Dwa narody w jednym zakonie. Stosunki narodowościowe w Polskiej i Litewskiej Prowincji Karmelitów Bosych
TWO NATIONS IN ONE MONASTERY. NATIONAL ISSUES IN THE POLISH AND LITHUANIAN PROVINCE OF DISCALCED CARMELITES

Summary/Abstract: The experience of monastic life is, by its nature, the experience of multinationality and multiculturality. That truth could be easily noticed in the history of monasteries starting the apostolic activity in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Meeting of the two nations that were constituting multicultural community of Polish-Lithuanian country also took place within the structures of the monastic community of Discalced Carmelites order that came to Poland in 1605. In 1626 the first monastery in Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was founded. The author of the article tries to analyse Polish-Lithuanian mutual relations on the ground of Carmelite Order. At first, however, in order to help the readers understand the historical context, the author describes the history of Carmelites’ presence and their activities starting from the first half of 17th century. Apart from the Vilnius foundation, by the end of the 17th century two monasteries were established within the borders of the Grand Duchy: in Głębokie (in 1639) and in Grodno (in 1668). At the beginning of the 18th century, another monastery in Kowno was built. During the following decades, the convents in Antolepty (1731), Pińsk (1734), in Vilnius over Wilia (1739), in Poszumień near Oszmiany (1760) and in Gudohaje were founded. The development of Lithuanian Carmelite Order was slowed down by the partitions of Poland as well as by the abolishment of monasteries executed by Tsarist authorities in the 19th century. Finally, between 1844 and 1845 the most important monasteries in Vilnius, Grodno and Kowno were closed. The monastery in Głębokie survived the longest period of time, that is, until 1860. The most characteristic feature of Lithuanian Discalced Carmelites’ activities was the popularization of the cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy in the sanctuary of the Gate of Dawn, where monks were the temple curators for almost two centuries. Unfortunately, already at the beginning of the creation of monastery structures on the Polish land some of the Polish monks seemed to have tendencies towards isolation and exclusion. Some of them even believed that it was impossible to implement the ideals of Carmelite life on the grounds of Lithuanian Church. Due to the overt intervention of Spanish and Italian monks, involved in the development of Polish Carmelite order, the anti-Lithuanian resistance was broken. After 1626 many Carmelite monasteries emerged within the borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Together with the development of new monasteries, the number of vocations for the ministry from Lithuanian and Russian areas increased. The Carmelite sources keep silent on the topic of any discrimination due to the fact of the foundation of Discalced Carmelites’ Polish Province dedicated to the Holy Spirit in 1617. However, with the growing number of monks coming from the Grand Duchy, the tension in mutual relations with Poles started to grow. In the 18th century, at

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