The Old Catholic Mariavite Church
The Old Catholic Mariavite Church separated from the Roman Catholic Church in Poland in 1906. The Old Catholic Mariavite Church is founded upon the traditional Catholic tenets of faith and morals contained in the canonical books of the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament, in the early Tradition of the Universal Church as well as in the dogmas defined by the first seven Ecumenical Councils.
The Old Catholic Mariavite Church neither enacts new dogmas nor accepts dogmas which individual Churches introduced after the separation of Christianity into Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy in the year 1054 since it believes that only an Ecumenical Council (i.e. representing the whole Christianity) may enact a new dogma which obligates all the Christians.
The blessed Maria Franciszka Kozłowska. The foundress of Mariavitism
The Old Catholic Mariavite Church does not recognise the primacy of any Bishop in the Universal Church as well as the infallibility of an individual in matters of faith and morals. This position is the same as that of the Roman Catholic Church before the First Vatican Council in the year 1870.
The Old Catholic Mariavite Church is likewise founded on the Revelation of the Great Mercy, received by the Foundress of Mariavitism, holy Maria Franciszka Kozłowska. (The first vision occurred on 2 August 1893). The revelation indicates that the worship of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Perpetual Succor of the Holy Virgin Mary are the last salvation given by God to the world threatened by its sins.
Therefore, the Old Catholic Mariavite Church pursues two objectives. It propagates the devotion to Jesus Christ concealed in the Most Blessed Sacrament. It also draws attention to the necessity of invoking the Perpetual Succor of the Holy Virgin Mary "because as there are perpetual efforts against God and the Church, thus is necessary the Perpetual Succor of Mary".
The worship of the Most Blessed Sacrament in the life of the faithful is expressed by the frequent and worthy reception of Holy Communion, according to the words of Christ: "Unless you eat the body of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves" (John 6,53), as well as in the performance of the Eucharistic Adoration of Supplication.
Deriving its name from the Latin words "Mariae vita", which means "the life of Mary", the Old Catholic Mariavite Church indicates the indispensability of imitating the life of the Holy Virgin Mary: Her solitude, humility, spirit of prayer, great love toward neighbours and readiness to fulfil the will of God. Old Catholic Mariavite Church recognises seven Holy Sacraments, namely: Baptism, Penance, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Holy Orders, Matrimony and Extreme Unction.
Children and youth up to the age of 18 are obliged to confess privately to the priest. Adults (at their own request) may profit from this form of confession but only the general confession to Christ with the absolution of the priest is obligatory for them.
Holy Communion is distributed to the faithful under both species.
The Old Catholic Mariavite Church received the apostolic succession from the Old Catholic Church of Holland in 1909.
The Mariavite clergy are not obliged to observe celibacy.
The Old Catholic Mariavite Church believes that God performs miracles in the soul of an individual but it does not recognise the so-called miraculous relics, pictures and so forth. However, it does not reject the great respect with which images of religious content, relics and remembrances of the Saints should be treated.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the entire liturgy are celebrated exclusively in the language of the people.
All religious ministrations are free in accordance with the Christ's injunction: "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10,8). The clergy are permitted to accept voluntary offerings for religious ministrations but they cannot demand them.
The Old Catholic Mariavite Church is a member of organisations whose aim is to reconcile and to unify Christian denominations: the Polish Ecumenical Council, the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches. It also maintains friendly relations with churches belonging to the Union of Utrecht. The Old Catholic Mariavite Church actively participates in the work of those organisations and prays for God's blessing and assistance for any activities leading to the unity in Christ.
At present, the Old Catholic Mariavite Church comprises 25,000 believers in Poland and 5,000 believers in France. The clergy consist of 4 bishops, 25 priests, deacons and subdeacons.
The authorities of the Old Catholic Mariavite Church are comprised of the Synod, the General Chapter, the Church Council, the Prime Bishop, the Diocesan Bishop, the Parish Assembly, the Parish Council and the Pastor.
The Prime Bishop is the chairman of the Church Council and represents the Church externally. Since 2015 Marek Maria Karol Babi has been the Prime Bishop of the Old Catholic Mariavite Church.
09-400 Płock, ul. Kazimierza Wielkiego 27a
tel/fax (+48 24) 262 30 86 (Poland)
e-mail: mariawita@mariawita.pl
