1. NORTH CAUCASUS

Pyatigorsk

You may see on mount Elbrus
If nice whether from far away
You may drink in sanatoriums
The healing tasty water.

You may think with sadness
About Lermontov`s death
Because of simple nerves
Fight in duel on death.

I came here in the heart
Of dangerous Caucasus
To look on church fasade
And read short inscription:

"Glorify all the nations the Lord"
Yes, good inscription such a place
Because it is just that land
Where blood abundant like water...

I will ask with pleasure
In the name of ancestors
Or the souls of soldiers in Chechen land,
Is somebody still glorifying God?

And echo
May go with my question
Far away....

Prokhladny - the street of Melnikov Brothers - Holly Family

Nouns from Infant Jesus Congregation
Latvian sisters from the city Aglona
Offered all their young years for ministering
To German refugees from Middle Asia.

The Parish was existing without a priest
Chapel was made from zero
People was starving for religion
And sisters helped them from heart.

After many years of camps
This people came back to Europe
Kabardino-Balkaria became for them
New promised land.

Actually there are no sisters of Infant Jesus
After them disappear also father Bronislaw
The years of Chechnya war
Prokhladny was still peaceful place.

Father was sharing his house and sisters
With Catholics which loosed their homes in Grozny
He also got tired like sisters,
Finally he works in st. Petersburg.

Many parishioners has gone "nach Hausen"
Who stayed ? It is interesting question:
The chapel of Holly Family
And...missionary priests from Ireland.

Today in Prokhladny also fears
The state is closing mosques
Telling that it became the place to hide
For the members of insurrection.

I believe, never mind, that chapel in Prokhladny
Will survive all the history contradictions
That parish will survive
Some day will come back sisters.

This time I am writing down the story
To not forget my small stop
In my way to Vladikaukas
Capital of Sarmat Osetia.

I am writing knowing that
I may go there only by soul
I am writing for all the readers.
To ask a prayer for Caucasus.

Sochi, Volgogradskaya street

The next city, there are many,
Which were not crated by history
But like with wonder maker will
They have to immediately appear..

Komsomolsk, Magadan, Volgodonsk
Kazakhstan Karaganda...
All of them children of Joseph Stalin
Each of them concentration camp.

Some will be surprise comparison with Bible
The Genesis of mankind and all the creatures.
Creator all these camps, same as God
After getting tired wished to relax.

Sochi became communist paradise
Later also simple people
Came also big group of Armenians
Most of them Catholics.

On the hill on stones
They made small chapel at first
A bit later same place
Wonderful church.

Many moments in history of the church
Is so much surprising
Magadan was built on human bones
Sochi church on bones of animals.

Same story as in Nagasaki
Rulers were thinking they give the worse place
On the high hill here and there
The cemetery of horses..

It is why Russians were not using that peace of land
Very near from railway station
Only now you may realize,
That it was providence.

The church in Sochi, like Paradise.

Kuban - Semyonovka - Archangels

Semyonovka like Prokhladny
German Settlement in Caucasus
Here as first Silesian priests
From Poland came

It was also here dynamic and nervous
Priest Andrew Morawski
He does very much
As missionary man.

He built parish house in Semyonovka
House for elderly people
He prayed Sunday Mass in Krasnodar
In his notebook 16 outstations!

After him came Father Yanush
Humble and peaceful nostalgic
He was ever happy to have guests
He continued all Andrews projects.

There are elderly people in Semyonovka,
Many village youngsters,
They are most treasure of this land
Treasure still unknown.

The title of Parish very convenient
Three Archangels,
You need all of them to survive
On that difficult mission.

Krasnodar - 50-ty years of October - saint Liborius

Desert place, ponds, some small channels, irrigations
Center of the city somewhere near here, schools airport...
But nobody wished to built here before,
Small pleasure to swim in pond...

Father Andrew at contrary
He has plan of the church, which will be like boat in forms
He was expecting some day gondolas will appear
On channels around...

Title of the church came some where from Germany
The rich and old Father insisted
That so famous in Regensburg patron
Will be also helpful in Russia.

Patron date also in October
Holly Mother of Rosary
The third patron day in December
Barbara`s day, she is patroness of miners.

She is a patron of Silesia
Native land of some missionary people
They came from black Silesia
To implant Barbara`s veneration.

Leningradskaya - saint Faustina

Twice my car was in accident
Each time I was near to die
It is why these places I choice,
Thinking: why it happen to me.

I realized perhaps,
There are some people waiting
My presence, my ministry
I was knowing there some Armenians.

There was also a group of Polish
Which came here from Kazakhstan
Now they came here
Looking for better life.

Kuban is not so attractive
As Poland or Ukraine...
But Caucasus also has beauties
Only disturbed by war.

On this special land I was looking
The most convenient patron
When we got peace of land
I choice sister Faustina.

There was no better choice
For that land so strange
Where sins and beauty so close
Sometime same time mixed.

Actually we have nothing
Chapel from simple barrack
I was told that on the river by
Greek boats with gold were traveling.

There is in Bible Jesus instruction
About treasures hidden in land
"Go sale everything you have and...
Buy the place"... valley of Mercy!

2. PRIAZOVYE

Last supper

There are not many churches
With such a name like in Rostov
It is nice inspiration to priests
Patron day of church and priesthood

To celebrate memories
Of priesthood and Eucharist
To venerate fresco of Leonardo
As main Icon in the parish.

There were three priests
In revolution apocalyptic time
The corner of Soborna street
Neo Gothic church.

Each Diaspora has own priest
Father Lang cared Germans
Emmanuel Mashurian cared Armenians
Polish has Stanislaw Kordasiewicz.

Church survived in Lenin times,
Priests were killed, but church
Still existed, only in Stalin times
Verdict came: to destroy!

