Lost Tomb of Saint Hedwig Found
For years, scientists believed that the tomb of Saint Hedwig was lost. They were certain that the burial site should be within the monastery in the city of Trzebnica, in southwestern Poland.
However, the thousand-year-old monastery complex is vast. Over 800 years, countless nuns were buried in various graves. In March 2020, renovations finally brought researchers one step closer to the discovery.
Years of Efforts
Efforts to preserve the monastery had been underway for several years. During this time, a number of unexpected discoveries were made.
Marek Dlugozima, the current mayor of Trzebnica, witnessed many of these findings. Later, he summarized them on the city's official website.
Press Statement
Dlugozima stated on the website in March 2020, "From the beginning, I have been involved in the renovations that have been taking place in the Trzebnica Basilica in recent years.
During this time, many interesting and unexpected discoveries were made. A time capsule was found during the renovation of the bell tower on the basilica's roof a few years ago."
The Time Capsule
Dlugozima revealed to reporters that this so-called time capsule contained "historical documents and ancient coins" from the time of the original construction.
He added, "Many interesting discoveries were made during the renovation of the basilica's floor, including burial chambers from the 17th century containing Cistercian nuns and clergy."
Discoveries
It can be safely said that the restoration work on the basilica had already been a great success before March 2020. However, a discovery made at that time can be considered even more significant than the others.
Scientists agree that the find was not only of high religious importance but also held great historical value, especially for the city of Trzebnica.
The City of Trzebnica
Researchers unanimously confirm that the city of Trzebnica has long played a fascinating role in the history of Poland. The city is located in the historical region of Lower Silesia.
Over the centuries, the area changed hands between different kingdoms. Trzebnica itself is known as the resting place of many Polish kings and their spouses.
Royal Resting Place
In addition to its royal connections, Trzebnica is also a religious center. In fact, the city is home to the Shrine of St. Hedwig, also known as the Trzebnica Abbey.
It was originally founded by Hedwig of Andechs, a duchess, and her husband Henry I the Bearded, a member of the Polish Silesian Piast dynasty.
The Legend
To avoid historical confusion, you must know that Hedwig was actually called "St. Jadwiga," so it is the same person. According to legend, the abbey was founded after Duke Henry fell into a swamp while hunting.
As he struggled to free himself, he promised to build the sanctuary in exchange for his rescue, possibly by a higher power. When he survived his ordeal, he kept his word.
Fulfilling a Vow
Against this backdrop, the monastery was eventually founded in 1203. The first nuns who inhabited the building were selected by the Bishop of Bamberg, who was Hedwig's brother.
Considerable influence from the German bishop thus flowed into the project. He chose sisters from the Cistercian order, which persisted for several centuries until around 1810.
Piast Dynasty
Over three centuries after its founding in 1203, the abbesses of the monastery were members of the Piast dynasty. The second abbess was Gertrude, one of the seven children of Hedwig and Henry.
After Henry's death in 1238, Hedwig herself even moved into the abbey and became a lay sister. However, she used the monastery as a retreat rather than taking vows.
Deeply Religious
But it seems that Hedwig has always been a deeply religious person. She was originally born in Bavaria, which later became part of the Kingdom of Germany.
Hedwig's family was extremely prominent and influential at the time. One of her sisters married into the French royal family, and another married King Andrew II of Hungary.
Royal Connections
Meanwhile, Hedwig's youngest sister Matilda was the abbess of the Benedictine Abbey of Kitzingen in Franconia. Hedwig herself also visited the monastery to receive her education.
Additionally, two of Hedwig's brothers were bishops. The family had a number of religious connections. The influence and power of the church were much greater at that time than they are today.
Child Marriage
However, it was Hedwig who would later become the most devout of all. She married Henry, who became the Duke of Silesia in 1201 when she was just 12 years old. Child marriages were not uncommon at the time, considering the average life expectancy was only around 30 years.
However, some of Henry's Piast relatives did not welcome his rule. As we now know, in 1229, Henry was held captive in Plock Castle by his rival, Duke Conrad I of Masovia.
Loyalty
Young Hedwig demonstrated her loyalty to Henry by traveling to Plock and pleading for her husband's release. Her efforts were successful, and Conrad let Henry go.
