Piłsudski's seven-year-old brother as godfather. Sorokpol, 1877
In August 1877 seven-year-old Adam Piłsudski, younger brother of the future Marshal, became godfather to the younger sister of our great-great-grandmother Zofia.
The historical background
Could a seven-year-old be a godfather?
The Catholic Church set a minimum age for godparents, fourteen, only in the Code of Canon Law of 1917. Even that code let the priest make an exception for a good reason.
In the Piłsudski family children stood as godparents to their siblings. In January 1876 their brother Jan was born in Vilnius. Nine-year-old Bronisław held him at the font.
By then the family lived in Vilnius. The manor at Zułów had burned down in the mid-1870s. There was no money to rebuild it.
Zofia's parents lived in the village of Wojtkuny. Their daughter was born on 9 August 1877 and baptized five days later in the church at Sorokpol.
Adam grew up in Vilnius. He worked for the city administration, became deputy mayor of Vilnius in 1934 and a senator in 1935. He died in December 1935, seven months after his brother Józef.
Documents shown in the film
These are the real archive scans you see in the film. Each one has its archive reference, so anyone can check the source.
Anna's entry is the first row below the words “Мѣсяцъ Августъ”, the month of August. The godfather, “Адамъ Пилсудскій”, is written in the last column on the right.
Original text (Russian): Тысяча восемьсотъ семдесятъ седьмого года Августа 14 дня въ Приходскомъ Римско-Католическомъ Костелѣ Сорокполя окрещенъ младенецъ по имени Анна Ксендзомъ Томашемъ Волинскимъ съ совершеніемъ всѣхъ обрядовъ Таинства. Дворянъ Томаша и Маріи изъ Долматовъ Валентиновичовъ Закон: супр: дочь родившаяся сего года и мѣсяца 9 дня въ Деревни Войткунахъ Прихода Свенцянскаго. Воспріемниками были Дворяне: Адамъ Пилсудскій съ Зофіею Потоцкою дѣвицею.
In English: In the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, on the 14th day of August, in the Roman Catholic parish church of Sorokpol, Father Tomasz Woliński baptised an infant named Anna with all the rites of the sacrament. She is the daughter of Tomasz and Maria née Dołmat, the noble Walentynowicz couple, lawful spouses, born on the 9th day of this month and year in the village of Wojtkuny in Święciany parish. The godparents were the nobles Adam Piłsudski with Miss Zofia Potocka.
Adam's entry is the last row for that year. Below it is the closing note of the register with signatures.
Original text (Russian): Тысяча восемь сотъ шестьдесятъ девятаго года Декабря двадцать седьмаго дня въ Приходскомъ Римско-Католическомъ Костелѣ Сорокполь Окрещенъ младенецъ по Именамъ Адамъ Антони, Отцемъ Томашемъ Волинскимъ Настоятелемъ онаго Костела, съ Совершеніемъ всѣхъ обрядовъ Таинства. Благородныхъ Іосифа и Маріи урожденной Биллевичевной Пилсудскихъ, Законныхъ супруговъ Сынъ, родившійся сего года Ноября 13 дня въ Мызѣ Зуловѣ вечеромъ Прихода Сорокполя. Воспріемниками были Благородные: Антони Биллевичъ, Надворный Совѣтникъ, съ Паулиною Биллевичевою Совѣтниковою Антона женою.
In English: In the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, on the twenty-seventh day of December, in the Roman Catholic parish church of Sorokpol, Father Tomasz Woliński, parish priest of that church, baptised an infant with the names Adam Antoni with all the rites of the sacrament. He is the son of the well-born Józef and Maria née Billewicz Piłsudski, lawful spouses, born in the evening of the 13th of November this year at the Zułów manor in Sorokpol parish. The godparents were the well-born Antoni Billewicz, court councillor, with Paulina Billewicz, councillor's wife, the wife of Antoni.
Zofia's entry is the lower row of the crop. The godparents' column lies further to the right on the scan, outside the frame, so it is not transcribed here.