Holly Trinity in Taganrog

Father Seraphim Hoffeld
Carmelite "Discalced"
40 years spend in the city
In the region Priazovye

Brother Peter de Vella
Another priest in Taganrog
Funny Franciscan Father
Chaplain of local Italians.

German father Stang
And Polish father Mickiewicz
All of them were living there
Reciting their prayers.

Church very old and nice
On the "catholic street"
Was known to tsar Alexander
Perhaps he was visiting here.

The construction works were
Under Cossacks from Don
Marbles and all decorations
Came from friendly Italy.

We have the project of altar
Poor not very high
Pelican from his wound
Giving blood to own children.

In additional altars
Icon from Czestokhova
The symbol from far Poland
Left side saint Anthony.

The church in Taganrog has 200 years
You may tell nothing
But in Russia, one of the oldest
It will be so nice to have him back.

Church still not returned,
Even after strange symbol
All the roof collapsed
In the day of Catholic Easter.

The roof which covered library
So many children come here daily
To read books
Decision of rulers: do not return!

Volgodonsk, blessed Boleslava

It was request of sisters, that somewhere,
If I decide to establish community,
It will be under Boleslava`s name
I agree...

The condition was to establish parish from zero
Because all old communities has names,
And we have to keep tradition
That nobody blame us we came to Russia only today!

+++

Tsimlan See very big
Covered graves of war time
Just on these fields so many died
Germans from the battle in near Stalingrad.

The flood happens ever
To show the sin and to wash him,
Silence around, strange atmosphere
Recalls that something crazy happened here.

In Tsimlansk city small airport,
The people are flying daily
In the capital of course
Perhaps also to Rostov.

But desert everywhere
The grass sand, nothing else
Many damaged buildings
Even hotel, not used.

The second world war
Still continues in Russia
Yalta gave too much treasures
The country cannot use them.

The beautiful farms abandoned,
The people sad,
Become happy twice: on the gardens
And during funerals with see of vodka.

Here governs such philosophy
Tears and smiles mixed together
Sins and death everywhere
People do not mind if happen.

Cossack Razin and his band
Looking on earth from eternal life
Have to be so surprised
Seeing Dracula spirit on Don.

The solid constructions will corrupt
Some day we will se the bones
Of the people who was building Volgodonsk
And the channel between two rivers..

The forgotten city
In plans, the million citizens
Became known again
In time of terrorist acts in Moscow and here.

+++

I still believe
That this small chapel will give good fame
Because of the name of Boleslava,
She was teaching us to be peaceful.

Blessed sister you see,
The country in blood and cry,
Help by your prayers to stop,
Help to stop the war!

Novocherkassk, Prosveshchenya Street 143, Assumption

The old Cossacks Capital
Full of blood the main square
Suffering youngsters from Polytechnic Institute.
Just at front of forgotten church.

Church built by professor Rosinski
On his private land,
He came here from Warsaw like the rest,
Of professors in time of evacuation.

They was wishing to have here
Some taste of Poland on Don
Doing that they became pioneers
Of Catholicism in the city.

One of priests died in Altai
He was the last pastor here,
In Perestroika times I got one of communities
With strong effort and some adventures here.

I was patiently looking for that church,
Sometime thinking, impossible to find...
The church was so much forgotten and damaged
But with God`s help, we have back the treasure.

Azov saint Mark

The oldest church foundation
Between Catholic churches
On Proletarski Spusk
Still existing: the memory and place!

Saint Mark from Venice
Your small copy in Azov harbor
Please help your brother parish
To restore from ash.

The rich man Corrado your stone grave
Give us memory of these times
And you Reynaldo from Spoleto
First missionary bishop in Azov.

Look from the heaven on Russia
On the Middle Age "wall of cry"
Do not permit again
To forget your graves and memory.

3. VOLGA LAND

Astrakhan

I will praise again the priest Christopher
But at first I will tell you
The story of one of oldest Tartar State
Which has here the capital.

The same time in this city
Italians from Venice were starting in Azov
Their travel to Middle Asia
Together with missionary people.

This church older than the rest
Of the south Russia catholic churches
More than 300 years before built by Armenians
In oriental style..

In the church were working Capuchins
Later came Jesuits
They have had here Collegium
One genius Russian studied here.

Perhaps is interesting for somebody
This place is on the border of Asia and Europe
Volga has large delta here
Famous from black caviar.

Also important to know
That except Moslems orthodox, Catholics,
Some Buddhist Kalmycks were living here
Perhaps also they built pagodas here.

One of Astrakhan historians
Put in his records a message
That local Franciscans were buying Kalmycks
To baptize them and to have more parishioners.

This way, I will tell you here
Started my personal adventure
In the neighbor city Elista
In the middle of the desert.

Now like before by the Caspian see
Some Franciscans work with Kalmycks
But before they came, we were here,
In early 90-ties me and Christopher.

Is time to finish the story, the way I started,
By praising priest Niemyjski Christopher
He was so brave, never fear,
He took all the museum collections out of the church.

If not, there will be still museum
He was not playing in bureaucracy
He understood that he is right
He acted without waiting...

He took the church back!

Volgograd, Prague Street

Cold time, wounded fingers
Trying to make a picture
Austrian soldier Holly Mother
With Infant Jesus in Christmas.

It was perhaps 1941
Stalingrad all in fire
Most of buildings were destroyed
Catholic Church survived.

After so many years the city like Phoenix
Was restored, but not church
At first it was culture house of Communist Youth
Later just humble ruins.

Windows looked like eyes of blind man
Feeling of cemetery
That time came perestroika
Came priest and touched Austrian Catholics.

It was forbidden so many years
To make any cemetery for Germans,
But here one little exception
This church restored and Christmas picture.

"Kurhan Mamaev" - the monument of Lady,
Taking a sword in her hands,
Near her legs, some kind of chapel
With whole in the roof to see eternal fire.

Music strange around
Like spiral circulating
Is taking you to Hades
With voice of soldiers steps.

