Udział wiernych świeckich w nabożeństwach ludowych
Participation of the Faithful in Popular Piety

Summary/Abstract: Christian cult realizes itself in two flows: liturgy and popular piety. Liturgy in the Western countries still remains under a strong influence of Cartesian cogito. This is why it is excessively intellectual, too abstract and European. The emotions of the participants are underestimated and their own initiative is being limited. During the last ecumenical council popular piety was unambiguously stressed, as well as the need of its preservation was expressed. A Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy was published in the Holy See in the year 2002. The document lets the reader discover again the phenomenon of the popular piety and promotes the subjectivity of the laity. Arising from the rank various forms of popular piety have their forms in the human nature who despite his religious and cultural affiliation is animal rituale. Therefore, he can creatively express his religious desires and experiences. Most often he does it not by means of theoretical arguments, but by means of symbolic-ritual activities. Thanks to it God s not an abstract Absolute of philosophers and theologians. God is alive and close, one can relate to Him categories of deed, thought and emotions. Here we have less of the discursive but more emotionality and openness. Man joins the action with the whole of his being: heart, mind and body. Not only the sight participates, but also hearing, the sense of touch and smell. One can be a bodyprayer. Richness of gestures and symbols are the basic virtues of this flow. The main place in which popular piety may be realized is the family and various confraternities and other pious associations of the faithful. Certainly, all manifestations of this piety require steady evangelisation which consists in penetrating them with the biblical revelation and the teachings of the Magisterium in such a way that are free of error, magic and superstition, as well as they are the affirmation of the religious point of life and draw from the genius of the family culture. When abundantly valued they strengthen the believers in the awareness of the participation in the common priesthood of Christ.

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