Blessed Ceslas
Blessed Czesław of Wrocław (Polish: Czesław Odrowąż; Latin: Caeslaus Odrowancius; born c. 1180 AD in Kamień Śląski, Silesia, Poland; died July 17, 1242 AD in Wrocław, Silesia, Poland) — commonly called Blessed Ceslas — was a Polish Dominican friar, the "Apostle of Silesia," and one of the great missionary pioneers of the Dominican Order in Central Europe. A member of the aristocratic Odrowąż family of Silesia — the same family as Saint Hyacinth of Poland (Jacek Odrowąż) — he accompanied Hyacinth to Rome in 1220, met Saint Dominic himself, joined the Dominican Order, and returned to Poland as one of the first Dominican missionaries to Silesia. He built up the Dominican presence in Wrocław, is credited with miraculously defending Wrocław against a Tartar invasion in 1241, and died in holiness in 1242. He was beatified by Pope Clement XI on September 16, 1712 (some sources: 1713). His feast day is July 17 (or July 20 in some traditions).
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Ceslas
| Blessed Ceslas | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | July 17 |
| Profession | Dominican friar and priest; Apostle of Silesia; first Prior of the Wrocław Dominican priory; missionary to Central Europe (Poland, Bohemia); canon of Kraków before entering the Dominicans; member of the Odrowąż family; contemporary of Saint Dominic and Saint Hyacinth of Poland |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Order of Preachers (Dominican Order); Polish Catholic tradition; Silesian Catholic tradition; medieval missionary tradition; 13th-century Dominican missionaries to Central Europe |
| Patronage | Wrocław; Silesia; Poland; Bohemia; Dominican friars; missionaries to Central Europe; defenders of cities under siege; those who invoke the Blessed Sacrament for protection |
| Attributes | White Dominican habit with black cappa; a monstrance (the Blessed Sacrament raised against the Tartars); a pillar of fire (miraculous defense of Wrocław); the Odrowąż coat of arms; July 17 feast; Silesian landscape |
| Birthplace | Kamień Śląski (Camenz), Silesia, Poland (in the territory of the historical Kingdom of Poland) |
| Death Place | Wrocław (Breslau), Silesia, Poland |
| Cause of Death | Natural death; died July 17, 1242, in Wrocław; he was approximately 62 years old; he had served as a Dominican missionary in Silesia for over 20 years, building up the Dominican presence in Wrocław and the surrounding region; he had accompanied Saint Hyacinth on the first Dominican missions to Poland and Bohemia; according to tradition, he had miraculously defended Wrocław from Tartar invasion in 1241 through prayer and the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament; he died in the Dominican priory in Wrocław that he had helped found; he was beatified by Pope Clement XI in 1712–1713 |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica of Saint Adalbert, Wrocław (now Basilica of Our Lady of the Sand / Wrocław Dominican Basilica) — the priory he founded; July 17 feast; Clement XI beatification 1712 |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; July 17 feast in Poland, in Wrocław, and in the Dominican Order; also celebrated July 20 in some traditions |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Czesław Odrowąż was born around 1180 in Kamień Śląski, Silesia, into the noble Odrowąż family. His cousin was Jacek Odrowąż (later Saint Hyacinth of Poland). He was educated as a cleric and became a canon of the cathedral chapter.
Around 1220, Czesław accompanied his uncle Bishop Iwo Odrowąż of Kraków on a diplomatic visit to Rome. There, at the church of San Sisto, they encountered Saint Dominic de Guzmán and the newly founded Order of Preachers. Saint Dominic personally received Czesław and Hyacinth into the Order. They became some of the very first Polish Dominicans.
Returning to Poland, Czesław established Dominican communities in Prague (Bohemia) and later in Wrocław, where he founded the first Dominican priory in Silesia. He served as prior of Wrocław and spent the rest of his life preaching, teaching, and building up the Dominican presence in Silesia — earning him the title "Apostle of Silesia."
In 1241, during the Mongol-Tartar invasion of Poland, Czesław is credited with a miraculous defense of Wrocław: he exposed the Blessed Sacrament on the city walls and prayed, and according to tradition a pillar of fire appeared that drove back the Tartar forces.
He died July 17, 1242, in Wrocław.
He was beatified by Pope Clement XI on September 16, 1712. His feast day is July 17.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Kamień Śląski (Camenz), Silesia, Poland (in the territory of the historical Kingdom of Poland)
Death location: Wrocław (Breslau), Silesia, Poland
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Czesław of Wrocław have been added to the database yet.
Media
No media found for this saint.
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Dominican Basilica of Our Lady of the Sand (formerly Saint Adalbert), Wrocław, Poland — the priory he founded; July 17 feast; principal pilgrimage site.
Feast day
July 17
Veneration
Blessed Czesław of Wrocław / "Ceslas" (c. 1180–1242) was a Polish Dominican friar of the Odrowąż family — cousin of Saint Hyacinth of Poland — who met Saint Dominic in Rome in 1220, became one of the first Polish Dominicans, established the Dominican Order in Silesia as "Apostle of Silesia," and miraculously defended Wrocław from Mongol-Tartar invasion in 1241 by exposing the Blessed Sacrament on the city walls; beatified Clement XI, September 16, 1712. Feast July 17.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.