History of St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Rabka-Zdrój

The Earliest Mentions of Rabka

The name Rabka first appears in a document issued by King Bolesław the Chaste in 1254. It confirmed the possessions of the Cistercian monastery, whose monks were carrying out settlement activities in the Podhale region. Długosz interprets the expression “Sal in Rabschycza” used in the document as “Sal in Rabka”. This means that salt was already being produced here by boiling brine, probably for the monastery's needs. It is not known, however, whether a village existed alongside the saltworks at that time. Settlement activities intensified in the second half of the 14th century. In 1364, King Casimir the Great granted Mikołaj of Ujście a privilege allowing him to establish villages under German law between the Raba, Słona and Poniczanka rivers. During this period, charters were issued to many settlements, including Rabka, Mszana Dolna, Niedźwiedź and Olszówka. In 1382, King Louis of Hungary took “Sal in Rabka” away from the Cistercians, and King Władysław Jagiełło leased it, along with other estates, to powerful noble families.

The Beginnings of the Parish and the Wooden Church

In the first half of the 16th century, Rabka came into the possession of the Jordan family of the Trąba coat of arms, who founded and endowed the parish and erected its first small wooden church. It was built between 1557 and 1565 by Wawrzyniec Spytek Jordan, the founder of nearby Jordanów. According to local tradition, the church was swept away during a great flood of the Raba River. Rebuilt soon afterwards, between 1600 and 1605, the larch-wood church still stands today. Since 1934, it has housed the Władysław Orkan Regional Museum.

Construction and Consecration of the Present Church

Construction of a new parish church in Rabka began when the old wooden church could no longer accommodate the growing parish. Building work lasted from 1902 to 1908. Great contributions were made by the parish priest at the time, Fr. Jakub Zych, a native of Chochołów, and his curate, Fr. Stanisław Kwiatkowski, a refugee from Königsberg. Construction was overseen by the architect Sławomir Odrzywolski, known, among other things, for his restoration and conservation work at Wawel Cathedral.

The newly built neo-Gothic church was consecrated in 1923 by Bishop Antol Nowak, auxiliary bishop of Kraków. St. Mary Magdalene became the patron saint of the church and parish. The central feature of the High Altar is a Passion scene depicting the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Depending on the liturgical season, the Passion scene is covered by a painting of St. Mary Magdalene or an image of Our Lady of Rabka, both important to parish devotion. The composition is complemented by richly decorated ornaments, gilding and neo-Gothic architectural elements, harmonizing with the church's interior. In 1929, the church received polychrome decoration painted by the artist Giebułtowski from Oświęcim. The patronal feast of St. Mary Magdalene is celebrated on her liturgical memorial, 22 July, while the feast of Our Lady of Rabka was established on the first Sunday in September.

The Parish in the 20th Century

In 1917, following the death of Fr. Jakub Zych, Fr. Jan Surowiak became parish priest. In 1925, he built a new rectory and gave the old one to the Sisters of Charity to run a nursery for children.

In 1937, Fr. Mateusz Zdebski, later dean of Maków and a prelate, became parish priest. Through his efforts, the churchyard cemetery was renovated and oak choir stalls were installed in the sanctuary. The organ was restored, expanded and electrified. A new electric blower was installed, supplying air to two bellows housed in newly built organ cases. Two bells were installed and many other improvements were carried out.

From 1931 to 1935, Fr. Władysław Bukowiński served in the parish as a priest and as a religious education teacher at the secondary school in Rabka. He was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church on 11 September 2016.

From 1976, the parish priest was Monsignor Tadeusz Janikowski. He built facilities for religious education: despite obstacles imposed by the communist authorities of the time, an impressive building with catechetical classrooms and apartments for priests was completed. The people of Rabka remember him as a devoted pastor.

Work and Events in Recent Years

On 1 May 1999, Fr. Dr. Paweł Duźniak was appointed the new parish priest. During his ministry, he renovated the tower roof and the church roof, covering them with copper sheeting. A new tower clock with chimes was installed. Before the visitation of the parish by Our Lady in a copy of the Jasna Góra Image on 17–18 August 1999, new floodlights were installed to illuminate the church. Through the parish priest's efforts, the church's historic polychrome decoration and four altars, including the high altar in the sanctuary, were restored. An extensive rosary garden with 20 small shrines was created. In 2007, a comprehensive renovation of the organ began, including modernization and replacement of worn parts and components. The church's sound system was replaced, new carved main doors and stone steps were made, and numerous other works were carried out inside the church and in its surroundings.

On 1 July 2023, Fr. Piotr Iwanek, who holds master's and licentiate degrees, became the new parish priest. Since then, numerous renovation and modernization projects have been carried out, including replacement of the church lighting, modernization of the outdoor sound system and a complete renovation of the sanctuary. On Saturday, 9 September 2023, during the celebrations of the feast of Our Lady of Rabka, year-long celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the church's consecration began. They culminated in a solemn Holy Mass celebrated on 22 June 2024, presided over by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Kraków, Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski. During the Eucharist, the new altar was consecrated, and the new ambo and the entire renovated sanctuary were blessed. Those attending included the parish priests of parishes formed over the past 100 years from the extensive Rabka parish, as well as many priests originally from our parish community.

Alongside its rich liturgical life, the parish organizes major cultural events. Notable examples include Archdiocesan Children's Day, a Passion play performed by the Polish-American community from Chicago, and the Stations of the Cross presented by the “Exit” Theatre. Particular mention should also be made of the world-famous Highlander Midnight Mass featuring the ensemble “Mała Armia Janosika”, held on the night of 24–25 December in the Year of Our Lord 2024.

Parish Priests of St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Rabka-Zdrój

16th Century

• Fr. Stanisław of Łowicz: before 1570
• Fr. Wojciech: before 1570
• Fr. Marcin: c. 1590
• Fr. Grzegorz Krzyszkowski: (?)–1598

17th Century

• Fr. Jan: 1605–(?)
• Fr. Szymon Petrycy: 1606–after 1626
• Fr. Grzegorz Hortowicz: 1630–1649
• Fr. Jan Thorzewski: 1649–1659
• Fr. Marcin Bryliński: 1659–1667
• Fr. Marcin Sinkowicz: 1667–1682
• Fr. Florian Wiejski: 1682–1685
• Fr. Krzysztof Anderski: 1685–1693
• Fr. Stanisław Reklewski: 1693–1715

18th Century

• Fr. Piotr Paweł Kotelski: 1715–1743
• Fr. Józef Kłosowski (Kłossowski): 1743–1754
• Fr. Błażej Ernest Krużel: 1760–1765
• Fr. Józef Alojzy Putanowicz: 1765–1768
• Fr. Andrzej Antałkiewicz: 1769–1804

19th Century

• Fr. Tomasz Kalisiewicz: 1804–1820
• Fr. Józef Zubrzycki: 1820–1833
• Fr. Tomasz Zubrzycki: 1833–1848
• Fr. Marcin Kasprowicz: 1850–1870
• Fr. Józef Dura: 1870–1885
• Fr. Stanisław Twardowski: 1886–1895
• Fr. Jakub Zych: 1896–1917

20th Century

• Fr. Jan Kanty Surowiak: 1917–1936
• Fr. Jan Madej: 1936–1937
• Fr. Mateusz Zdebski: 1937–1976
• Fr. Tadeusz Janikowski: 1976–1999
• Fr. Paweł Duźniak: 1999–2023

21st Century

• Canon Piotr Iwanek: from 1 July 2023 to the present