A Brief History of The Anglican Church in Poland
A summary
“The history of the Anglican presence in Poland goes back to the sixteenth and seventeenth century when chaplains were attached to embassies sent by Tudor queens and Stuart kings to Poland. There were also chaplains with the merchant communities at Gdansk and Ebląg. The Warsaw (and other) chaplaincies developed considerably in the Nineteenth century, although in the teeth of obstruction by Tsarist authorities, and flourished under the restored Republic, building a large chapel complex near the present PAN building in the 1920′s. This complex was badly damaged by enemy action in 1939 and remains vacant. The site was confiscated under the post-war regime.
Services were maintained in the 1970′s and 1980′s and it became possible for a priest from the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA) to take regular services in the 1990′s. The Church of England Diocese of Europe was able to send a full-time priest to Warsaw in 1997 and weekly services have been held continuously since then.”
Dr Joseph Donnelly.
| 1707-1807 |
Anglican church established in Danzig. Until hit by French fire.
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| 1809 |
Foundation of The London Society for Promoting Christianity Among Jews (LSPJ)
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| 1816 |
British and Foreign Bible Society set up in Warsaw
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| 1821 | LSPJ sets up its first mission in Warsaw under Rev. Lewis Way Affiliate missions set up in Piotr Tribunalski, Radom, Lublin, Poznan, Częstochowa, Kalisz and Kielce. |
| 1867 |
Chaplaincy in free city of Danzig set up.
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| 1854 | Crimean War. Tsar Nicolas invades Poland. Anglicans leave Poland. Their property confiscated. 300 Baptism of Jews. Warsaw missions survives under aegis of the Reformed Church |
| 1875 |
Anglicans return to Warsaw. Under Rev. Carpenter 345 conversions.
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| 1918 |
Anglican mission becomes Anglican Church.
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| 1919 |
Re-born Poland. Anglican Church legalised but not yet secured rights of a denomination. Tolerated but not recognised.
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| 1922 |
Anglicans hire R.C. chapel on Hortenska Street in Warsaw. First Anglican service in Polish.
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| 1925 |
Rev. Carpenter begins plans to build Anglican mission centre and Emmanuel Chapel in Sewerynów Street.
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| 1926 |
Anglican Barbican Mission set up in Białystok
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| 1927 |
Consecration of the chapel on Sewerynów 3, Emmanuel, by the Bishop of Fulham, Stanton Batty.
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| 1930 | Relationship formed with official Reformed Church who represent the Anglicans in legal matters |
| 1939 | German invasion. Capitulation of Warsaw. Chapel hit badly by enemy fire. Under Hitler’s Nuremburg Laws all Anglicans of Jewish blood arrested, carted off into the Warsaw Ghetto and subsequently many are then murdered at Treblinka. British Embassy folds. Many Jewish Anglicans escape. |
| 1945 | People’s Poland. Remains of the building on Sewerynów Street 3 destroyed by The Office for The Reconstruction of The Capital. Employees Union built in its place. |
| 1948-1991 | Anglican Church attempts to reclaim Emmanuel. But the Church not recognised by Soviet government. Inter-Church Regulatory Commission set up. |
| 1950-1960 |
Anglican chaplains to Warsaw provided by Windsor Boy’s School in Hamm, Germany
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| 1995 |
British Embassy sets up a Chaplaincy based in British School under Rev. David Williams
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| 1996 | Chaplaincy is offered use of Res Sacra Miser Chapel (of Caritas) on Krakowskie Przedmieście Street. Anglican Church recognised and registered by the Polish Republic. Property claim revived. |
| 1997 |
Revd. Williams retires. Replaced by Revd. Stuart Robertson.
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| 2002 |
Revd. Stuart Robertson translates much of Common Worship into Polish.
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| 2005 |
Revd. Robertson retires. Rev. Robert Campbell becomes assistant chaplain. 10th anniversary of the Chaplaincy
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