Piotrków-Trybunalski, Poland
Saturday, February 21, 2009
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Catholic Church of St. James
Our warfare prayer team chose to pray at this historical site, first. It is the site of Kościol famy pw. Św. Jakuba, which in English is “the Catholic Church of St. James.” I think that you will be blown away at the history behind this place, as we have been.
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In pre-Christian times there were two hills in the place where downtown Piotrków-Trybunalski now lies. The pagans of that day dedicated these two hills to two different sets of “gods.” One of these hills was dedicated to the “white gods,” on which was built the more used Catholic church in town, the Catholic church of St. Bernard. The other on of these hills was dedicated to the “black gods,” on which was built the Catholic church of St. James, which we prayed at today. So even before Christianity came to Poland, there is a dark past surrounding this site of historical and spiritual significance.
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Catholic Church of St. James
Our warfare prayer team chose to pray at this historical site, first. It is the site of Kościol famy pw. Św. Jakuba, which in English is “the Catholic Church of St. James.” I think that you will be blown away at the history behind this place, as we have been.
.
In pre-Christian times there were two hills in the place where downtown Piotrków-Trybunalski now lies. The pagans of that day dedicated these two hills to two different sets of “gods.” One of these hills was dedicated to the “white gods,” on which was built the more used Catholic church in town, the Catholic church of St. Bernard. The other on of these hills was dedicated to the “black gods,” on which was built the Catholic church of St. James, which we prayed at today. So even before Christianity came to Poland, there is a dark past surrounding this site of historical and spiritual significance.
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In 1555, a synod took place at this church. One bishop whose name was Łaski (which is a form of the Polish word meaning “grace”) was involved in the reformation that was taking place in England. He was actually impacted by the reformation and came back to Poland with a desire to see some reform take place in the Catholic Church in Poland. In fact, the synod was actually open to these ideas from Łaski, and agreed, at least in part, with the desire to see some reform. Łaski died in 1560, and another bishop named Łuchanski came to Piotrków-Trybunalski. Łuchanski was also originally open to the idea of reform. In fact, all of Poland was seen up to this point as a very open nation. Poland was open to different expressions of religion, having no problems with the Orthodox church and Lutheran church, or even the Muslims at that time.
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Sometime during the next twenty years after this synod, the Council of Trent took place in Europe. This was the Catholic Church’s response to the protestant reformation that was taking place in Germany and elsewhere, which was historically a response of strong disagreement with the protestant reformation. After the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church sent a bishop from Italy named Hozjusz (Jose) to Poland to carry out decisions made at the Council of Trent in Poland.
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In 1555, a synod took place at this church. One bishop whose name was Łaski (which is a form of the Polish word meaning “grace”) was involved in the reformation that was taking place in England. He was actually impacted by the reformation and came back to Poland with a desire to see some reform take place in the Catholic Church in Poland. In fact, the synod was actually open to these ideas from Łaski, and agreed, at least in part, with the desire to see some reform. Łaski died in 1560, and another bishop named Łuchanski came to Piotrków-Trybunalski. Łuchanski was also originally open to the idea of reform. In fact, all of Poland was seen up to this point as a very open nation. Poland was open to different expressions of religion, having no problems with the Orthodox church and Lutheran church, or even the Muslims at that time.
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Sometime during the next twenty years after this synod, the Council of Trent took place in Europe. This was the Catholic Church’s response to the protestant reformation that was taking place in Germany and elsewhere, which was historically a response of strong disagreement with the protestant reformation. After the Council of Trent, the Catholic Church sent a bishop from Italy named Hozjusz (Jose) to Poland to carry out decisions made at the Council of Trent in Poland.
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Another point of history about this church, the Catholic church of St. James needs to be stated, as well as the history behind the name of this city, Piotrków-Trybunalski. Piotrków-Trybunalski literally means “Peter’s tribunal” (with obvious Catholic overtones as Peter was the first pope in Catholicism). The king of Poland often met with the senate (sejm) here in Piotrków-Trybunalski. Many political and religious decisions were made for the entirety of Poland in this city.