Just two years later, Henry became the Duke of Greater Poland, and the following year, he was appointed High Duke in Krakow. The family continued to expand their power.
Reign
After acquiring his new titles, Henry became the first in his family to rule over both Silesia and the Duchy of Krakow. This meant that after his death in 1238, he was the High Duke of all Poland, although the country remained divided.
Nevertheless, Henry promoted peace throughout the region, even as the rest of Western Europe experienced significant changes. He believed that he could gain more in times of peace than in war.
A Religious Life
Apart from their political lives, Henry and Hedwig lived in accordance with their religious beliefs. And Hedwig, in particular, was very passionate about her faith.
She was known for helping the poor, orphans, and widows. Throughout her life, she founded hospitals to treat lepers and the sick and donated all her wealth to the church.
A Kindhearted Person
Thanks to her caring nature, Hedwig did her best to comfort everyone she encountered. In one example, she reportedly spent ten weeks teaching a poor woman the Lord's Prayer.
Another legend states that Hedwig walked barefoot as a sign of her humility, which displeased her husband Henry. Shoes and clothing at the time were indicators of power.
Don't Walk Barefoot
According to the story, Henry was so determined to prevent Hedwig from walking barefoot that he even instructed her confessor, the Bishop of Wroclaw, to tell her to wear shoes.
The confessor had a lot of influence over Hedwig and convinced her to wear shoes as a symbol of power. However, instead of putting on the shoes, Hedwig tied them to a string and wore them around her neck.
Peace in Faith
Nevertheless, after Henry's death, Hedwig is said to have accepted his passing with the help of her faith. It is reported that she said, "Would you defy the will of God? Our lives belong to Him."
And so, she dedicated the rest of her life to her religion, entering a convent and adopting the habits of the nuns. While she did not take formal vows, she led a deeply devout life.
Life in the Convent
As part of her new life in the convent, Hedwig used her considerable influence to spread the faith in the region of Silesia. In fact, she invited clergy from Germany.
The clergy were not only meant to visit the area but to establish themselves there. This influx of migrants also led to the creation of new towns and villages.
Tragic Losses
While Hedwig devoted most of her life to religion, heartache was not unfamiliar to her. She and Henry had several daughters but only one surviving son. He became known as Henry II the Pious but died during the Mongol invasion of Poland in 1241.
Interestingly, it is said that Hedwig pointed out her son's lifeless body on the battlefield without being shocked, as she had been warned in a vision beforehand.
Founding of an Abbey
Perhaps in commemoration of her son's death, Hedwig and her daughter-in-law Anna of Bohemia founded a Benedictine abbey in Legnickie Pole, the site of the battle that claimed Henry II's life.
After his death, as he was the only male and thus the rightful heir, all hopes for a united Poland were abandoned. The region fragmented under various ruling houses.
Death in the Convent
Hedwig eventually passed away in 1243 in her beloved convent. The convent in Trzebnica later became a place of pilgrimage. Furthermore, her resting place became famous for reported miracles.
As a result, Hedwig was proposed for canonization. After years of thorough examination and the necessary evidence of her miracles, she was declared a saint by Pope Clement VI in 1267.
Patron Saint of Poland
In the following years, Hedwig became one of the patron saints of Poland and is commonly referred to as St. Hedwig of Silesia. It is worth noting that some still call her St. Hedwig.
In her former hometown of Trzebnica, she is revered with great devotion. According to the General Roman Calendar, her feast day is celebrated every year on October 16th.
Relics
While relics of Hedwig were brought to St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin and the Andechs Monastery in Bavaria, her body was originally buried alongside her husband's in the Trzebnica Abbey.
However, over the centuries, the exact location of her remains within the abbey was lost. This was not uncommon with such large structures. It remained so until the renovation works in March 2020.
The Restoration
When the restoration of the tomb of St. Hedwig began, workers set out to repair a crack in the sarcophagus. However, the stone grave in question had not been there since the saint's death.
No, these efforts actually date back to the 1680s. As the restorers started, they noticed that one of the slabs seemed to be different from the others.
