Every early medieval Christian ruler strove to have the remains and relics of saints in the possession of his realm as a way of bolstering his prestige. The Polish state at the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries being no exception, our country acquired several saints during the reign of Bolesław Chrobry (Boleslaus the Brave).
The Bishop of Prague, Wojciech (c. 956-997) of the Sławnik (Slavník) dynasty, was the first. Wojciech (often known as Adalbert in English) came to Poland sometime between 996 and 997 and then set out to convert the pagan Prussians in the company of his half-brother Radzim (known as Gaudentius in English) and the presbyter Benedykt-Bogusz. During the course of this expedition, he died a martyr’s death on 23 April 997. Bolesław Chrobry purchased his body from the Prussians so that it could be laid in state in Gniezno Cathedral. Wojciech was canonised by Pope Sylvester II in 999.
The Benedictine hermits Benedict and John came to Poland from Pereum (near Ravenna) in 1002. They had been invited by Bolesław Chrobry, on the advice of St. Romuald and St. Bruno of Querfurt. They established a monastery and hermitage in the vicinity of Międzyrzecz nad Obrą – probably on the site of today’s village of Święty Wojciech (St. Wojciech). They were joined by the novices Izaak, Mateusz and Barnaba and the lay brother Krystyn – all Poles. Five of them died as martyrs at the hands of robbers on 10 November 1003. Only Barnaba was spared. Pope John XVIII numbered them among the congregation of the saints in view of the circumstances of their death. Today, they are known as the Five Martyred Brothers.