Tourist curiously looking
Memorial spectacle
I was trying to read all the names
Written on the round wall.

It make impression that place
But I was asking myself,
Is it a real grave, or something else
Sanctuary...

Yes, you need here to pray
Repeating without end
So many bones on these fields
Are still asking about that.

I was taking rosary in hands
But feeling was, I have to return.
Yes on the Prague street
The best place for prayer.

Kamishin, Saint Teresa

The parish of Saint Teresa...
Volga is large here and slow
The sand is white like sugar
Time to time you will se the forest...

In Kamishin lives some Slovakians
Helping local believers,
Was working here Joseph Gunczaga
The underground priest.

Before he came to Russia
He was studying medicine
That he may be a priest,
Even his mother didn`t know.

He dressed his sutana first,
When he started his way to Moscow,
Looking for friendship of youngsters
He was rather successful.

There are talks that he has gone
To the Volga, because of jealousy
The other high priests came to Moscow,
Advising him to go away.

He was still supported by his Moscow friends
Some voluntary people even
From Slovakia came...
He was not alone on Volga.

Later he worked in Orel
In Kursk and Belgorod.
He was everywhere.
God knows all his good doings!

I hope Saint Teresa also,
Is giving him her prayers
That he may not cry in difficult time
Slovakian priest voyager.

In Kamishin came new Slovak priest
He made some restorations
He wished to make another way
All the decorations.

Brothers from Greek Saloniki
Methodius and Cyril,
Patrons of Slovakia
Your also pray fro them.

Saint Clement in Saratov

German street number 12
We go by the stairs down
On the street very old church
Cathedral of st. Clement

Near there the palace of Bishop
But he still is not living there,
Nobody prays in the Cathedral
There is still movie theatre.

So when we walk on the avenue
We will find a way thanks to Chernishevski`s monument
But except going to old cathedral
We will go to catacombs downstairs .

Polish Salezians have bayed this place.
To pray a Mass and to have
Activities with youth
Same chapel were using Lutherans.

There is some new church
Somebody calls Cathedral Chapel
Saratov is one million city
It was always bishops sea here.

It was also Seminary here
In this building today live soldiers
The building is actually ruined.
But still not returned.

In new chapel, some hundred people
May sit down in the benches
All the rest have to wait,
When Cathedral will be returned.

Volga, large river became,
For some Germans as native land,
Also Samara and Volgograd
Have old Catholic churches.

The war is finished it is good
We are happy there is no revolution.
Germans stay in Siberia
On Volga memory about them: some churches.

Marks - Jesus the King

In the day of church consecration
In Marks on Volga
I was hearing words of Bishop
About bricks from old church building.

After destroying, the believers
Took bricks in their homes
Putting on special place as a relic
And praying...like before.

Later came perestroyka
Territory was prepared to built new one.
The people came with old bricks
Asking to put them in foundations.

It is the circle of history
The people was patient and silent
That time the stones were talking
After disappearing of churches.

Penza

In Penza Casino and Night Club
Most important things in Russia
You may see what for these people
Means today democracy.

Irish priest, Philip my friend
Was offering all his heart
Much money he spent for lawyers
To bring out casino from church.

But he still is unsuccessful
Same happened in Moscow
No use to look for justice
Mafia is stronger than law.

It is why my friend Philip
Will loose money many times
Until the church will be so damaged
That cheaper will be to built new one.

4. RUSSIAN WEST

Capuchins in Voronezh.

Sometime in history big forest
Now only steppes,
Tsar Peter the Great built navies,
In Azov disappeared the forests.

The great city on border.
Maybe rather more developed
You may meet on the road,
Many grills.

You may go from here
In many directions:
To Tambov and Rostov
Ukraine is close city Kharkov.

Voronezh, important city
In the past war games,
It was here big number of Italians
Fighting together with Germans.

I am knowing just a little,
The promised to me city
I was ready to work there
But something was ever disturbing.

Now I got nostalgia for you
Capuchin`s city Voronezh,
Wishing you all the best
May grow you church and parishioners.

In neighbor city Rossosh
Some Italian soldier
Took out from the fire the icon
Holly Mother and seven swords.

Perhaps just seven knifes,
Symbol easy to understand
The wounded Italian soldier
Took with him icon to Venice.

Offering to his mother
Asking that she prays
In the front of that icon,
That he stay alive and may return.

The icon is still in Venice
In Capuchin`s monastery
Madonna del Don...she got here such name
Many mothers were praying about their sons!

Little church in Kursk

The church looks like small house for chicken,
Forgotten, but near the center
Fragile neo gothic,
Like somewhere in Baltic country.

In this building was House of Culture
Perhaps also library
After fall of communism,
Even some sectarians.

The church is now returned
Thanks God it was not easy
Perhaps mafia has no desire,
To make here Casino.

Also there is a message
That sometime ago sister Lament
Was visiting the church and praying here,
I may think: Boleslava`s intercession?

5. TWO CAPITALS

Saint Louis on Lubianka

Come in and enter you the man,
Who just may have curiosity or fear
There is no ever spies here
No registering cameras...

We know you and me
That in Moscow, Louis the French
Got his new victory,
In the fight against unbelievers.

The man in fear,
Russian Catholic,
Your patron, he is a king
So have to care you, because he is good.

He defended the church
So close to KGB
So many Cathedrals fall
But small Louis still exists.

In the church on Lubianka street
Hundreds of people again
Church like small pastor David
At front of Goliath`s KGB sea.

Saint Louis the same man who was silent
Looking on Saint Francisco
He was telling nothing also
At front of crazy Dzierzynski.

Moscow`s Conchita

Conchita, Conception, Immaculate...
Such a beautiful church...
In Moscow`s Center
Near Parliament on Krasna Presnya.

From the tower you may see
"Circle of Gardens" Sadovoye Koltso.
Apartment of poet Vysocki
Polish Embassy and Russian "White house"...

