The first Marian monastery was established in the early autumn of 1673. The founder - Fr. Stanislaus Papczynski settled in a small part of the Puszcza Korabiewska (Korabiew Forest) near Skierniewice. Today it is called Puszcza Marianska (the Marian Forest). The new order was to be devoted to the Immaculate Conception. And this was some two centuries before the dogma would be proclaimed by the Church. Fr. Stanislaus wrote: "I believe everything that the holy Roman Church believes ... but first of all I profess that the Most Holy Mother of God, Mary, was spotless from original sin, from the moment of her conception." Fr. Stanislaus determined that the new religious order should take a profound interest in religious education in order to deepen the faith of the common people. Members were to act with missionary zeal in bringing knowledge of the faith to those whose religious education had been most neglected. As a symbol of the new Order, the founder adopted the image of a dove with an olive branch in its beak. This signified hope and conviction that God would extricate this new order from all human obstructions, just as God had brought Noah's ark to dry land after the Great Flood.
The new Order was approved by Pope Innocent XII in 1699.
The next glorious moment in Marians history was under leadership of Fr. Casimir Wyszynski. Fr. Casimir is credited with expanding and strengthening the Marian Order during the first half of the 18th century. It was under his leadership that the Marians established new foundations in Lithuania and neighboring countries, as well as in Portugal. It was thanks to Fr. Casimir Wyszynski's efforts that the Marians became truly international in membership, attracting not only Poles and Lithuanians, but Ruthenians, Portuguese, Czechs, Hungarians, French, and Italians. The Marians began to be clearly recognized as an Order which honored the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayed for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
Rapid changes in the European political situation by the end of the 18th century led to the near destruction of the Order. At this critical moment in the history of the Marian Order, an ardent and energetic Lithuanian priest Fr. George Matulaitis-Matulewicz had the aim of secretly renewing the Order. Fr. George wrote the renewed Order's constitutions, inspired by the spirit of Fr. Stanislaus Papczynski and the desire to adapt his ideals to modern times. The new Constitutions and revived form of Marian life were approved by St. Pope Pius X on November 28, 1910.
Thanks to the Renovator's reforms, the Marians became a modern religious congregation. Yet Blessed George Matulaitis did not change the main ideals of the religious community, such as spreading devotion to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and supplication for the souls suffering in Purgatory. However, he did expand the field of the Marian apostolate and introduced significant changes into the Marians' way of life, adapting it to the new conditions and needs of modern times.

Marian apostolates at the present time serve Christ and the Church on nearly all the world's continents, faithfully ministering in the Renovator's spirit, according to his motto: "For Christ and the Church."

For more information on Marian Fathers please go to >> Marians of the Immaculate Conception