(ANS – Krakow) – Ahead of the beatification of Fr. Jan Świerc and his companions, Polish Salesian martyrs, scheduled for June 6, 2026, the St. Hyacinth Province of Krakow, Poland (PLS)—and specifically its Superior, Fr. Dariusz Bartocha, SDB—has prepared a brief presentation regarding this event, outlining the progress made so far and what remains to be done.

In early December 2025, the Postulator General for the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family, Fr. Pierluigi Cameroni, accompanied by his collaborator Fr. Gabriel Cruz, traveled to Poland to begin preparations. Together with the leaders of the provinces, he met with the ecclesiastical authorities of Krakow, including Archbishop Marek Jędraszewski and his successor, Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, to establish the initial organizational guidelines. During the visit, the most suitable venues for the celebrations were also identified, with the final decision being that the beatification will take place at the Shrine of St. John Paul II, while the thanksgiving celebration will be held the following day at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians in Oświęcim.

The preparatory process covers various areas. A significant moment was the meeting on January 13, 2026, between representatives of the Archdiocese of Krakow and the Salesians, during which the main responsibilities were defined: the diocese will oversee the general organization, while the Salesians will make a significant contribution from a pastoral, operational, and spiritual perspective.

Liturgy

The liturgical aspect is entrusted to the Shrine of St. John Paul II, which will coordinate the celebration with the involvement of the Salesians. Those responsible for the various services have already been identified, including the preparation of the liturgical texts, overseen by the Postulator General, and the active participation of the faithful in the readings and celebratory moments. The texts will be drafted in Latin and Italian and translated into Polish.

Preparations by the Salesians

The Salesians are preparing a wide range of pastoral and organizational materials, which will then be distributed by the Archdiocese of Krakow. These materials include:

• Invitation texts
• Resources for the Lenten Way of the Cross
• Readings for the month of May
• Catechesis tailored to various levels
• Liturgical and youth hymns
• Posters, banners, and informational leaflets
• Liturgical booklets

Alongside the main celebration on June 6, several thanksgiving celebrations are planned, including one on June 7 in Oświęcim, with a homily by the Rector Major, Fr. Fabio Attard, and subsequent events in Ląd (June 13, presided over by Fr. Roman Jachimowicz, Regional Councilor for Central and Northern Europe) and in Dębniki, Krakow(September 20). At the same time, testimonies and objects linked to the future blesseds are being collected, such as letters from the concentration camp by Fr. Ludwik Mroczek and personal relics, such as Fr. Ignacy Harazim’s glasses. Discussions are also underway with national media regarding the television broadcast of the event.

Meetings with Bishops

The Superior of the province has met with several bishops from the dioceses of origin of the future blesseds, informing them of the state of preparations and involving them in the process of promotion. Specific initiatives are planned in some dioceses, including pastoral letters addressed to the faithful.

Spiritual and Educational Materials

Great attention is being paid to spiritual preparation. Resources such as the Way of the Cross and Lenten homilies inspired by the lives of the martyrs have already been distributed, while the National Memorial Institute is developing educational materials for schools. Various publishing and educational organizations are contributing to raising awareness of the figures of the future blesseds.

Film

A film dedicated to the nine martyrs is also in the planning stage, aiming to recount their lives and the relevance of the Salesian mission, as well as aspects related to martyrdom. The 52-minute film project is intended to provide a tool for outreach and reflection for a wide audience.

Website

The website www.salezjanie.pl has been revamped and enhanced with a section dedicated to the beatification (https://niebo.salezjanie.pl/beatyfikacja), containing historical materials, photographs, and documents. The portal offers extensive and well-structured content on the future blesseds and figures of Polish holiness, with information also translated into English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Ukrainian.

Liturgical Memorial and Liturgical Texts

The liturgical memorial for the future blesseds has been set for May 23, a date symbolically linked to the arrest of the largest number of them. The Postulator General has submitted a request to the Dicastery for approval of the text of the Collect, the reading for the Liturgy of the Hours, the Responsorial Psalm, and the prayers.

Painting for the Beatification

Artist brothers Fr. Robert Kruczek y Fr. Leszek Kruczek, Salesians from Oświęcim, are working on the official painting for the beatification, which will be placed in the Salesian church in Dębniki, Kraków, after the ceremony. Nothing is left to chance; for example, the custodian of the John Paul II Shrine has been consulted regarding the mechanism for presenting the painting during the beatification.

Invitations

The Archdiocese of Krakow has already sent out invitations to ecclesiastical and religious authorities and relevant dignitaries; for their part, the Salesians have submitted a list of guests they wish to invite, specifically including the leadership of the Congregation and the European Provincials.

Music

On the musical front, several pieces are in preparation: the first, with lyrics and music by Adam Szewczyk, recorded together with Magda Anioł, is aimed at young people. Fr. Mariusz Lach, SDB, has taken on the task of writing the lyrics for a liturgical hymn, the music for which will be composed by Piotr Pałka.

Competition

An international competition has also been launched for young people to design a commemorative T-shirt on the theme of the “9 Blessed.” Entries must be sent to konkurs@sdb.krakow.pl by the end of April.

Group Registration

Although the beatification ceremony will be open to all, a registration system for participating groups has also been set up on www.salezjanie.pl to help organize attendance by the faithful.

The entire process highlights how the beatification of Fr. Jan Świerc and his companions is not merely a celebratory event, but an opportunity for spiritual renewal and for rediscovering the value of Salesian martyrdom, which continues to speak to the Church and the world today.