Antoni Franciszek Kurkiewicz Was Named for Two Saints

(St. Anthony the Great) Yesterday on Jan 17, 1840, Antoni Franciszek Kurkiewicz was born at 4:00 a.m. Very few of the researched ancestors have a middle name. His parents were Konstanty Kurkiewicz, a 53 year old carpenter from Tomaszów and Apolonia nee Jabłońska, age 35. Apolonia’s mother was a Wiciejewska so they were probably related through her and also through the Kurkiewicz side. A farmer Józef Smyiewski, 43 and a shoemaker, Antoni Lachowski, 46, were the witnesses. The Godparents were Józef Smyjewski and Zofia Świderkowa [wife of a man with Świderek surname] He was named “Antoni Opat Franciszek Salezy” He was named after Antoni the Great & Francis de Sales. I was curious if the names came from the saints for the day he was born. The saints for the day were Antoni, Jan and Rosiclaw. Antoni the Great was born on January 17. He is known from martyrdom and asceticism (severe self-discipline and avoidance of indulgences.) For some reason, the family chose a middle name which was not common in this time period at least in the records. The middle name was chosen for Francis de Sales. He is known for being guided by love instead of judgement. His day is January 24. Maybe Antoni Franciszek’s parents wanted to balance the severity of following adherence of a “rule” for life” of a martyr and ascetite with the patron saint of poets and the deaf. His father Konstanty was one of the few at this time period who appeared to be literate by the clues available to me. His signature appears on many records at a time when records were read to the participants and signed only by the priest.

(St. Francis de Sales) Francisco Bayeu y Subías, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons https://www.behindthename.com/namedays/country/poland https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoni_Wielki?fbclid=IwAR0ZP1oPe0XWNdRIT6bHJkKVWB9gBL__HV-FOqKPFmXrM4inuy3yNT--L34 https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciszek_Salezy?fbclid=IwAR21A7TPa_sgopT7jz8FbE6O5H5H3mcennJTwyMp6wh5akaDzWwd--09c7M Photo credits: By Francisco de Zurbarán - http://www.invertirenarte.es/images/stories/mercadodearte/2009/dic21/francisco_de_zurbaran_san_antonio_fernando_duran.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8911245