Come in you man,
Come in Catholic Cathedral,
Which few years ago was looking a ruin
In forgotten Street Malaya Gruzinskaya.

Come in to compare,
If you may find, more nice,
Even unbeliever Vysocki cried
Looking on ruins.

Go to meet local bishop
If he will be home
I hope he will be good host
Such is the people in the East.

Ask him about the first steps
The prayers on the stairs,
He will tell you perhaps
About the trees and grass on the roof.

Yes, he have to remember
When you will ask, maybe he will got sad
Remembering all these years
Not easy bishops career.

The church full of suffer
Cathedral full of memories
The walls seem to tell you about
Crying priest Solovyov

Go and knock to the door
Of Russian catholic paper
Director Victor Khrul
May give you nice interview.

Moscow Immaculate!
The church has also Franciscans
Their life here is also long story
With killers and spies as main actors.

Sankt - Petersburg

Poet Mickiewicz was not loving the city
Telling that it was caprice of Emperor
The city without natural existing
But with a hurry of Satan.

Another people say that children has no sin
They ever saint even their fathers were killers or rippers,
Children have right to exist.
Perhaps it is why exists city of Emperor Peter.

Bureaucrats and simple people
Established their families here
Each building even foundation
Has own hidden history.

The voice of Aurora-voice of devil
Started so many horrors in entire empire
But also here so many untouched churches.
Unbelievers has no such a power.

Saint Catherine on Nevsky Prospect.
Saved from fire still serve to the Catholics.
There is small church in Kovensky street
Holly Mary from Lourdes.

Seminarians got back Academy
They may pray in old Cathedral
The church unseen from the street
Huge church, but very humble...

More happy may be catholic in North Capital
More free than in any place in Russia.
Returned was Sacred Heart of Jesus
The place for meetings of Germans and Africans.

Same as in Moscow, here also
Franciscans have own convent.
You may come here, compare with Moscow
And greet them from my behalf...

6. WESTERN URAL

Perm

Charming outside and inside,
Constructed with love,
You cannot believe in Russia,
At the door of Siberia such a pearl.

Inside you may see orthodox Icon,
With image of Saint Zenon
Which converted to Christ
All the nation of Komi-Ziriac.

Parish priest Grzybowski,
With silver hairs to early,
He came from polish Plock
And got success working in Perm...

He was thinking about returning to Poland
I got sad hearing this from him,
"You have few parishioners here
Be happy, it is everywhere in Russia the same".

And you priests in Europe
Sometime sad when church,
Is not full, can be worse
Come and see!

Ufa, Redemptrix

We are in the capital of Bashkirs
Great river, on the hill some prince
Like wishing go to heaven
Symbol of the city...

Legendary Salavat Girey
Ufa is full of legends
Shevchuk, Zemphira, Alsu
Rock stars of Ural.

We look for the church, cannot find ,
The parish is praying at home
Large, charming flat belong to movement:
"Pro Deo et Fratribus".

Slovakian bishop Hnilitsa
Send here his sisters and priests,
From congregation inspired in Fatima,
Coredemptorix, new name.

Suisse or Austrian priest
Sisters: two Germans one Kazakh.
White dressings, law voice,
Strong wish to serve God, not escape!

The church at home, with traditions
Tartars, Moslems around
Be strong and survive
At the doors of Ural

7. URAL

Ekaterynburg

In the city under communist Sverdlov name
Extravagant comrade Eltsine was governing
Unhappy, because some people
Was putting flowers near some merchant house...

It was the pace were last days
Emperor Nicolas the Second,
Was living after abdication...
With close family and was killed.

Mister Boris made a statement
That house have to disappear
Up to foundations,
To stop the veneration of graves.

Today on empty place
Small wooden church was made
The people still is coming
Except flowers they bring candles, again.

The territory is under control
Perhaps, it will be big church someday,
But there are no generous sponsors
Eltsine to Moscow has gone.

Sverdlovsk got back old name
In memory of Empress Catherine
Eltsine became President
Got back his memory about martyrs.

He insisted archeologists have to come
And look for the bones.
They were rather successful
Eighteen bodies were found.

The Hierarchy at first not happy
Not wishing to venerate them
New burial was organized by politicians
In Kronstadt church, near Petersburg.

Catholics of Ekaterynburg
Got back some of their buildings
Small chapel is hidden behind
Newly build high houses.

Church which became Bus Station
Was destroyed the same days
Perhaps when comrade Eltsine
Destroyed house of merchants.

In the garden of new chapel
American consulate
Some of workers are Catholics
So they got for free own chaplain.

Chelabinsk

Twenty thousand citizens settlement
In industrial aerie of the city
It was made for German workers
In chemical fabric slowly dying.

Three priests "Focolari" from Germany
Take care about big construction
I`ve never seen so big church in Russia
Perhaps this one is unique.

Some may think it was by case
Such church in city of so many victims
But I believe, God was caring Himself
That we may venerate the souls in Chelabinsk.

8. WESTERN SIBERIA

Novosibirsk

In 1999-th, I came here the first time
To the doors of Catholic Cathedral
In form of 3 roofs
But one foundation.

In 28-th of August
We were venerating saint Augustine
But also the memory of genocide
The date of deportation of Volga Germans.

I was surprised a bit
Even knowing that date.
When I saw how deeply
Bishop for souls was praying.

I remember such date in Volgodonsk
In the small chapel of Boleslava
Some local parishioners wished
To make memorial desk.

Yes, the church of Transfiguration
Is bringing us to atmosphere
Of these days, because
The mass was prayed by eyewitness.

Young bishop Joseph Wert
Was looking moved in heart
When he was praying in the church garden
Exequias for the souls.

The prayer was made in presence
Of very little crowd.
But somewhere in heavens
Millions of souls were happy.

I do not know,
How old church was destroyed
Or just impossible to get back
Is enough to say, now we have 3 new ones.

