Welcome to Wilno


Polish Heritage

For more historical data visit one of the links below:

POLISH FAITH

The faith of our Polish forefathers was very strong when they arrived from Poland and is still very strong today in Wilno. It was their faith that kept them going when times were tough and the first generation had it very rough. They came here as Roman Catholics. One of the main things the Polish needed to do when they arrived here was to build their own churches. They built a small chapel in 1875 and then later built a church which they called St. Stanislaus Kostka Church. This church burned down in 1936 and a new church was built and named St. Mary’s Church. These churches were not built alone by just Polish people. There were others who help build these churches. There was a large Kashubian immigration in the 1850’s. The Kashubs made up 90% of the parishioners and the other 10% were Polish. The Kashub and the Polish had a great relationship and had many things in common, they were both Slavic and they were Roman Catholics. In their church, they share religious Icons and cultural elements from each other’s heritage.

 For the Polish, the most important Polish Icon is the picture of the Blessed Mother of Czestochowa, Queen of Poland. This picture was donated by the Parish of Czestochowa from Poland Europe. Today the picture hangs proudly at St. Mary’s Church.

Wilno-Polish-DSC_1440

Wilno-Polish-DSCN2814

There are many plaques that have been donated to the Church from Poland. They are proudly displayed on the walls of the church.

Wilno-Polish-DSCN2812