Poetic Images by Ignác Batthyány – Ignác Batthyány in Poetic Images
Poetic Images by Ignác Batthyány – Ignác Batthyány in Poetic Images

Summary/Abstract: The personality of the Transylvanian bishop – enlightenment scholar and bibliophile, founder of the important historical library Batthyaneum in Alba Iulia, played a key role in the modern cultural history of Transylvania, but also in the whole of Romania. His studies and scientific contacts are connected to the region of Upper Hungary – today’s Slovakia. Ignác Salesius Batthyány attended his primary schooling at the Piarist schools in Pest, and subsequently, in 1760, he studied rhetoric and theology at the Jesuit University in Trnava. He continued his studies in Graz and in Rome. From 1760, he was the abbot of the Benedictine abbey in the Hungarian village of Ják near the town of Szombathely. From 1767, he worked as a canon of the Jager chapter, later in 1773 he became the provost of Jager. In the year1780, Empress Maria Theresa appointed him bishop of Transylvania. In the article we present two hitherto unknown celebratory poetic compositions, the first of which – Panegyricus Divo Ignatio Dictus ... (Tyrnaviae 1762) was performed by Ignác Batthyány himself and the second – Carmen ... (Cibinium 1781) was dedicated to Batthyány approximately 20 years later, when he already was an important church dignitary. Batthyány’s panegyric on Ignatius of Loyola was most likely a ceremonial final declamation given after finishing his studies of rhetoric in Trnava. Batthyány in it praised Ignatius of Loyola as a hero worthy of emulation. Bishop Batthyány became the subject of poetic celebration himself, by virtue of his exceptional qualities that predisposed him for a successful ecclesiastical career. An anonymous work praises Batthyány as an important figure among church dignitaries, favourite among friends a personality respected by the Vatican manor and a great asset to Transylvania, who sees in him a beloved bishop. The occasional prints presented in this study point out that the humanity was always yearning for ideals and people to look up to. The Transylvanian bishop, Ignác Batthyány, was such a person. As life itself had shown, he did not betray his Jesuit spiritual formation and the ideals of Jesuit saints that he wished to follow, and thanks to his zeal in educating himself and his organisation abilities, he became an exceptional personality deserving of celebratory verses during his life, and an inspirational challenge for researchers several centuries after his death.

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