Saint Adalbert and East Prussia

In addition to the story of the cross of Saint Adalbert, we offer a translation of the legends associated with the name of this missionary. The legends were published by Johann-Georg-Theodor Gresse in the “Book of Legends of the State of Prussia” (Sagenbuch des preußischen Staats. 2 Bde., Dresden 1866–1871). Gresse himself compiled the legends about Adalbert, relying, among other things, on information from the books of Christoph Johann Hartknoch, “Prussian Church History” (Preussische Kirchen-Historia: Derived from the History of Christlichen Religion in the Land, as well as from Conservation, Fortification, Reformation and the Last Age of the German Order. - 1686) and Johannes Voigt, “History of Prussia from Ancient Times to the Decline of the Power of the German Order” (Geschichte Preußens von den ältesten Zeiten bis zum Untergange der Herrschaft des Deutschen Ordens. - 1827-1839).

Adalbert or Adelbert, actually Vojtach, of the line of the Counts of Libizen in Bohemia, was Bishop of Prague, and first preached the Gospel in Hungary and Poland, and then became Archbishop of Gniezno. From there, accompanied by his friend Gaudentius, he went in 997 to Prussia, which at that time was still entirely pagan. He first came to the land of Culm, and not being received there as he should, went to Pomesania. When he was crossing the river Ossa and had no money to pay the fare, one of the boatmen struck him hard on the head with an oar, which made him seriously ill. But he could do little in Pomesania, so he first went to Danzig, and from there to Samland. Having reached there, not far from the present city of Fischhausen (now Primorsk. - admin ), he lay down on the edge of the forest, at a bowshot distance from his comrades, to rest a little. Unfortunately, he was unknowingly in the sanctuary of Romov, the abode of the Prussian gods, where only their priests were allowed to enter, and one of the priests soon noticed him. He called the others, they woke him from his sleep, asked what he wanted there, and when he honestly told his name and the purpose of his journey, a certain Ziggo threw his spear at his chest, and Adalbert fell, pierced, with his arms spread out in the form of a cross. The angry priests rushed at his body, pierced him with numerous spear blows and finally cut off his head and limbs from his body. This happened on April 23, 997. Adalbert's companions were captured and only later released for a large ransom.

There are different legends about what happened to his body after his death. According to one version, his corpse remained in dismembered form, but when the Polish king Boleslaw (Boleslav I the Brave, 965/967 - 1025. - admin ) demanded it back from the Prussians, they asked for a huge sum of money for it, as much as the corpse weighed in gold. Boleslaw sent a lot of gold and precious stones, but when they were put on one scale, they weighed less than Adalbert's body, which lay on the other. So the Polish ambassadors laid out all their money, and even many of the Prussians whom Adalbert had baptized came and brought all the gold they had and put it on the scales. But all this was not enough. And then came an old woman, who served the Christian God day and night with alms and prayers, who put her last two groschen on the full scale. But as soon as they were on top, the second bowl with Adalbert's corpse flew up. All the gold that was on the scales was returned to the owners, but the bowl never came down. It so happened that Adalbert's body was bought for only two groschen. Then Adalbert's corpse was solemnly transported to Gniezno.

However, according to another version, after Adalbert's head was cut off, the body rose by itself, took the head in both hands, carried it in front of itself and then entered the chapel where Adalbert usually celebrated mass. Along the way, the head sang various spiritual songs in a loud and beautiful voice. After this, Adalbert wandered from place to place, always carrying the singing head in front of him, until he came to the Danzig region, where the Church of St. Adalbert is located to this day. It is said that it was here that the pagan Prussians found him and decided to sacrifice him to their gods, but Adalbert's body was bought by the Polish king Boleslaw.

There is another version. The day after his murder, the dismembered limbs came back together on their own, were then lifted by invisible hands, carried through the air and lowered to the top of a mountain near Danzig, where Adalbert had been so lovingly received earlier. A chapel was built there in his honor, which is still a place of pilgrimage for many believers every April 24. However, his body is no longer there, having been taken first to Gniezno and then to Prague, where it remains to this day.

The fourth legend relates that after the pagan Prussians killed the preacher, they chopped his body into countless pieces and scattered them along the shore of the Baltic Sea. Then it happened that a Prussian cut off a finger from Adalbert's hand, on which a gold ring was worn, took it and threw it onto the shore. There it was found by a hawk, which threw it into the sea, where it was swallowed by a pike. After that, wherever this pike swam, a faint gleam of light emanated from it. Fishermen noticed this and caught the fish. In its stomach they found a completely intact finger. The fishermen, who were Christians, decided that the finger belonged to a holy man, and went to look for his corpse. Soon they found it too, for the scattered limbs had miraculously grown together, and only the finger was missing. The fishermen put the severed finger on their hand, and it immediately took root. But the body of the saint lay for thirty days before it was found by fishermen, and no bird or other animal dared to touch it, since the body was guarded by an eagle.