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“A Prayer of Peace" 2026 – an account
On the 87th anniversary of the outbreak of World War 2, on 1 September 2026, St Mary Magdalene Church in Łambinowice provided a perfect space for a particularly solemn moment of contemplation and remembrance. The place which prisoners of war interned in the camps of Lamsdorf looked at with hopes in the years of wars, again became a venue of the successive edition of the concert under the title “A Prayer of Peace”, initiated by our Museum in 2019.
The September evening was filled with “Religious songs” by Franciszek Karpiński – pieces of music that for over two centuries have delivered a universal message of hope, peace and community. The temple, which was full to the brim, resounded with songs performed in the moving interpretation of Monika Horodek and The Starosielskie Singing Brotherhood.
The artists presented an interesting combination of traditional instruments with contemporary sounds, investing the eighteenth-century compositions with a fresh, yet still deeply mystical dimension. The voices of the soloist and the choir created an atmosphere aptly corresponding to the historical context of the place and time. A vital complement to the musical layer were fragments of the diaries of the author of the songs, Franciszek Karpiński, thus clarifying the historical context.
The event has once again proved that music in connection with memory has the power of connecting people. And again this was appreciated greatly by our audience, the concert being concluded with a round of loud applause. The last element of the event was – for those who were willing to take part – visiting of the exhibition entitled “The essence of things” installed at the Łambinowice seat of our Museum.
We are thankful for the joint spending of the time to the artists, the host – the Rev. Piotr Bałosow of the parish church in Łambinowice, Bishop Andrzej Czaja, who took the concert under his patronage, Bishop Wojciech Pracki, and also to all the guests, including especially Helena Kamerska – a participant of the Warsaw Rising.
Photo: S. Dubiel/CMJW
