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Vol. 105 (2006): Our Past

Articles

Pastoral and religious care at the Radziwiłł court in Nieśwież in the 18th century

  • Karolina Stojek-Sawicka
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52204/np.2006.105.163-188  [Google Scholar]
Published: 2006-06-30

Abstract

The article concerns the issue of the participation of the Catholic clergy in religious life at the Radziwiłł court in Nieśwież, with special emphasis on the question of pastoral care. In terms of its approach to the subject, it departs from previous, mainly statistical-formal ways of presenting it, strongly alluding to the trend of socially oriented research, which looks at the history of the Church in the context of the development of society and its cultural and political conditions. The starting point for the reflections undertaken here is the analysis of the forms and possibilities of pastoral activity and the related question of the human potential involved, its structures and intellectual-pastoral formation. On the basis of these findings, the question of the concrete manifestations of this activity and its effects is then addressed. The most widespread form of pastoral care at the court of Radziwiłł in the 18th century was the court chaplaincy. The chaplains, most of whom belonged to the Jesuit order, performed not only religious functions but also a variety of secular duties, often advising and assisting their patrons in political matters. The religious care they provided consisted mainly of the administration of worship and the distribution of the sacraments. Of particular importance was the clergy's participation in funeral ceremonies, at which they usually set the tone with their presence and provided not only religious but also rhetorical services. Preaching was an extremely important aspect of the clergy's activity at the court of Radziwiłł. The clergy also played an important role in the education of the young princes, which consisted mainly of teaching them the basic principles of the Catholic religion and strengthening their faith. The activities of the clergy also had a significant impact on the world view, attitudes and ways of thinking of their subjects. Their work in this field included persuading people to change their lifestyles when these raised certain objections from a religious point of view, combating bad and bitter customs, fighting crime and family pathologies. Chaplaincy thus covered a wide range of activities at the court of Radziwiłł, and thus became one of the basic levels of clerical participation in the life of the political elite of the Old Polish period, often going beyond its basic meaning of strengthening faith and mediating in sacred matters.

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