Вторая международная конференция по старообрядчеству в Торуни

Author(s): Nadezhda (Nadežda) Morozova / Language(s): Russian Issue: -/2012

6–7 сентября 2012 г. в Институте славянской филологии Торуньского университета им. Николая Коперника (Польша) состоялась вторая международная научная конференция “Старообрядцы в зарубежье: история, религия, язык, культура”, посвященная, как было сказано в информационном сообщении, “разнообразным аспектам жизни старообрядцев вне России и за пределами юрисдикции Русской православной церкви”1. В работе конференции приняли участие исследователи из Польши, России, Украины, Литвы, Эстонии, Японии и Австралии. Всего на конференции было прочитано около 40 докладов.

Милош и Россия

Author(s): Viktorija Ušinskienė / Language(s): Russian Issue: -/2011

The article presents the writer’s views on Russia found in his key pieces, such as Russia. A trans-oceanic point of view, Family Europe and some others. Milosz takes on ideas that shaped Russian culture as uniquely expressed in the literary, philosophic and religious thinking of the late 19th–20th century.The person of F.Dostoyevsky is in focus of Milosz investigations.

Johannesbote Rundbrief des Heimatwerkes der Katholiken aus der Freien Prälatur Schneidemühl (Grenzmark Posen-Westpreussen), Weihnachten 65 (2013)

Author(s): Tadeusz Ceynowa / Language(s): Polish Issue: 2/2014

Z dziejów dominikanek klasztoru św. Anny na Starym Mieście w Pradze (1293–1782)

Author(s): Piotr Stefaniak / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 1/2018

The most renowned female monastery in Prague Old Town had belonged to the nuns of the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans). The convent had been founded in 1293 by the Canon of Wyshehrad Jan Holý on the right bank of the Vltava River in Újezd. After the dissolution of the Order of Knights of the Temple in 1312, their seat in the Old Town by the Rotunda of St Lawrence was transferred on 9th July 1313 for 130 stags of cents to the Dominican nuns of Prague. Shortly afterwards, on the site of a former commandery, a marvelous Gothic monastery with the large Church of St Lawrence and St Anna was built. In the Middle Ages the Dominican convent, referred to as Anenský court, became famous as an important spiritual and intellectual center. An example can be the Bible translation into Czech (the so-called Bible of Dresden) done by the Dominican Kolda from Koldice for the prioress Anna Leskoviecka. The Middle Ages were a period of the most remarkable development of the nuns community.During the Hussite Wars, in 1420, the monastery became a grouping place of all the Prague nuns that were forced into Hussite liturgical practices. Moreover, a further economic and spiritual collapse of the community occurred. The revival came only in the 17th century. At that time the nuns adopted the reform proposed by the Council of Trent. In 1676 a process of a thorough reconstruction of the monastery begun, resulting in its new baroque architectural form. Concurrently, the community was increasing gradually and in 1710 it consisted of 60 nuns. Between 1709 and 1712 the only foundation of a new monastery in the convent’s history occurred – in the city of Plzen.The prosperity of the order was undermined by the war between Austria and Prussia. Prague itself, was affected especially by the French-Bavarian occupation of the city between 1741 and 1742. After that, in 1744, Prague was invaded by the Prussians. Numerous tributes collections, goods overtaking and pillages begun. In 1744 the Prussians imposed on the convent a tribute of 25 thousand stags of gold. Since then, the Dominican nuns were struggling with a difficult economic situation. On 21th May 1782, the convent got disbanded by a decree of the emperor Joseph II and 14 nuns (10 choir-nuns and 3 converse) had to leave the monastery.Through the ages, the Dominican Convent of Prague consisted mostly of nuns originating from the social elites: aristocracy, nobility, a participating and wealthy bourgeoisie. It guaranteed its high intellectual level. The nuns in the convent were representative both the German and the Czech world.

