The annual celebrations in honor of the founder of the Marian Fathers, St. Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary Papczyński, took place at the General House of the Congregation of Marian Fathers in Rome. The event brought together about 70 participants, including representatives of religious congregations, clergy, and laypeople collaborating with the Marian Fathers.

The highlight of the celebrations was a solemn Vespers service presided over by the Superior General of the Marians, Fr. Joseph G. Roesch, MIC. The homily was delivered by Fr. Dmitrijs Artjomovs, MIC, a General Councilor and Rector of the International Marian College.

In his address, Fr. Artjomovs presented St. Stanislaus Papczyński as a “prophet of his time,” noting that we can learn from him how to be prophets today and how, by following Papczyński’s example, we can act prophetically for the good of the Church and the world.

An important part of the event was the blessing of a new mosaic installed in the General House. This work was modeled after the painting of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Franciszek Smuglewicz.

Smuglewicz’s original canvas was created around 1782 at the direct request of the Marians. It is located in the Church of St. Vitus (Santi Vito e Modesto) in Rome. The choice of this specific design is intended to commemorate the Order’s historical presence in the Eternal City.

The Marians were present at the Church of St. Vitus on the Esquiline Hill from 1779 to 1798. The Order’s General Procuratorate was located there at that time. This activity was interrupted by the invasion of Napoleon’s armies in 1798, as a result of which the religious were forced to leave Rome. The Marians did not return to the Italian capital until 1925, establishing the current headquarters of the General Administration thanks to the efforts of the Congregation’s Renovator, Blessed abp George Matulaitis-Matulewicz.

The mosaic project was made possible by establishing a relationship with the current custodians of St. Vitus Church. The Superior General expressed his gratitude to Fr. Simone Russo, pastor of St. Vitus Parish, for his cooperation in making the image available. The originator of this project is Br. Andrew Mączyński, MIC (General Promoter of the Association of Marian Helpers), who also made efforts to raise funds for the creation of the mosaic.

The celebration in Rome is part of the calendar of events leading up to the 10th anniversary of the canonization of St. Stanislaus Papczyński, which will take place this year. The main jubilee celebrations are scheduled for May 24, 2026, at the “Marianki” Shrine in Góra Kalwaria, Poland where the saint’s tomb is located. The jubilee program also includes two academic symposia featuring historians and theologians; one in Góra Kalwaria on May 9 and another in the saint’s birthplace, Podegrodzie, on June 5, 2026.

Fr. Dmitrijs Artjomovs, MIC