Geneza budowy kościoła katolickiego w Pasymiu w drugiej połowie XIX wieku

Abstract

Catholics have settled in the north part of the Szczytno district since the beginning of the 19th century. In the 1860s, the number of Catholics who lived in Pasym and surrounding areas was 500. The first Catholic religious service in the town was conducted in 1862 by the parish priest of Purda Wielka, Joseph Osinski. In 1868, Rudolph Stefen was appointed for the vicar of Pasym. He celebrated Masses in a small oratory. A year later, it was decided that funds would be raised for the construction of a church, whose area would be sufcient for the increasing number of the Catholic population. In 1873, sketches of the church were prepared by Matthias Tofel, a master builder. Most of the foundations were laid that year. A year later, walls were erected for the height of 10 feet. Te foundation stone was blessed on 28th September 1874. With the agreement of the diocese authorities, the church was blessed by Rudolph Stefen on 8th December 1876. Te church was dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on 22nd June 1884 by the Bishop of Warmia, Filip Krementz. Te costs of the construction amounted to 75,000 marks. It was fnanced by voluntary contributions collected in the whole area of Germany, as well as from the funds of Church organisations, particularly the Boniface and Adalbert Association. However, the construction debt had to be paid for many years aferwards.