Misjonarze męczennicy w hagiografii i historii. Ideł i jego dekonstrukcja od średniowiecza do czasów najnowszych
Martyr missionaries in hagiography and history. The ideal and its deconstruction, from the Middle Ages till our day

Summary/Abstract: This article deals concisely with the criteria enabling to consider Catholic-Church saints or blessed to be martyr missionaries. The premises identified for the purpose were applied in selection of the most representative martyr missionaries for the mediaeval time, the modern era and our day, respectively. The thus broadly-set chronological frame is rooted in the fact that it has been the identical ideal that shone to all of these individuals – namely, the desire for martyrdom – regardless of the changing epochs and cultural conditions. For each period, several martyrs are discussed in more detail. The source materials, referred to by the Author, prove indicative indeed of their desire to die a martyr’s death. Examples are quoted of the shaping of spirituality of this sort amongst alumnae of missionary clerical seminaries, using a peculiar iconographic programme. The article is crowned by an afterthought on a critical assessment of the ideal of mission-related martyrdom, as is present in our contemporary culture and historiography.

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