Original text (Russian): Тысяча восемь сотъ шестьдесятъ третьяго года Августа одиннадцатаго дня въ Сорокпольскомъ Римско Католическомъ Приходскомъ Костелѣ окрещенъ младенецъ по имени Зофія Ксендзомъ Томашемъ Волинскимъ съ совершеніемъ всѣхъ обрядовъ таинства. Дворянъ Антонія и Маріи урожденной Долматовны Валентиновичовъ законныхъ супруговъ дочь родившаяся сего года Августа 7 дня въ Мызѣ Зуловѣ Сорокпольскаго Прихода.
In English: In the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, on the eleventh day of August, in the Roman Catholic parish church of Sorokpol, Father Tomasz Woliński baptised an infant named Zofia with all the rites of the sacrament. She is the daughter of the nobles Antoni and Maria née Dołmat, the lawful spouses Walentynowicz, born this year on 7 August at the Zułów manor in Sorokpol parish.
Jan's entry is the first row below the words “Мѣсяцъ Февраль”, the month of February. The baptism took place in Vilnius but was entered in the Sorokpol parish register. We have not read the priest's surname.
Original text (Russian): Тысяча восемь сотъ семдесятъ шестаго Года Февраля втораго дня, въ приходскимъ Римско-Католическомъ Виленскомъ Всѣхъ Святыхъ Костелѣ, Окрещенъ младенецъ по Имяни Янъ, Ксендзомъ Сатурниномъ […], съ Совершеніемъ всѣхъ обрядовъ Таинства. Благородныхъ Іосифа и Маріи урожденной Биллевичевной Пилсудскихъ Законныхъ супруговъ Сынъ, родившійся сего года Января 3 дня, въ Городѣ Вильнѣ Прихода Сорокполя. Воспріемниками были Благородные: Брониславъ Пилсудскій, съ Софіею Пилсудскою. Присутствовали: Благород: Іосифъ Пилсудскій, съ Зофіею Билевичевною дѣвицею. Кондратъ Билевичъ, съ Геленою Пилсудскою.
In English: In the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six, on the second day of February, in the Roman Catholic parish church of All Saints in Vilnius, Father Saturnin […] baptised an infant named Jan with all the rites of the sacrament. He is the son of the well-born Józef and Maria née Billewicz Piłsudski, lawful spouses, born on the 3rd of January this year in the city of Vilnius, of Sorokpol parish. The godparents were the well-born Bronisław Piłsudski with Zofia Piłsudska. Present were the well-born Józef Piłsudski with Miss Zofia Billewicz. Kondrat Billewicz was present with Helena Piłsudska.
Narration
The seven-year-old brother
of the man who freed Poland
became a godfather
in our family.
We found this in old records while searching for our ancestors.
This is our family tree.
Here is our grandmother Alina.
And here
is our great-great-grandmother,
Zofia.
1869.
In the manor at Zułów
near Vilnius,
Adam is born,
Józef Piłsudski's younger brother.
Zofia was born on the same estate six years earlier.
A few years later
the manor burned down
and the Piłsudskis moved to Vilnius.
1877.
Zofia's parents have one more daughter,
Zofia's younger sister.
The girl's godfather is
Adam Piłsudski.
He is seven years old.
Is that possible?
Yes.
In the Piłsudski family children were sometimes godparents,
with adults standing beside them.
A year earlier,
Adam's nine-year-old brother had held their newborn brother at the font.
Adam grew up to become deputy mayor of Vilnius and a senator.
He died in 1935,
seven months after Józef.
All we had heard was that the Piłsudskis were neighbours.
Nobody knew they were this close.
What story about your ancestors did you hear at home?
Tell us in the comments.
Ex Archivis. We find out where your family comes from.
Sources
- Sorokpol parish baptisms, 1869, entry 57 (Lithuanian State Historical Archives in Vilnius, 772/1/8)
- Sorokpol parish baptisms, 1876, entry 7 (Lithuanian State Historical Archives in Vilnius, 772/1/8)
- Sorokpol parish baptisms, 1877, entry 42 (Lithuanian State Historical Archives in Vilnius, 772/1/8)
Scenes marked “Staged scene” are reconstructions. The documents are real.
This film on social media
Want us to look into your family?
Tell us where your ancestors came from. We will reply with how far back the records of that area go.