On May 18, 1944, soldiers of the 2 Polish Corps hung the Polish flag on the ruins of the Monte Cassino monastery.

Father Jan Cieplak was auxiliary bishop of the Mogilev archdiocese, at that time the largest Roman Catholic archdiocese in the world, covering the whole of Russia up to Sakhalin.

He died on 7 July (25 June according to the Julian calendar) 1892 on the Siberian river Kolyma.

“Poles! The hour of vengeance has come. Today die or prevail! Let us go, and let your breasts be Thermopylae for your enemies!”