Except Cathedral we have Franciscans
In old German settlement
Nice place and monastery,
Many youngsters are coming.

There is the third church of Augustine
In Academic city for students
We were finishing our prayers just there
After Holly Mass and Exequias.

Somebody from Parishioners
Offered as chapel his new home
Just in the forest where before
So many people were killed.

Small but exactly such size
Made from all the heart
For memory about ancestors
Have to be ...

9. ORIENTAL SIBERIA

Angarsk, Saint Joseph

I remember the river Angara
Which cross all the Baikal see,
As she do not realize,
The river enters and go out.

Near from Irkutsk
Angara give peace to the city
New one, great but humble
The same the name, just like the river: Angarsk.

In the city many small houses
In the Khrushchev style
Many also big houses
Showing the good times in the past.

There are trams in the city
Taking citizens here and there
Somebody looking for job
Somebody happiness, love.

Happy are missionary people
Under saint Joseph the patron
And blessed Edmond
Which cared homeless children.

In all the Russia countless babies
In Siberia the same
Children about whom, nobody cares
Here the story of Betlehem repeats again.

I was told 4 millions
More than in the war times,
They go from their parents
And they do not care.

It is important to give them food
Defend from cold and aggression,
No love exist in Russia
That is why undesirable babies.

In Angarsk all children desirable
Similar in Zabaikalye
Sisters take them own home
To give food, medicines and roof.

Blessed Edmond, strange gentleman
In Polish land Wielkopolska
After death he has gone in the travel
To Siberia in hearts of sisters!

Irkutsk, Griboyedova street.

Irkutsk is polish city, I will tell you in secret
And you in secret will repeat
There spend many years in prison polish hero Pilsudski
The same reason there was polish saint Rafal Kalinowski.

Father Szwernicki Franciscan
Fifty years was pastor here,
Spending time with caring people
Sometime just hunting,

In Irkutsk Father Ignatius
Later the others with him, celebrate polish traditions
In Angarsk, Vershina, Bratsk, Usolye
Like mushrooms multiply churches.

In Irkutsk diocese and Polish Consulate,
Missionary School for lay people and clergy
The city is full of religious projects
On the last tram station..

New Cathedral as Tephal
Round form has and bishop`s mitra
Some people was not loving
Such maximalist a bishop.

And even on his head
So many genius in KGB were hunting
Yes there is no bishop Mazur in Siberia
But all the projects stay, and grateful diocesans..

In short time appeared Caritas
Came some congregations
Korea, India, Japan, America
He visited these countries and they were helping.

Sending us human aid...
Somebody was very jealous and unhappy
Collecting all records in secret
To attack him in the best moment!

The truth we will know bit later
When sons of Dzierzynski will fall down
But these days, I am sitting in Ukraine Lugansk
Bishop Mazur in Polish Elk.

Siberia, you never was good mother
For Cossack conquerors
You are the same as Wild West
For all the cowboys from Europe...

You still not friendly to Polish.

10. ZABAYKALYE

Ulan-Ude, The Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Hospital out of the city,
Paralyzed lady,
Parish manager Kostia
Asked Me to visit her.

The wooden church from the city
Was taken in parts to the sanatorium
And remade as eating room
In soviet times.

Father Adam, the first parish priest
In perestroika times,
Dominican Sisters ,
Are planning together, to built new church.

The money have to come from Japan,
We do not know, if for sure
The light from Betlehem star
Appear in Buddhist desert.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus
The title of church and Parish,
I was with them together
In Patron day of Year 2000.

Four poor chambers.
On the walls old paintings
In the kitchen the only furniture
The empty and smelling refrigerator!

In big room like in cinema
The chairs united together by iron
On the simple table with shelves
We pray Eucharist.

Should I return there
My Buryatia...
Should I see monument of Lenin
All his body in the sand up to the neck!.

This horizon like in Chita
This sunset red like blood
Polonia House in the center
And this new church gifted from Japan?

Chita, Ostrovski Street

In the city of "Decembrists" it was burning Church
She was strongly damaged, just after the world war
It was winter time, the church was wooden
Water, fire and strong Siberian cold...

Church need to be restored, the memory of history
There are few Catholics, but better to give the building
Some another owner, decision was: orthodox!
Perhaps to create the war between us..

To take from one owner and give to another
It was the favor game of uncle Stalin provocateur of wars.
Steeling to ones giving to others
Like effort of wise fox was that plan and others.

In Chita church was young vicar priest
Anton Leszczewicz later member of Marian congregation
But today one of 108 polish martyrs from the war time
He made his first steps as a priest here in Chita church...

Marianin priest Anthony Podziawa and some others
Came to Chita thanks to Chinese comrades
Not sweet for them was Decembrists city
They were in hands of KGB, suffering from torturing.

Not sweet was Chita for Japanese soldiers
It was also some time ago, the point of "White Czech",
And Zabaikalyan Russian Republic
Under general Kolchak.

In the city many Germans
They have good leader Vladimir Wagner
All his authority he used
To make all of them parishioners of our church.

He also helped to local Lutherans
The same he does for lonely Buriats
When somebody talks about leaders in church
I ever think about him.

When I came at first asking in "White House"
About some contacts with Germans and Polish
They promised me to help in one condition:
Do not touch old church, "do not touch orthodox!"

It was unofficial statement of high state worker
Without hiding anything he was training me
In the well known principle in Russia
"Catholics...may be in the city, but far away from the center"

So happened after long searching for new place
That we find on the city map old sanatorium
Under the name Golden Valley
And some old buildings still being there.

Bishop was looking the place with pleasure
He send there Slovakian father Fidermak
As the best constructor in diocese
With Chinese workers, he built fast new church.

It was the date of consecration and people were waiting
Bishop Mazur to bless the new church
Unfortunately he does nothing,
He was dismissed from Russia, but came Cardinal from Vatican.

