Here stands the Kaplica pw. Niepokalanego Pocz\u0119cia Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny a testament to faith charity and resilience. This chapel has a rich history intertwined with the stories of selfless individuals and a community’s unwavering spirit.
The Kaplica pw. Niepokalanego Pocz\u0119cia Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny began with a countess. In 1862 Countess Julia Pus\u0142owska known for her Christian charity funded this church. She also built a house for elderly priests on her Warsaw property. Sadly the countess died before she could fully realize her plans.
However her vision lived on. A charitable group “Society for the Care of the Incurably Ill” emerged in Warsaw. Count Feliks Grabowski and M. Kazimiera Gruszczy\u0144ska were key figures. They established clinics for the poor and sick.
In 1894 the first hospital named after Saint Joseph opened. Franciscan Sisters of the Suffering cared for patients. Sister W\u0142adys\u0142awa Radziejewska was the superior. The facility soon became too small. The Society asked Count Zygmunt Pus\u0142owski to use the vacant Kr\u00f3likarnia house as a hospital. He agreed donating the house and church.
In 1898 the hospital moved to Pu\u0142awska 113 d. It expanded to accommodate 40 beds. The Kaplica pw. Niepokalanego Pocz\u0119cia Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny became the hospital chapel. The sisters relied on donations. They sought support from locals to care for the sick and poor. They tended to patients with cancer tuberculosis and other ailments. Their dedication earned widespread respect. The sisters provided relief for 50 years.
The Warsaw Uprising brought devastation. In September 1944 a bomb destroyed the historic church. The Kaplica pw. Niepokalanego Pocz\u0119cia Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny was completely ruined. People had sought shelter in its basement. They included the homeless patients and sisters. Five sisters died heroically at their posts.
After the war the sisters cleared the rubble to care for the growing number of patients. They restored several rooms for the sick. The Society for the Care of the Incurably Ill was revived. In 1947 the facility was rededicated. A public chapel was set up in the administrative building.
In 1949 the authorities liquidated the Society. The hospital became part of the Radium Institute. The sisters continued caring for cancer patients. Though nationalized the institution retained its Catholic spirit. The Kaplica pw. Niepokalanego Pocz\u0119cia Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny remained a place of worship.
The communist government pressured leaders to close the chapel. In the 1950s authorities decided to shut down the facility. Patients were moved to other hospitals between 1953 and 1954. The Municipal Health Department transformed it into a hospital ward. In December 1954 all 22 sisters were removed from their jobs. However the sisters found work in other hospitals. They lived in the house isolating it from the hospital.
After 1956 the sisters returned to work as a group. In the 1990s the old hospital building was demolished. In 1995 a new building the House of Saint Francis was completed.
Masses are held here. Weekdays at 7:00 AM. Sundays at 8:00 and 11:00 AM.
Today the Kaplica pw. Niepokalanego Pocz\u0119cia Naj\u015bwi\u0119tszej Maryi Panny stands as a symbol. It represents enduring faith and selfless service. Its story is a powerful reminder of compassion in the face of adversity.