Wartość źródłowa akt wizytacji diecezji wileńskiej z drugiej połowy XVIII wieku
The Source Value of the Acts of the Visitation of the Diocese of Vilnius from the Second Half of the 18th Century

Summary/Abstract: The second half of the 18th century in the Polish-Lithuanian state marked reforms in all areas of social life. This process also referred to ecclesiastical institutions and was visible especially in the dioceses ruled by educated bishops who propagated the Enlightenment ideas in the Catholic spirit. In this respect, the Diocese of Vilnius, with Bishop Ignacy Massalski, stands as a model of such an activity. The key element of such a reform was improving the functioning of parishes. It was realized through a diagnosis of the current state of a given parish, its problems, making demands for the improvement of the situation and the control of the changes. The most effective tool for the implementation of the reforms were pastoral visits; carefully prepared and carried out they had the desired effect. The enormity of information collected for the visitation purposes and included in polls, the details they include and also the post-visitation protocols are today an invaluable source material for the historian. Never before, nor even later pastoral visitations’ files have given such a rich and diverse image of a parish.

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