A congregation of firefighter monks will be in charge of protecting the largest airport in Poland

A congregation of Polish monks has received a grant of 210,000 euros to purchase a new truck to fight fires with the intention that in the future it will also serve to protect what will be the largest airport in Poland, which is still under construction.

For his part, the prior of the congregation, Janusz Kulak, has expressed his confidence that the new vehicle will become “the pride of the fire brigade” and that it will also serve to “encourage more novices” to join the congregation.

From the Niepokalanów Monastery, located about 40 kilometers west of Warsaw, these Franciscan monks have been part of Poland's National Fire and Rescue Unit (KSRG) since its founding in 1931 by Maksymilian Kolbe, one of these monks who would later be canonized for saving the life of a prisoner at Auschwitz.

The grant has been given to them by the state company CPK, which is dedicated to building an airport in central Poland, projected to be operational from 2028. “Due to its proximity to the airport under construction, the monk unit will act as the first line of help in case of emergency,” CPK announced.

Until the inauguration of the airport, the fire monks, who claim to be a unique case in the world, will dedicate themselves “not only to protecting the surrounding towns”, but also to protect “the security of CPK's investment”, according to the company's own statement.

This center will house one of the largest airports in Europe, several railway lines and will be located between Warsaw and Lódz. According to CPK, it will serve more than 6.5 million passengers from 2060, when it is expected to be fully operational.