Tombstone of Piotr II Nowak, Bishop of Wroclaw from 1447 to 1456.

Location: The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Wroclaw, Poland
Description: Piotr Nowak came from the village of Nowaki near Nysa (hence his surname). His date of birth is difficult to establish. He studied canon law in Vienna, earning his doctorate. In 1427, he became chancellor to Bishop Conrad. He possessed numerous benefices: altars in the cathedral in Wroclaw, in Nysa and Brzeg, rectory in Wlen and Jelenia Gora. In 1427 he obtained a canonry in the capital of Transylvania. In 1436 he became canon and custodian of the cathedral in Wroclaw. In 1438 Albrecht II Habsburg appointed him his chaplain and courtier. Between 1437 and 1445, Piotr Nowak was bishop's official and vicar-general. Towards the end of Bishop Conrad's reign, he was in opposition to him. In 1442 he became prebishop of the cathedral chapter. After Bishop Conrad's death, he became administrator of the diocese and was subsequently elected bishop. He succeeded in rendering the diocese indebted and redeemed many mortgaged villages. He re-established around 120 parishes after rebuilding churches destroyed during the Hussite wars. In 1453 he invited John Capistrano to Wroclaw, who preached in Silesian towns for three months. Two years later he consecrated Boguslaw Zwola bishop of Olomouc. Piotr Nowak was buried in the Wroclaw Cathedral where his tombstone has been preserved.