It was also time to me to go on vacations
Sisters "Starowiejskie" took me to their home...
Thankful that I was looking for them
Together with Vladimir Wagner, this place..

In Chita I got "green card", permanent staying in Russia
And I was ever going there before living from the country
It is the way priests are risking to never come back,
Such a law against any law...play with foreigners.

I asked documents for some time to go
It was the time when Vatican got problems
And me together with others I became the target
To blame all the church, as aggressors and expansionists.

How many times in Siberia
They were killing Polish people and imprisoning
Now they create new method: to take out foreign priests
To disturb governing the church by dismissing Bishop.

In the church people may remember
The native country sometime the language...
Dreaming about heaven, with a help of priests
Siberia with church is rather much sweet.

11. FAR EAST

Blagoveshchensk

In Catholic church again, orthodox Bishop sea...
Without any problem of conscience
It is the custom well trained in west Ukraine...
Greek-Catholics expelled or killed, their churches became orthodox.

Sometime we may hear that Vatican is bad because
Catholics take Orthodox churches by force
They do not mention that these orthodox property,
Became orthodox thanks to KGB and Stalin decisions!

Orthodox Bishop German from Blagoveshchensk
Came as guest to his Catholic partner Bishop of Irkutsk
To ask money for his new Cathedral, the old one,
We will return to Catholics, afterwards...!

Catholic Bishop was good host
He took his guest on Baikal see to Listwianka,
The time is going, German get money, He has new Cathedral
But the old one is not returned to Catholics.

We have one of many examples, how the Orthodox
Broke the word or even contract
Even being priests or bishops in Blagoveshchensk
Able like simple stealer take property and not give back, no excuse.

Birobidzan

It is for me the point on the map
The taste of cedar nuts
The point station, in many travels
On transsiberian railway.

Birobidzan, small Jewish land
New promised land, from there
I got to know old lady Agatha or Adele
She was here expelled.

I met her in far north of Khabarovsk
The biggest city in Far East
Birobidzan is 100 west from Khabarovsk
And forms Autonomous Prefecture.

Old lady very wise, her house full of books
She wished me to talk in Polish
She did know nothing except "Our Father"
She new from childhood which she spend in Ukrainian Zhitomyr...

There are Dombrowskis in Jewish Land
Many half polish half Russians
It was a project to make a church in old sauna
It was plan of Priests Maryknoll.

They were able to finish their planes or not
It is difficult to say, because I was forced to leave from Russia
It was so nice to look the streets of this city
Every time by windows of the train..

Komsomolsk

Another city, caprice of Stalin
To have new port on river Amur
Except the old Nicolaevsk.
Never mind sentiments or history, everything must be new.

In fact like sunrise in the East
Happened new city, city of Youth
Submarines, aircrafts, many others
All the projects in deep secret.

Catholics also in deep secret
Has meetings on the flat somewhere in the city,
It was the first floor but in fact,
It was catacomb church.

Some boy from Kamenets Podolski
Some other local families
With help of Maryknolls from Khabarovsk
And ... Japanese nuns!

They were learning catechism and rosary
By caprice of Kamenets boy
His youngsters in Club of Karate
Also prayed rosary... as training to sport.

Khabarovsk, Teatralnaya street

Dermatology clinic for many gender sickness
Slowly fall down because very old
Tram stop is near there, Train station, main square,
In this building at first was Catholic church!

Parish of Holly Mary Immaculate
Was the subject of so many attacks
When new Bishop started to visit many times
Asking our rights.

When he informed how difficult for him as foreigner
Is living in Russia, all the time, having problems,
Journalists were smiling open way
Happy that he cannot do anything.

Other time sending letter to Orthodox bishop
In Khabarovsk, bishop Mark, by Christmas time
He was answered that Catholics are criminals
So they do not accept greetings from them!

By that time Khabarovsk is growing,
New capital of Far East
We were expecting here will be Cathedral
Bishops office and some parishes.

Dermatology clinic is falling down with no use,
The state do not return the property
Sorry for thinking that also this church
Wish to have crazy bishop Mark?

It is not nice, man
Not nice, to play such a game
With brothers Christians in same faith
How treat us Catholics in Russia, you have real example.

Vladivostok, Volodarski Street

Bishop Karl, I am kissing your hand virtual way
Your metallic robbed grave
Kissing with hope that some soldier or historian, one day
In village Sidanka will find again your relics...

Bishop who made Cathedral building
Bishop of tragic destination
You was not permitted to finish your church
The great Far East Gothic

That Bishop got short time to rule.
Was gone to Harbin his youth and seminary
He was governing in Vladivostok,
But in Mandzuria was all his clergy,

Bishop Martyr, you will not tell the different way
He took in audience some monk from Sakhalin
He get some money, but he cannot talk
He was so fear of investigation.

He was trained to be afraid
So many years in the little station Sidanka on Chinese border
Waiting to be killed or dismissed,
When he died, there was no priest to pray last prayers !

In old Cathedral were archives,
In fact until today, it is archive.
Collecting our stories, stories of Catholics
Walls crying high voice!

|To that cathedral came two priests
Somewhere from Oceania islands
To rebuild from ash these parishes
Americans with good will.

They were collecting money
From all the USA, without hurry informing about situation
When they got such amount of money expected to be spent...
On reparations of Cathedral...

In one day...thanks to Russian rulers plays,
Most of private banks were bankrupted.
We got some excuse, but not money...
Cathedral is still waiting for reparations.

Bishop Karl, you was not in the beatification list
Somebody in Sankt Petersburg, did not get your history
Somebody was traveling to bring, but did not came...
The member of commission was kicked out from Russia!

So, we are good knowing our history
But in the list of martyrs
Still not exits the name of Sliwowski...
Cathedral, is his testimony and his archives...

Nakhodka

In Nakhodka nice church building
But belongs to Presbyterians
They are many in South Korea,
From there came many pastors.