Investigations
Further investigations quickly led to a variety of rumors. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know a secret. In fact, Dorota Wandrychowska told the Polish media outlet The First News:
"When we lifted the slab, we saw that charcoal mixed with plaster had been poured into a cavity, which was very strange. So we thought we should take a look at it."
A thorough examination
Subsequently, the workers began hacking away at the black plaster mixture with their tools. But they did not know that every inch they uncovered would bring them closer to an incredible discovery.
Because through the very careful excavation, the workers eventually came across a metal object. As the researchers would soon find out, this was not just any object.
Restorers
In fact, as the restorers wiped away the dirt from the surface of their find, they could see a silver shimmer shining back at them. When the treasure was removed from the cavity, the object was identified as a small coffin.
On the metal casing, a golden coat of arms of Krystyna Katarzyna Pawlowska of Wierzbno was attached, who was the abbess of the Trzebnica Monastery in the 17th century.
An important coat of arms
However, it appears that the coat of arms of the abbess may have been misleading. This is because after careful examination, it turned out that the coffin did not contain her mortal remains.
But luckily, a lead plaque found next to the coffin provided further insights into what - or rather whose mortal remains - the resting place contained. The researchers were surprised.
Hedwig's resting place
That's right, the Latin inscription on the plaque revealed that the remains of St. Hedwig of Silesia were in the silver casket. Apparently, they were placed there in the second half of the 17th century.
The scientists were delighted to have solved a puzzle in this way. Thus, the resting place of Saint Hedwig was found after centuries of disappearance, and it was still in Trzebnica.
Loss of records
Therefore, it seems that the bones of St. Hedwig were placed in the silver coffin and buried in the grave about 340 years ago. However, there were no historical records for a long time about the exact location of her new burial place.
Experts had always believed that the mortal remains of St. Hedwig had been left in her beloved monastery. Now, they had confirmation.
Father Piotr Filas
Father Piotr Filas - one of the priests of the Abbey - commented on the significant discovery to The First News: "We knew that the bones of the saint were somewhere nearby, as they were buried there in 1679 when her grave was built."
But confusingly, the priest also revealed that the inscription on the coffin was dated to 1764. So, with the solution of one puzzle, a new puzzle had arisen.
A New Mystery
To shed light on this, Father Filas added, "We believe that since that date, no one has laid eyes on the bones." As a result, he deemed the timing of the discovery significant.
Father Filas explained, "I think it is a sign for us that Saint Hedwig can be a patron for our modern times." Especially in our uncertain times, people long for faith.
A Historic Event
Meanwhile, Mayor Dlugozima celebrated the occasion himself with a post on Trzebnica's official website. He said, "For me, it is a great personal experience and a historic event."
"I am very pleased to have been able to take part in this important discovery. My special thanks go to our esteemed Father Filas, who tirelessly worked towards clarification," Dlugozima added.
A Magnificent 17th-Century Sarcophagus
Mayor Długozima continued to describe the "elaborately adorned sarcophagus from the 17th century" in which the remains of St. Hedwig were discovered. Referring to her by her Polish name, he added:
"St. Jadwiga (also known as Saint Hedwig) holds a special place in my heart, which I have expressed many times." With these words, the mayor struck a chord with the numerous believers.
An Emotional Discovery
For Dlugozima, the discovery of Hedwig's remains was even more emotional, as he had made her the patron saint of Trzebnica. The whole city took pride in this discovery.
To celebrate the finding properly, he shared several pictures of the restoration work at the town's basilica on Facebook. The album has since received almost 300 reactions.
Social Media
It seems that Dlugozima's joy at the discovery of Hedwig's remains was shared by others on social media. One user commented on the mayor's Facebook post, saying:
"I am very impressed. Beautiful, a great discovery, very moving. As you can see, it was not a coincidence but providence that you made her the patron saint of the city."
Analysis
After the discovery, St. Hedwig's remains, along with the coffin in which they were found, were sent for analysis. It is not yet clear what will happen to the relics once the investigations are complete.
But wherever they end up being kept, Saint Hedwig will forever be associated with the monastery and the city of Trzebnica. Thus, she provides strength and hope to believers in difficult times.
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