ARCHIDIECEZJA GNIEŹNIEŃSKA I JEJ GRANICE W DOKUMENTACH STOLICY APOSTOLSKIEJ (OD WIEKU XIX DO POCZĄTKU XXI)
Gniezno archdiocese and its borders in the Holy See documents (from the 19th to the beginning of the 21st century)

Summary/Abstract: Following the partitions of Poland in 1772-1795 the historical area of Gniezno archdiocese was divided into Prussia, Russia and Austria. It was then further modified during the Vienna Congress (1814/15), which decided to assign parts of the archdiocese to Prussia and Russia. Gniezno as the centre of the archdiocese was left with only 29% of its previous area. The remaining areas became part of the Polish Kingdom, existing under the auspices of tsar Alexander I. As a result it proved necessary to reorganise the borders of the oldest Polish archdiocese. In 1818 Pius VII issued a bull titled Ex imposita nobis, by which he separated 114 parishes from Gniezno for the benefit of Warsaw diocese and another 274 parishes he assigned to Włocławek diocese. In 1821 he issued De salute animarum bull, which regulated the system and organization of the Church in Prussia. It also defined the borders of Gniezno archdiocese united by personal union with Poznań diocese. This situation lasted throughout the period of national bondage until 1925, when Pius XI announced a bull of circumscription titled Vixdum Poloniae unitas. It unified the area of Gniezno archdiocese by exchanging some deaneries with Poznań archdiocese. The biggest changes regulating the borders were, however, introduced by John Paul II, who in 1992 announced Totus Tuus Poloniae populus bull and in 2004 he attached a relevant Annex to it. After these latest changes the area of Gniezno archdiocese took up 8122 km2 and was divided into 30 deaneries and 266 parishes. The above changes also affected the manner of conducting pastoral work.

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