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In 1577, another synod took place at this church. It was at this synod, in this church, at this time that the decision to embrace the counter-reformation took place. This was agreed upon in this church by the Catholic Church, the king of Poland and the senate. Following this decision at the synod in 1577 ensued massive violence and resistance against any protestant groups. And not only this, Poland from here on out would be as a whole a closed nation, not open to other religious groups at all. Many non-Catholics were persecuted, mistreated and even killed by Polish Catholics after this synod that took place here at the Catholic Church of St. James in 1577. Catholicism and nationalism became even more entwined. The history of Poland from this point on is a sad one. Poland even came to a point in the following years where it began losing territory and eventually even had no borders and was literally taken off the map, being invaded and kicked around by other oppressors. This decision at the synod in 1577 also opened the door to anti-Semitism in the area which would allow Piotrków-Trybunalski to become the place of the first Jewish ghetto in Poland.
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Upon searching the Scriptures it was found that 430 years was exactly the time period that Israel had been in slavery for in Egypt. WOW! You see, there have been many prophecies in the past concerning Poland; that Poland would be a place of great revival. We believe that Satan caught wind of these prophecies and has done all he can to squash what God has wanted to do here. Yet, God is greater than the Enemy, and we believe that His desire is that this 430 year period of spiritual slavery be ended. So it starts with us. Praying at this place where decisions were made that have resulted in much spiritual darkness over all of Poland for centuries. Repenting on behalf of the Polish people for these ungodly decisions that were made in hopes that somehow, the undoing of these curses brought upon this country would begin to take place.
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Upon searching the Scriptures it was found that 430 years was exactly the time period that Israel had been in slavery for in Egypt. WOW! You see, there have been many prophecies in the past concerning Poland; that Poland would be a place of great revival. We believe that Satan caught wind of these prophecies and has done all he can to squash what God has wanted to do here. Yet, God is greater than the Enemy, and we believe that His desire is that this 430 year period of spiritual slavery be ended. So it starts with us. Praying at this place where decisions were made that have resulted in much spiritual darkness over all of Poland for centuries. Repenting on behalf of the Polish people for these ungodly decisions that were made in hopes that somehow, the undoing of these curses brought upon this country would begin to take place.
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It was on these benches that decisions were made which affected all of Poland.
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A neat picture of the light of God shining into these dark places.
.The Jesuit Church
Under the umbrella of the Catholic Church of St. James is the Jesuit Church. In fact, the two churches are so connected that they are referred to as, “fara,” which really links the two of them almost as one entity. This church also has historical significance, as many of the counter-reformation decisions were made at this place as well. Our warfare prayer team decided to pray at this place as well. Today, the Jesuit Church houses Piotrków-Trybunalski’s painting of Mary, which I will comment more on when I write about the Old Town Hall below.
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The Old Town Hall
In 2008 the city began to dig up the foundation of what was once the Old Town Hall, right in the middle of the old town square (stare miasto). I am not quite sure on the history of when and why it was destroyed. My guess is that it happened sometime during the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II. Anyway, there is historical and spiritual significance at this place as well.
The Old Town Hall
In 2008 the city began to dig up the foundation of what was once the Old Town Hall, right in the middle of the old town square (stare miasto). I am not quite sure on the history of when and why it was destroyed. My guess is that it happened sometime during the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II. Anyway, there is historical and spiritual significance at this place as well.
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In this Old Town Hall, is where they would often have senate meetings that would impact the whole of Poland. Poland became a Catholic nation back in 966. There has been a very unhealthy fixation on Mary, the mother of Jesus, towards the beginning of this Catholic nation’s history (please feel free to read back into the archives, and even watch one of the videos from 2007 when our team went to Częstachowa, where the cult of Mary was fueled even more so when the Polish Catholics in the city were being attacked by the Swedes, and prayed to the “Black Madonna,” a painting of Mary and Jesus, who supposedly gave them victory over the Swedes). Every city in Poland has its’ own painting of Mary specific to that particular city. Piotrków-Trybunaslki is no exception. In fact, during the time period mentioned before, when a senate meeting was to take place at the Old Town Hall in PT, the city’s painting of Mary would be taken out of the Catholic Church of St. James, in a sort of procession, and hung up in the Old Town Hall, so that “Mary would preside over the senate meetings.”
