Sister Captain Józefa Dobrońska, Sister Krzysztofora, and many other members of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth supported the soldiers of the Polish 2nd Corps in Italy and cared for their graves in Loreto. Today, their congregation has been awarded the Gold Medal Reipublicae Memoriae Meritum by the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) for preserving the memory of the heroes of Ancona. July 18 marks the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Ancona from German occupation — a victory in which Polish soldiers played a key role.

The ceremony in Loreto was attended by Anna Maria Anders, daughter of General Władysław Anders, as well as Adam Siwek, Director of the IPN’s Bureau for Commemoration of Struggles and Martyrdom. Bishop Fabio Dal Cin presided over the Mass at the Basilica in Loreto.

Fot. ipn.gov.pl

When presenting the award, Adam Siwek recalled that in 1946, General Anders had asked Mother Bożena Staczyńska, then Superior General of the Sisters of Nazareth, to take over the care of the Polish military cemetery in Loreto. Until 1972, the sisters worked to secure necessary funding and maintain the site. The first caretaker of the cemetery was Sister Krzysztofora.

Polish Heroes of Ancona

In 1944, Allied forces fought the Wehrmacht in Italy. Among them was the Polish 2nd Corps under the command of General Władysław Anders, renowned for capturing the monastery at Monte Cassino. In July, Polish troops participated in the offensive on Ancona, and on July 18, they entered the city. Today, over 1,080 soldiers of the 2nd Polish Corps rest at the cemetery in Loreto, including Zbigniew Okulicki, son of General Leopold Okulicki, known by the codename “Niedźwiadek” (The Bear).

Sisters in Military Service

Polish sisters also took part in military campaigns. From 1944, as a ward sister of the Polish Military Hospital No. 3, Captain Józefa Dobrońska (Sister Dobrochna) served during the 2nd Corps’ Italian campaign. She remained in military service until May 1947 and was awarded six decorations by both Polish and British authorities.

In the spring of 1945, Sister Deodata Markiewicz found herself in Germany, where she assisted in Allied transit camps. In October 1945, she was called to Rome and then assigned to Trani in southern Italy. There, under her care, were a Polish school, a dormitory, and a Children’s Home, established by the Education Department of the 2nd Corps.

The Nazareth Sisters in Loreto

When fighting in Italy came to an end, many Poles remained in hospitals. Besides Sister Dobrochna, the Nazareth Sisters sent eight additional sisters to assist the sick. They also ran military day rooms. Sister Dobrochna’s hospital was relocated to Senigallia, near the Casa Santa sanctuary in Loreto. The Holy House of Nazareth, located there, had previously been visited by the congregation’s founder, Blessed Frances Siedliska. In 1940, the sisters purchased a house adjacent to the basilica.

At the same time, a cemetery was established for the soldiers of the 2nd Corps who died while liberating Loreto and Ancona. The cemetery was consecrated by the Polish Military Bishop Józef Gawlina on May 6, 1946. Care of the necropolis was entrusted to the Nazareth Sisters.

Cemetry for the soldiers of the 2nd Corps in Loreto. Photo s. Amata J Nowaszewska

The sisters undertook the task of compiling the list of the fallen, supporting families who reached out, welcoming pilgrims, and organizing religious services. Mother Ezechiela Szupenko, Superior from 1959 to 1965, oversaw a thorough renovation. On May 19, 1964, General Anders awarded her the Gold Cross of Merit in recognition of her service.

A Year of Anniversaries

This year, the Nazareth Sisters celebrate the 150th anniversary of their foundation and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Warsaw Province. The congregation was founded in 1875 in Rome by Blessed Franciszka Siedliska. Today, the Sisters serve in 14 countries across five continents. In Loreto, Italy, they minister at the Santa Casa sanctuary — the Holy House of Nazareth.

Family News Service