Hutterite Pilgrimage: Forced Re-catholicization of the community of Sobotište, Slovakia

Sobotište  • 

This is the Catholic chapel that was built in Sobotište by the Jesuits in their attempts to re-catholicize the colony. Members were forced to attend Catholic mass here and eventually baptise their newborns. One story from the Chronicle details how this came to pass: "After they had been in prison for some time, a number of lords from the church and state came once more, summoned Elder Jakob Polman to appear before them by himself and pressed him until at last he consented to have the children at Sabatisch baptized, too. He was then released. Afterwards the Elder was deeply sorry for what he had done. When the local priest came for the first time to baptize a baby, Jakob Polman saw him through the window and cried out, Oh, woe is me! What have I done?"