64 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 3, 2012
Work of Great Mercy—the Mariavites
In a very different theological tradition—
schismatic Catholicism—a set of rituals emerged
during the early twentieth century in an
excommunicated Polish group that bore
similarities to the sex magick tradition. This
group, called the Work of Great Mercy, or
simply the Mariavites, venerated a nun (Mother
Kozlowska) whose most devout follower, Father
Kowalski, elevated her to the level of sainthood
even before her death in 1921 (Peterkiewicz,
1975, p. 55). The Catholic Church
excommunicated the Mariavite order in 1906,
but by 1923 the Mariavite order had
67 parishes (and a number of
affiliations), 77 churches, 15 chapels in
private homes, 44 cloisters for women,
25 primary schools, 1 secondary
school..., 4 boarding schools for
orphans, 45 kindergartens, 13 homes for
old people and invalids, 4 medical units,
10 kitchens for the poor, 32 workshops,
7 bakeries, 3 savings-and-loan
associations, 3 fire brigades, 22 farms,
[and] 25 vegetable fruit gardens.
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 56)
Among the 42,000 adherents to the group in
1923 were three bishops, 30 priests, 244 convent
sisters, and 57 convent brothers (Peterkiewicz,
1975, p. 56). Under the leadership of Kowalski
(who had become the Mariavite archbishop),
however, a number of innovative rituals and
practices emerged involving sex that led to his
conviction on sexual abuse charges.
A mother complained to authorities about
Kowalski “depraving her daughter,” and the
resulting investigation led to charges against him
under a penal-code section that criminalized
sexual acts with “children under fourteen, or
between fourteen and sixteen, or with persons
over sixteen if they were raped, or forced in any
way to have intercourse with the accused”
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 101, 102–103). At the
conclusion of the trial, “[h]e was found guilty of
sexual offences against girls under age ...and
other women at the Mariavite cloister”
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 113). The verdict
mentioned five girls by name, one of whom was
7 years old (Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 103 no. 1).
Several of Kowalski’s sexually ritualized
practices led to this conviction, including his
polygamy (he had at least six wives—all nuns in
the order [Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 59, 100]) and
his “right” to have first sexual access to the
wives of Mariavite priests, ostensibly so that
those priests could be united with God because
of their wives’ contact with him (Peterkiewicz,
1975, pp. 103, 108). Most important, however,
was Kowalski’s development of a secret ritual
that, he claimed, joined the upper-level initiates
with Christ.
The first initiation involved Kowalski giving the
women a “deep kiss” (i.e., inserting his tongue
into their mouths)—an act that he apparently did
forcefully in a number of instances
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 103, 104, 105, 106).
Women who successfully passed through the
first initiation next exposed their left breasts to
him, which he fondled. The third initiation
“meant a full sexual union in a kneeling
position” (Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 104). After
this third initiation, some women became part of
an erotic liturgy that provided them
with a clear framework as well as with
ecstatic stimuli. The sequence of such a
ritual would follow that of the Mass,
culminating in consecration and
communion. The sofa-bed on which the
[“sainted” nun who inspired the
organization] died would serve as a kind
of bed-altar. The sexual organs would
act as the instruments of dual energy,
charging the flesh with the manifestation
of the spirit. The priest’s phallus would
have a consecrating power and the
female organ, like the chalice, would
receive it during communion.... The
participants were probably very serious
about their gestures and acts, especially
if they venerated Kowalski’s presence in
the sacrament as was alleged by some
witnesses. (Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 116–
117)
In an account by a female who claimed to have
been “admitted to the highest rank of
‘understanding’ within the secret inner circle”
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 116), one of Kowalski’s
wives actively encouraged a young girl “to
Work of Great Mercy—the Mariavites
In a very different theological tradition—
schismatic Catholicism—a set of rituals emerged
during the early twentieth century in an
excommunicated Polish group that bore
similarities to the sex magick tradition. This
group, called the Work of Great Mercy, or
simply the Mariavites, venerated a nun (Mother
Kozlowska) whose most devout follower, Father
Kowalski, elevated her to the level of sainthood
even before her death in 1921 (Peterkiewicz,
1975, p. 55). The Catholic Church
excommunicated the Mariavite order in 1906,
but by 1923 the Mariavite order had
67 parishes (and a number of
affiliations), 77 churches, 15 chapels in
private homes, 44 cloisters for women,
25 primary schools, 1 secondary
school..., 4 boarding schools for
orphans, 45 kindergartens, 13 homes for
old people and invalids, 4 medical units,
10 kitchens for the poor, 32 workshops,
7 bakeries, 3 savings-and-loan
associations, 3 fire brigades, 22 farms,
[and] 25 vegetable fruit gardens.
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 56)
Among the 42,000 adherents to the group in
1923 were three bishops, 30 priests, 244 convent
sisters, and 57 convent brothers (Peterkiewicz,
1975, p. 56). Under the leadership of Kowalski
(who had become the Mariavite archbishop),
however, a number of innovative rituals and
practices emerged involving sex that led to his
conviction on sexual abuse charges.
A mother complained to authorities about
Kowalski “depraving her daughter,” and the
resulting investigation led to charges against him
under a penal-code section that criminalized
sexual acts with “children under fourteen, or
between fourteen and sixteen, or with persons
over sixteen if they were raped, or forced in any
way to have intercourse with the accused”
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 101, 102–103). At the
conclusion of the trial, “[h]e was found guilty of
sexual offences against girls under age ...and
other women at the Mariavite cloister”
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 113). The verdict
mentioned five girls by name, one of whom was
7 years old (Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 103 no. 1).
Several of Kowalski’s sexually ritualized
practices led to this conviction, including his
polygamy (he had at least six wives—all nuns in
the order [Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 59, 100]) and
his “right” to have first sexual access to the
wives of Mariavite priests, ostensibly so that
those priests could be united with God because
of their wives’ contact with him (Peterkiewicz,
1975, pp. 103, 108). Most important, however,
was Kowalski’s development of a secret ritual
that, he claimed, joined the upper-level initiates
with Christ.
The first initiation involved Kowalski giving the
women a “deep kiss” (i.e., inserting his tongue
into their mouths)—an act that he apparently did
forcefully in a number of instances
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 103, 104, 105, 106).
Women who successfully passed through the
first initiation next exposed their left breasts to
him, which he fondled. The third initiation
“meant a full sexual union in a kneeling
position” (Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 104). After
this third initiation, some women became part of
an erotic liturgy that provided them
with a clear framework as well as with
ecstatic stimuli. The sequence of such a
ritual would follow that of the Mass,
culminating in consecration and
communion. The sofa-bed on which the
[“sainted” nun who inspired the
organization] died would serve as a kind
of bed-altar. The sexual organs would
act as the instruments of dual energy,
charging the flesh with the manifestation
of the spirit. The priest’s phallus would
have a consecrating power and the
female organ, like the chalice, would
receive it during communion.... The
participants were probably very serious
about their gestures and acts, especially
if they venerated Kowalski’s presence in
the sacrament as was alleged by some
witnesses. (Peterkiewicz, 1975, pp. 116–
117)
In an account by a female who claimed to have
been “admitted to the highest rank of
‘understanding’ within the secret inner circle”
(Peterkiewicz, 1975, p. 116), one of Kowalski’s
wives actively encouraged a young girl “to
