Here we will tell the story of the beginnings of our church and how we became what we are today.
FEATURE STORY
Information provided by the
Stearns County History Museum
Written by Michelle Kiley
Soldiers Shrine of World War II
On September 6, 1942, Holdingford
dedicated the nations first shrine built to honor those who served in the United States Armed Forces, both abroad and at home.
Dubbed as the largest and most spectacular religious event in the history of Holdingford, an estimated five thousand people
were in attendance. The day’s ceremonies were opened by a town parade during which two flights of Taylor Cub Airplanes
flew in low formation over the line of march and dipped their wings in salute to the Flag.
Among the dignitaries in attendance were Governor
Harold Stassen of Minnesota; Fred Schilplin, publisher of the St. Cloud Daily Times; Rev. Gilbert Winkelman, O.S.B., Dean
of the School of Architecture at St. John’s University; Charles Brenny, Mayor of Holdingford; Dr. E. J. Schmitz, master-of-ceremonies,
and Father J. Kromolicki pastor
of St. Hedwig’s church.
Harold E Stassen, then Governor of Minnesota gave
praise to the countless volunteers making Father J. Kromolicki’s vision a reality and stated that, “The nation
must hold true to the basic rights and precepts given them by God or a just peace would be but a vain hope. “America
with its grand freedom and its love of justice and truth must take the lead in obtaining a just and lasting peace and not
merely an armistice.”
Fred Schilplin, St. Cloud Daily Times, paid tribute
to Father Kromolicki, pastor of St. Hedwig’s Church, for his vision and dedication to seeing this undertaking materialize.
“ This beautiful community’s Soldiers’ Shrine is the expression of his love and the love of all the people
of Holdingford, Stearns County and central Minnesota for the defenders of democracy everywhere.” And in speaking of
the shrine he stated that, “It will stand through the years as a loving patriotic tribute and a physical emblem of the
faith of a whole community.”
Statistics
The Shrine was designed by Rev. Gilbert Winkelman,
O.S.B Dean of the School of Architecture at St. John’s University and constructed by Edward Feia, son Donald, and many
parish volunteers. Over 540 loads of fieldstone from area farmers were used in the construction.
Located in the corner lot directly across from
St. Hedwig’s Church the Shrine is 42 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 22 feet high. Four carved angels adorning trumpets
stand in procession followed by a large statue of Christ. Plaques with names of over one hundred soldiers were at one time
embedded into the walls of the shrine, but today are no longer visible. The four crosses on the shrine are in memory of four
young men from Holdingford who died during the war; (1) Elmer Kerestes, Pearl Harbor, (2) Walter R. Mattson, St. Lo, France;
(3) Walter Krystosek, Anzio Beach, Italy, and (4) Joseph Troxil, U.S. Navy who died at sea.