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Weird stuff. The connection between Piotrków-Trybunalski and the rest of Poland goes even further. Just recently, it was decided by the Polish government that it would be the painting of Mary that belongs to PT that was to be put up in the senate building in Warsaw, where these senate meetings now take place so that “Mary would preside over the senate meetings.” This goes to show how much of Poland’s roots are actually here in Piotrków-Trybunalski. In fact, we believe that it is no coincidence that just last year the foundation of this Old Town Hall was dug up and elevated so that it can be seen in the old town square. We believe that there is symbolism in this. At such a time as this, the foundations of what has taken place in this city need to be looked at and prayed over. As John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:10, “And even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees.” We are going after the root of these things that may very well have caused 430 years of spiritual slavery in Poland. We prayed at this site today, as well.
In this Old Town Hall, is where they would often have senate meetings that would impact the whole of Poland. Poland became a Catholic nation back in 966. There has been a very unhealthy fixation on Mary, the mother of Jesus, towards the beginning of this Catholic nation’s history (please feel free to read back into the archives, and even watch one of the videos from 2007 when our team went to Częstachowa, where the cult of Mary was fueled even more so when the Polish Catholics in the city were being attacked by the Swedes, and prayed to the “Black Madonna,” a painting of Mary and Jesus, who supposedly gave them victory over the Swedes). Every city in Poland has its’ own painting of Mary specific to that particular city. Piotrków-Trybunaslki is no exception. In fact, during the time period mentioned before, when a senate meeting was to take place at the Old Town Hall in PT, the city’s painting of Mary would be taken out of the Catholic Church of St. James, in a sort of procession, and hung up in the Old Town Hall, so that “Mary would preside over the senate meetings.”
.
Weird stuff. The connection between Piotrków-Trybunalski and the rest of Poland goes even further. Just recently, it was decided by the Polish government that it would be the painting of Mary that belongs to PT that was to be put up in the senate building in Warsaw, where these senate meetings now take place so that “Mary would preside over the senate meetings.” This goes to show how much of Poland’s roots are actually here in Piotrków-Trybunalski. In fact, we believe that it is no coincidence that just last year the foundation of this Old Town Hall was dug up and elevated so that it can be seen in the old town square. We believe that there is symbolism in this. At such a time as this, the foundations of what has taken place in this city need to be looked at and prayed over. As John the Baptist said in Matthew 3:10, “And even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees.” We are going after the root of these things that may very well have caused 430 years of spiritual slavery in Poland. We prayed at this site today, as well.
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The general sense during today’s warfare prayer walk was two-fold. On one hand, there was definitely a sense of oppression at the historic sites. Something that was really neat, was that there were clear skies today, something we haven’t seen for a few weeks here as there has been a lot of snow. One of us commented, that as they were walking in the shadows, there was in one sense that oppressive feeling, yet they felt as though when they would come into the light there was a sense of hope; a paradigm shift from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. We believe that today was a stake in the ground for the kingdom of God here in Piotrków-Trybunalski. We know from Scripture that “what is bound on earth will be bound in heaven.” May the demonic strongholds over this city and country have been shaken today. Thank you for praying with us in this spiritual battle for souls.
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The general sense during today’s warfare prayer walk was two-fold. On one hand, there was definitely a sense of oppression at the historic sites. Something that was really neat, was that there were clear skies today, something we haven’t seen for a few weeks here as there has been a lot of snow. One of us commented, that as they were walking in the shadows, there was in one sense that oppressive feeling, yet they felt as though when they would come into the light there was a sense of hope; a paradigm shift from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. We believe that today was a stake in the ground for the kingdom of God here in Piotrków-Trybunalski. We know from Scripture that “what is bound on earth will be bound in heaven.” May the demonic strongholds over this city and country have been shaken today. Thank you for praying with us in this spiritual battle for souls.
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Christian Young
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