Raphael Kalinowski

Raphael died of Tuberculosis on 15 November 1907, in Wadowice, Poland. He was buried in the Czerna Convent cemetery.

The Catholic Church has announced November 19th as Saint Raphael Feast Day.

Canada has pronounced Saint Raphael as the Patron Saint of the Polish Nobles League.

He was born as Joseph Kalinowski in Vilna (present day Lithuania) on September 1, 1835. His mother, Josephine, died several months after giving birth, leaving behind Raphael and his older brother, Victor.

His father, Andrew Kalinowski, then married Josephine's sister, Sophie, and had three more children. Sophie then died. After marrying for a third time, this time to Sophie Puttkamer, his father had four more children, making Raphael the second-eldest of nine siblings.

Raphael's father was a mathematics professor at the Institute of Nobles in Vilnius, and he took on Raphael as a pupil at the age eight. Andrew's religious fervor affected Raphael at a young age; although, he did not enter the ministry until much later.

During his early education, Raphael excelled under his father's teaching and graduated from the Institute of Nobles with honors in 1850.

Immediately moving to Russia, he attended the Institute of Agronomy from 1851–1852.

After completing his education at the Nicholayev Engineering Academy and graduating from the Russian Engineering Corps in 1857, Raphael was promoted to Full Lieutenant and began work on the Kursk-Kiev-Odessa Railway.

He worked on the Kursk-Kiev-Odessa Railway until being commissioned as Engineer Superintendent for Maintenance at Brest-Litowski in 1860. He was promoted to Captain of the General Staff in 1862.

Displaying evidence of his devout upbringing and his religious interests, Raphael began and carried on a Sunday school program while working at the Brest-Litowski fortress.

In 1863, finding himself sympathetic to the Polish insurrection, Raphael resigned from his commission and joined the movement as Minister of War. He led the Vilna region's struggle against the Russian occupation from Warsaw.

A year later, in 1864, Raphael was arrested by the Russian authorities and sentenced to death. He was imprisoned in a former Dominican monastery.

Raphael Kalinowski chronicled the Carmelite monasteries and convents of Vilna, Warsaw, Leopoli and Cracow.

He authored a biography of his friend Hermann Cohen, the Discalced Carmelite who converted after becoming famous as an exceptionally talented Jewish pianist.

He translated 'The Story of a Soul', the autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux, into Polish. This work has had a profound impact on the Christian community and has since been translated into dozens of languages.

He completed his 'Memoirs 1805-1887' at the request of his superiors, detailing his life as a Discalced Carmelite and ecumenical Christian leader.