Fr Stefan Pieczka Square in Racibórz

Next to the oldest church in Racibórz lies a small square with a fountain and benches. It is named after Monsignor Stefan Pieczka, for many years parish priest of the church next door – a man locals remember as someone who could talk to anyone. On a hot day it is a place to sit by the water, and along the way you meet one of the key figures of post-war Racibórz.

Who was he?

Stefan Pieczka was born on 25 December 1932 in Bytom-Miechowice. After the seminary in Opole he served as curate in Zabrze, then as parish priest in Kietrz and Racibórz; he also earned a master's degree in church history at the Catholic University of Lublin. In 1980 he was seriously injured in a car accident and from then on took special care of the sick. In 1985 he was made a monsignor. He died after a long illness on 19 June 1991 and is buried in the Jeruzalem cemetery.

Those who knew him stress his openness: he supported dialogue with other denominations, blended old and new church music, and during martial law, when a wave of riots swept through prisons, he managed to mediate and calm the situation. He was also a football fan. Since 2003 Racibórz has awarded the Unitas in Veritate medal in his name for social and charitable work; by 2021 it had gone to 69 people.

What to see

The square is a small urban plaza: a fountain, wooden benches, paved paths and trees, with a sign at the entrance reading "Skwer im. ks. prałata Stefana Pieczki". Right next to it stands the Church of the Assumption, the Gothic parish church dating from the early 13th century – the oldest in town. If you want to go inside, check Mass times, as this is the working parish that Fr Pieczka led for years.

Tripto tip

A quarter of an hour is enough for the square itself – treat it as a stop on a walk around the old town, between the parish church and the market square. In summer the fountain offers a little cool air and the benches are shaded by trees. The medals in Fr Pieczka's name are presented at a gala in the Racibórz Cultural Centre, preceded by Mass in the parish church – in 2021 it was held in June, on the 30th anniversary of his death.