GNESNA (GNIEZNO). - City of Poland erected as an archdiocese and metropolis around 1000 by Otto III. First archbishop: Radym-Gaudenty, brother of s. Adalberto. From 1419 the archbishop of G. is primate of Poland, from 1668 primate of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The primate, vicarius regni generalis, primus princeps Poloniae, substituted the kings during the interregnum with the character of an interrex. In the Senate he held the first place. By bull of Leo X: Pro excellenti, of 1515, the primate is legatus natus. The metropolis of G. from 1821 was united to Poznań, from May 1, 1946 separated and united pro hac vice to Warsaw.
Suffragan dioceses: Wladislava-Włocławek, Culma-Chelmno. The diocese of G. has an area of 8300 sq km. Catholics: 732,000. Parishes: 272. Churches: 424 of which: parish churches 243, filial 63, conventual 10, chapels 108. Priests incardinated in the diocese: 240, of whom 2 bishops, 170 pastors and administrators, 31 vicars, 20 catechists (in the dioceses of Lwów, Łuck, Pińsk, Vilna, occupied by the Soviets, and in other dioceses: secular priests 49, regular 52). Religious women: 570. Religious houses: male 10, female 71. Major seminarians: 77. Charitable, assistance and care institutions: 36 with 1419 inmates. War losses: destroyed churches 15, damaged 77, closed forever 314, among which 9 of high historical value. Diocesan priests who died during the war 180 (48.8 %). Pilgrimage centers: Gniezno, Dąbrówka Kościelna, Górka Klasztorna. 14th-century Gothic cathedral on the site of the first 10th-century one, some parts from the 18th century, 12th-century bronze door, gift of King Bolesław Krzywousty. Near the Cathedral is the church of S. Giorgio, the first Christian temple in Poland. Other notable churches: of S. Giovanni from the 13th century, parish church of the S.ma Trinità from the 14th century. In G., Mieszko I, the first historical sovereign of Poland, was baptized in 966. Until the 14th century G. was the coronation city of the kings. Saints: s. Adalberto (circa 956-97), patron of Poland, whose relics are in the Cathedral; five Polish Camaldolese (Jan, Benedykt, Izaak, Mateusz, Krystyn), murdered in 1005. Eminent archbishops: Jakób ze Żnina, died in 1148, Jakób Świnka, died in 1313, Mikoła Trąba (1358-1422), first primate of Poland, delegate to the Council of Constance, Fryderyk Jagiellończyk (1468-1503), also bishop of Kraków, cardinal, Jan Łasecki (1455-1531), first legatus natus, great statesman, Bernard Maciejowski (1548-1608), cardinal, Maciej Łubieński (1572-1652), Andrzej Olszowski (1621-77), Michał Radziejowski (1641-1705), cardinal, Ignacy Krasicki (1735-1801), writer and poet, Mieczysław Halka Ledóchowski (1823-1902), cardinal, prefect of the Congregation de Propaganda Fide, imprisoned at the time of the Kulturkampf, August Hlond (1881-1948), cardinal.
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