St. Mary’s Assumption Basilica

A priest has said that he will defend precious artifacts currently on show at the St. Mary’s Assumption Basilica in the Baltic city of Gdansk from the clutches of the National Museum in Warsaw, which says it wants the return of 18 medieval artworks.

“We will use Molotov cocktails if we have to, but we won’t return the artefacts,” raged rector of the basilica, Father Stanisław Bogdanowicz to the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily.

“This would be plunder,” claims the priest, stating that the historical art works had been taken over by the state in 1946 under a communist-era decree on abandoned property.

The rare art pieces, dating back to 1410, include tablets of the Ten Commandments, the Beautiful Madonna, altars, chests and candelabras.

The artifacts had been loaned from the National Museum in the early 1990s, under Lech Wałęsa’s presidency, for a period of ten years but have not been returned since.

Following unsuccessful mediation of the Culture Ministry, the museum has decided to resort to court proceedings.

The artworks belong in the church because they ‘feel more natural in their Gothic environment,’ claims the regional historical conservator.

The museum officials claim the historical works could remain in the basilica, if proper security measures are put in place.

Father Bogdanowicz has refused to allow art conservators inside the basilica, however, as that would be a sign of acknowledgement of the museum’s right to the medieval pieces, he claims. (ab/pg)