At front of the church, old house
Very dirty walls,
Catholics meet there
Their parish most poor in the city.

It is not the only case
The time a bit changed, but still
Like in USRR
People do not accept Baptists...

The same prejudice now
Happen to Catholics
Which are blamed as fifth column
When ask permission to built churches.

The priests even bishops like animals
Can be kicked out
Some people`s job was to create rumors
That Baptists in secret eat babies.

It need to hate all the people
Which have meetings in flats
Perhaps the same rumors in Nakhodka
Will hear Catholics about themselves.

Was it big success, when Gorbachov
Promised to the people:
Freedom, openness, rebuilding!
Words, words, words.....

Magadan Tower Bell

This city was not planned
Unexpected miracle in snow desert
The eyewitness alive, but...
Like verdict about death or call to trial.

In all the Russia until now
Like in any prison
You may meet innocent, immaculate people,
But their punisher still free, nobody touch them!

Cannibals land, inhuman
The great "white Auschwitz"
In Russia we still need some Nurnberg trial
We badly need, to be humans.

Nobody punished from governors of Kolyma
Nobody blamed in Karaganda
So many still alive, just smiling
The biggest criminals of history

Four millions victims, people said
The state agree, but only one and half million
Came to "death enterprise"
Created by chief Stalin.

I was walking on the streets of Magadan
And I got to know a bit later
That on these streets have to be candles
And flowers, because it is a big grave.

On these roads impossible to walk
Every step will be like sacrilege
Against millions of martyrs
Which bones, became foundation of the street...

On the highest hill of the city
There is "the mask" - solid cathedral
So great like Kurhan Mamaev in Stalingrad.
The wind moves, the bell on the mask.

I was in Nagasaki, I saw ruins
I studied the story of damaged church
And the story of bell which became
Symbol of tragedy...

But is it possible to compare
This August moment in Japan
Surprise from America
With mutual surprise for own nation in Kolyma.

There is small community in Magadan
So many people from Ukraine was expelled here
Because do not agree collectivization
Got name of "parasites"

Magadan is close to Alaska
For local citizens the only happiness
Alaskan guests will come with gifts
And talk about Jesus Christ.

There is in Magadan "Madonna House"
Created in Canada by pious lady
Polish roots but from Russia emigrant
Hook-Daugherty Catherine.

Her volunteers came from Canada
There are also monks of Sacred Heart
Red hearts on their habits
This way Charles de Foucaud was dressed.

In the Lenin street 8
Two flats unite together
Became a house and chapel for parish
Under the CHRISTMASS name!

Petropavlovsk, Sovetskaya street

The volcanic country and grizzly land
Snow prefecture, beautiful nature
Houses damaged, walls curved by time
Even on main streets, dirty barracks.

"The hill of love", behind the hill
War cemetery and French chapel,
Harbor near bye and vessels
Fishing here countries from all over the world..

There are also atomic submarines
In the port under "Zavoyka"name
Is time to de montage all of them,
They are so dangerous for citizens!

Kamchatka, Sovetskaya 16
Barrack built by Japanese soldiers
Many of them were send here
After the war, as free workers.

Benedict Dybowski the holy doctor
Brave and good, was living here such scientist
He was not a priest, but as missionary man
He was so kind to the indigenous people.

Historians remember about August the Polish
Which made the trip all over the world
On very simple vessel, from Kamchatka he came to Madagascar.
Became vice king of the island...Beniowski the king.

12. SAKHALIN

Sakhalin - Three brothers - Victory Avenue

My Sakhalin crying today
The aircraft with so many victims
Returning from Kamchatka,
Was destroyed in air conditions...

It is not the only tragedy
On this special island
China has own strategy here
Japan has own maps of Sakhalin.

Sakhalin the jealous land
Three brothers were trying to go
They did not escape, became stones
To be a symbol for the rest, who plan to escape.

Sakhalin prison was described
Photographically by Chekhov
He was not looking for sweet words
Telling about prison and indigenous.

It is the island were some Korean
Aircraft in times of cold war
Was shouted down
With 200 people on the board.

Tragically was Sakhalin for Japanese citizens
In the times of deportation after the second WW.
And even now there are people remembering
How they were crying, going out, for ever.

So I am crying knowing before
That my dismiss ion may be also
Tragically for me and for Sakhalin
Like many other promising of old Shamans!

It is why so strongly
I was trying to go in the north
The starting place of Chekhov`s visit.

There are still indigenous peoples
Caring about wild animals
Just in these places
I found old church foundations.

I took the brick and came back
Thinking about, so many prisoners here
And when God blessed our new church
This brick was given as corner stone.

Kholmsk-Maoka-Easter Str.13

Kholmsk, the city on the mount
Some mounts, better to say
Who was seeing Wladivostok once
Easily may Kholmsk compare.

From here you may take the boat
To the city of prisoners
The famous Vanino
Once visited never able come back

In Kholmsk, Japanese Maoka
One place with Sakura tree
Beautiful flowers in June
Little church existed before.

Near bye Japanese house
Fujihara-san, sensei
Was teaching religion there
Fr. Gustav was helping her.

The people was calling him wise man
Handsome Franciscan
Attracted Asiatic citizens
To admire him walking;

The church destroyed later
Russian Army was living inside
Restored as living house
Look damaged today.

The Fujihara-san house
Disappeared, possibly destroyed
Today only wooden stairs
To another mountain show the way.

The Eastern street 13,
Please visit such a place
In the garden you may see the school
And big sportive stadium.

The main Square, white house...
Lenin dark as the night
Two "Pavlov houses"
Sea tower and the harbor.

Walking on these streets
Visiting the hills
Looking for cemetery
The fresh Sakura air...

Korsakov, Krasnoflotskaya 25

In the garden of Sputnik
The movie theater,
There was a Fourier house
Franciscan father Peter.

In such a house was living Angelus
Silesian father also Franciscan
Hundred years passed
That place I discovered back.

