered the father to return home, which he did reluctantly, leaving his daughter with the Russian. Two Polish men, Franciszek Zaleśny and Franciszek Broda, were in the vicinity and witnessed from behind the bushes, the soldier's attack on the Kózka daughter. From their account, the soldier attempted to force himself upon her but she struggled and thwarted his attempted rape. Enraged, the soldier then stabbed her with his [[bayonet]] multiple times.<ref name=SZ/> She managed to escape and ran some 800 meters towards nearby swamps which saved her from further attacks. The soldier saw her fall and gave up the chase believing her to be dead. However it would have been too late to save her as her [[carotid]] was slit and she bled to death in the swamps some time before 9.40.<ref name=SQPN/><ref name=SEB/> However, it was not until 4 December 1914 that her body was found and she was buried on 6 December with around 3000 people attending her funeral.<ref name=SQPN/>

Revision as of 22:07, 10 August 2021

Blessed

Karolina Kózka
Painting of Karolina Kózna, circa 2008.
Virgin and Martyr
Born(1898-08-02)2 August 1898
Wał-Ruda, Małopolskie, Austria-Hungary
Died18 November 1914(1914-11-18) (aged 16)
Wał-Ruda, Małopolskie, Austria-Hungary
Venerated inRoman Catholic Church
Beatified10 June 1987, Tarnów, Poland by Pope John Paul II
Major shrineShrine of Blessed Karolina Kózka, Tarnów, Poland
Feast18 November
Attributes
  • Lily flowers
  • Martyr's palm
  • Rosary
Patronage

Karolina Kózka (2 August 1898 – 18 November 1914) was a fifteen-year old Polish victim of a sex attack and murder.[1] Prior to that she was known for her strong faith and her eagerness to catechize her neighbours and children. Kózka is often referred to as the "Polish Maria Goretti" due to the manner of her death.[2][1][3]

Kózka's death caused great outrage against Russians since a Russian soldier had attacked and killed her. Three thousand flocked to her funeral and called for her cause for sainthood to be introduced because she died to defend her virginal state. The cause commenced in the 1950s and culminated in 1987 when Pope John Paul II beatified her in Poland.[3]

Life

Her former grave in Zabawa.

Karolina Kózka was born on 2 August 1898 in Małopolskie as the fourth of eleven children to peasant farmers, Jan Kózka and Maria Borzęcka; she was baptized on 7 August at the local parish church of Saint John the Baptist.[1][3] Her childhood was spent on her farm. From 1904 until 1912 she attended the local primary school and had further schooling from 1912 to 1913.[3] She would often gather her neighbours and relatives and invited them to read the Bible together under a pear tree near her home. Kózka loved reciting the rosary and used beads her mother had given her. She would fall asleep praying to Mary.[1] Kózka prayed on her long walk to Mass. Her uncle Franciszek Borzęcki was an inspiration to her and she would help him in his role of librarian. She also helped out teaching the catechism to children of the parish. During Lent she would lead her family in singing about the Passion of the Lord and at Christmas would intone carols. Some of the villagers referred to her home as "the little church".[2]

Kózka received her Confirmation on 18 May 1914 before making her first confession on 13 November of that year, and then her First Communion on 15 November. She is said to have had a particular devotion to the Mother of God evidenced by her custom to recite the rosary deep into the night. In 1914 with the outbreak of World War I Russian forces began occupying Polish towns and cities under Russian rule and in mid-November entered Wał-Ruda. Tensions grew as stories swirled about soldiers looting and raping women which exacerbated fear in the area. At the start of the occupation a Russian soldier come to the Kózka farm but he left after he was offered a meal.[2]

On 18 November 1914 at around 9.00 in the morning an armed Russian soldier came to the house asking questions about Austrian forces before ordering Kózka and his daughter to accompany him to the commanding officer. When the pair and the soldier reached the edge of the forest the soldier ordered the father to return home, which he did reluctantly, leaving his daughter with the Russian. Two Polish men, Franciszek Zaleśny and Franciszek Broda, were in the vicinity and witnessed from behind the bushes, the soldier's attack on the Kózka daughter. From their account, the soldier attempted to force himself upon her but she struggled and thwarted his attempted rape. Enraged, the soldier then stabbed her with his bayonet multiple times.[2] She managed to escape and ran some 800 meters towards nearby swamps which saved her from further attacks. The soldier saw her fall and gave up the chase believing her to be dead. However it would have been too late to save her as her carotid was slit and she bled to death in the swamps some time before 9.40.[1][3] However, it was not until 4 December 1914 that her body was found and she was buried on 6 December with around 3000 people attending her funeral.[1]

According to Rozalia Łazarz, a nurse present at her autopsy, Karolina is said to have died a virgin.[4] Her remains were later relocated on 18 November 1917 to an altar at a parish church in Zabawa at the behest of the Bishop of Tarnów. The site where she died is marked with a cross.[3] On 18 June 1916 a monument was established in her honor close to the Zabawa church.

Beatification

The only photo of Karolina

The beatification process opened in Tarnów diocese with an informative process on 11 February 1965 which later closed in 1967 before all the documents were sent to Rome for further assessment. Her writings received theological approval on 10 September 1977 before the formal introduction to the cause was given on 4 March 1981 when she was raised to a Servant of God. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints validated this informative process on 20 September 1982 before receiving the Positio in 1983. Theologians approved this on 22 January 1985 as did the C.C.S. on 7 May 1985.

On 30 June 1986 her beatification received papal approval after Pope John Paul II confirmed that Kózka was killed "in defensum castitatis" - in defence of her virginal state - and beatified her in Tarnów while visiting Poland on 10 June 1987.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Blessed Karoliny Kózkówny". Saints SQPN. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Blessed Karolina Kózka". Sanktuarium Zabawa. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Beata Carolina Kózka". Santi e Beati. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  4. ^ http://czasopisma.upjp2.edu.pl/foliahistoricacracoviensia/article/viewFile/1474/1366

External links

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