Jan Maria Michał Kowalski (1871–1942) – Leader of the Mariavite Church in Poland. Outline of the Issues
Jan Maria Michał Kowalski (1871–1942) – Leader of the Mariavite Church in Poland. Outline of the Issues

Summary/Abstract: The article presents the activities of Jan Maria Michał Kowalski and rates his importance as the leaderof the Mariavite Church in Poland. Kowalski was the main ideologist of the church and its reformer. Heengaged in publishing activities and initiated the publication of Mariavite press. He published his owntranslations of the Holy Scripture and other religious texts into Polish. He engaged in charitable activities.However, Kowalski’s merits were overshadowed by criminal cases, including sexual offences against mi-nors. The introduction contains methodological explanations, a historical outline and a characterization ofMariavitism as an originally Polish confession that began in 1906. The following parts present a biographicaloutline and activities of Kowalski, his reforms and court trials. It was stated, among others, that Kowalskiplayed the most important role in the development of Mariavitism and he had the greatest influence onthe form of the Mariavite press. Kowalski’s achievements also consist in increasing the role of the Polishlanguage in liturgy, in religious texts, as well as in his writing and publishing activities. On the other hand,traces of authoritarianism were evident in his actions.

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