The Fourier house disappeared
The church was built there
But soviet custom was
To make hospital here.

Long Five floor house
Built just near bye
Hospital destroyed
Sputnik movie theater

The movies you may see
But people rent place for prayer
People more rich than we are
Testimonials of Jehovah.

We have little chapel there
In two rooms flat
On the wall exhibition
Some icons and simple table.

Sacristy so small
That I was entering with trouble
I feel fr. Fernando
Will not enter at all.

Korsakov port Odomari
You may see Wakanai
The neighbor Japanese town
Daily boats goes summer time.

Thru Wakanai from Japan
Franciscan Father Mucha came
Silent friend of mine
Because in that city died.

It was thirties
Polish Bernardine Fathers
From Manchurian Harbin came
Some refuge from Siberia.

Stanislav just became a priest
His belly was sick
But his bones were strong
So become the "corner stone".

It is Korsakov foundation
It is why I was looking old cemetery
To venerate such a young priest
In oldest south Sakhalin city!

Alexandrovsk, Mayak movie theater

Korsakov main in the south
Has much of Japanese feeling
The oldest capital of the north
Is totally different.

Alexandrowsk tower
From Nikolaev here
Mister Chekhov came
With his note book...

He met wonderful people
Killers or politics
Which seemed to be forgiven
Becoming book keepers.

Priests were visiting here
Pastors, Lutherans
The mosque and big Orthodox
The Prison, but...

God was remembering
And giving hope
That even on the end of the world
The man can survive and be loved.

Chekhov survived tragedy
Everything nicely described
The prison was cancelled
But the people stayed until now.

Some left to Poland
Some refuges to Japan
Some came looking for adventure
Some does missionary work.

There is in Alexandrovsk city
Port with three Brothers stone.
I will describe you again
Because it is nice tall...

Three indigenous
Which planned to leave the island
Became three stones...
From nostalgia.

It was forbidden
To look behind
But how avoid looking
Sakhalin is so beautiful.

Yes, once looked Sakhalin
Even the island has prejudice
To be ever dangerous,
Has something holly - mysterious.

+++

Alexandrovsk today very small
Daily some house destroy
More houses ruined than others
The same local church.

Some time there was a theatre
Movie theatre I hope
Has the name "Mayak"
In English Sea Tower.

When I was visiting here
My eyes ever on the hill
Where people on the church place
Built garages..

Mosque, which was near bye
Also ruined same German one
So called "Kirche"
You may see only foundation.

Orthodox restored with pain
Father Roman said
The church restored similar way
As it was before...

Uglegorsk - Estoru

The city of snow
Japanese Estoru
Here much coal
People explore.

Tasty tomatoes
And famous earthquakes
Shinto shrine
An Buddhist temple.

The see in June
Bring the small fish
You just take some bag
Container without net.

Similar way the crabs
All the "frutti di mare"
Everything very tasty
Come back in Uglegorsk stay!

We have Catholics here
Just small group not known
Because meet together
Just two Korean Lena s.

Inna come and Yurasha
Their children and Son Natasha
The daughter of the eldest
Peter Sin "Haraboji".

It was 1943
Small Korean boy
And his sister Theresa
Were baptized in Kholmsk.

Susana, old Armenian
From Shakhtersk some Polish Lady
And me coming monthly
Julia and Japanese girl: Shoko...

It is Korean parish...
Today nobody care,
Father Stysiak started that "junkai"
And Fujihara-san from Kholmsk.

They made summer camps
That children may pray
And their knowledge
Survived 50 years...

Without priests or Catechists
Survived the faith on the island
Polish, Korean, Armenian
And Japanese mix...

Please read such poetry
My friend and help such adventure
To survive on that beautiful
Sakhalin island.

+++

Estoru Aynu word
Difficult to translate
Sounds like Aishiteru
Japanese know what I mean!

Bashnyakov, Portova 5

In mountain dangerous road
With non repaired wholes
It may be similar like Italian
Saint Brigit in Alps.

It was not easy for me
To drive such a place
In city of miners Bashnyakov
I found some friends.

The Port old abandoned
The city like empty village
But still people live here
Neftegorsk came in my mind.

Beautiful waterfall outside
And sad story of a boy
Who fall in love so much
That made a suicide...

Such a place like paradise
Or postcard from heaven
I love Bashnyakov town
Sea tower and friends.

Nogliki, Sovietskaya street 62

The "Kevon Wedding"
Such a tall about Mister Bronek
Was made by local Shaman
Who respected Polish man.

Indigenous Nivkhi
Have friendship with
Polish prisoners
And good memory about them.

Pilsudski described them
Their customs and languages
He felled in love here
And got children.

The town Nogliki on the river
Has the same name
Which we may translate
The river "which smells".

We may say "gas river"
Because smell comes from gas
Now discovered petrol
Make rich in the future that land.

So today gas and the shelf
Make famous this place
But my opinion is that
Indigenous is biggest treasure.

Their language and religion
Similar like that of Indians
We may discover here
Japanese and Chinese genius.

So even in Manchurian tongue
Island was "black stone" called
Japanese say Karafuto
Mean Chinese Island...I think.

Nivkhi call Sakhalin
"Ykh Myph" which sounds well
But meantime that nation disappear
Because separated from wild way.

Given by force to fish-kolkhoz
Same as in reservation
Nivkhi start drinking vodka
Better than hunting.

Lonely trace of the past
You may in the museum find
Mrs. Lok will tell you
How disappear the indigenous.

Neftegorsk

While going to the north
I came to Okha petrol town.
In snow and sun shine
The bus made stop for a while.

There is no forest in the north
Sakhalin became like tundra
In the middle the town-ghost
Damaged city Neftegorsk.

I was telling you before
And I will tell again
Shaman was praying such destruction
In Chekhov book you may compare.

Fr. Jaroslaw Wisniewski

Lugansk 27.08.2003