On June 4, 2020, the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej DUDA, posthumously awarded Poland’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle, to Friar Łucjan KRÓLIKOWSKI, OFM Conv. (1919-2019).
The President stated his motivation for bestowing the award: “In recognition of his outstanding merit in social and charitable activities benefitting Polish war orphans, victims who were forcibly relocated from Poland’s eastern borders to territories deep within the Soviet Union, and for his pastoral work and dedication in helping others”.
The request for this recognition was put forward by many authorities, in particular, by Friar Marian GOŁĄB the Minister Provincial of the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar, in Poland (Cracow), who, on January 6, 2018, wrote: “I kindly ask you to confer Poland’s highest recognition, the Order of the White Eagle, upon Friar Łucjan KRÓLIKOWSKI, an extraordinary man and priest. In his life, he distinguished himself as a prisoner of war, an exiled soldier, a military chaplain, and a refugee, a protector of war orphans, a teacher, a writer, a linguist, a radio host and a diplomat.”
President Andrzej DUDA met Friar Łucjan during his visit to the United States on September 22, 2019.
Friar Jan M. SZEWEK