Les peintures de Strei et l’Union des deux Églises

Author(s): Vladimir Agrigoroaei / Language(s): French Issue: 2/2018

The old Orthodox church of Strei, in the county of Hunedoara (Romania), dates back to the 14th cen- tury. The precise dates of its construction and of its paintings are still unclear, but the murals certainly date from the second half of the 14th century. The subject of these paintings is also quite peculiar for an Orthodox edifice. In the sanctuary, the Apostles, engaged in a vigorous conversation, are painted between the columns, under a Maiestas Domini. Their gestures are quite dramatic, very different from the static appearance of most bishops depicted in the lower register of the same sanctuary. The author carries on a comparison bet- ween the murals in Strei and other paintings from Termeno sulla Strada del Vino, close to Bolzano (Italy), dating back to the previous century. He notices that such depictions of Apostles carrying on conversations in the sanc- tuary, between depicted columns, are characteristic for many churches of Northern Italy, and another important example is in Pozzoveggiani (close to Padova). The meaning of these Apostles’ Colloquia is related to the escha- tological connotation of the iconographical programs, but another interesting aspect is that they also compose a depiction of the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:2-35), in direct relation with the theme of Ecclesia militans, according to the Four Senses of Scripture. The presence of such a strong Catholic subject, typical in the areas where the Papacy or the Catholic bishops had to maintain a strong ecclesiastical control, mainly against here- tics and various disobedient heterodox communities, points towards a possible explanation of the use of this imagery in Strei, because Strei was located in the land of schismatic Vlachs. Other Apostles’ Colloquia depicted in Istria and in the Dalmatian area point towards a possible influence of the Friars of the Observant Vicariate of Bosnia, under whose protection many of these medieval Vlachs were from the point of view of the Papacy. The depiction of St. Callinicus, patriarch of Constantinople, in front of St. Peter, in the lower register of the sanc- tuary murals of Strei, substantiates this hypothesis, just as well as the fact that these bishops depicted in the sanc- tuary are accompanied by representations of their churches. This other fact suggests that the main subject of the iconographical program in Strei may have been of a Uniate nature, i.e. the Union of the Orthodox Church with Rome. In the last part of the article, the author deals with the presence of the Franciscans in the area and with a series of Medieval Latin documents speaking of the churches they built for the local Vlachs, as well as with other local (Catholic) monuments to which the paintings of Strei may have been related: the second stratum of murals of Sântămărie Orlea and the nowadays lost paintings of the medieval church of Deva, close nearby.

The Liturgical Silverware Donated by Boyar Șerban II Cantacuzino to his Main Monastic Foundations

Author(s): Carmen Tănăsoiu / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2018

Le boyard Şerban ii Cantacuzino était l’un des fils du grand spathaire Drăghici Cantacuzino, l’un des frères du prince Şerban Cantacuzino (1679-1688). Şerban ii Cantacuzino le Măgurean a été grand maître des chevaux (1692-1696), grand échanson (1700-1703) et grand juge, une dignité qu’il a occupée entre le 1er septembre 1706 et le 18 juin 1709, le jour de sa destitution. Il a été un collaborateur important du prince Constantin Brancovan (1688-1714). La présente étude est consacrée à une analyse de certains objets qui font maintenant partie des collections du Musée National d’Art de Roumanie, lesquels ont été donnés par Şerban ii Cantacuzino aux monastères de Comana, Hurezi et d’autres établissements religieux auxquels il était lié de par sa famille. Il s’agit du plateau d’Augsbourg, portant une inscription qui concerne des faits historiques; du lacrymatoire de Comana, trouvé dans la tombe de sa fille; du kivotos vénitien cylindrique de Comana; de l’enkolpion de Hurezi; et de quelques plateaux pour le pain consacré qu’il a donnés aux monastères fondés par les Cantacuzino et Brancovan. La recherche met en évidence le contexte historique de ces dons, ainsi que le lien entre eux, de même que l’établissement d’une chronologie de la vie de Şerban ii Cantacuzino (en confrontation avec un manuscrit miscellané de la Bibliothèque de l’Académie Roumaine). On traite également de l’identification des ateliers et des artisans qui ont exécuté ces objets; du modèle du kivotos cylindrique de Comana (très semblable à celui offert à l’Hurezi par le higoumène Mitrofan à la même époque) ; de l’origine de ces deux pièces, de leur forme inhabituelle pour l’espace roumain, de leur rôle symbolique dans le contexte de la synthèse artistique roumaine de cette période et de la manière dont chacun des deux kivotos représente l’expression d’un projet politique de la cour princière.

Some Aspects of the History of the 18th-Century. Greek-Catholic Stone Churches in the Area around Baia Mare (Nagybánya)

Author(s): Szilveszter Terdik / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2018

L’établissement des institutions de l’Église grecque-catholique à Baia Mare (mag. Nagybánya) et à Baia Sprie (mag. Felsőbánya) a réellement commencé au cours du dernier quart du xviiie siècle. Sur les dix doyennés de l’évêché de Moukatcheve (mag. Munkács), situés sur le territoire de comté de Szatmár, deux ont été nommés pour cette ville minière. Cette région proche du Maramureș (mag. Máramaros) et de la Transylvanie est devenue une partie intégrante du comté de Maramureș au milieu du xxe siècle. Cette réorganisation administrative a fait croire à plusieurs spécialistes roumains – de même qu’au grand public – que le patrimoine matériel greccatholique de la région pourrait être traité ensemble avec le patrimoine culturel régional de Maramureș. La présente étude montre que des églises en pierre grecques-catholiques de la fin du xviiie siècle présentent des particularités locales que l’on rencontre aussi à Baia Sprie, Cetăţele (mag. Györkefalva) et Tăuţii de Sus (mag. Giródtótfalu). La maçonnerie des églises est très simple, dépourvue de détails architecturaux complexes, mais cette pauvreté est parfois compensée par des toitures monumentales. Une toiture mansardée a été montée à Cetăţele, tandis que l’église de Tăuţii de Sus a une énorme flèche. La première partie de l’étude propose une révision des données sur l’histoire de ces églises à la lumière des sources découvertes dans les anciennes archives de l’éparchie de Moukatcheve au cours des dernières années. La deuxième partie est consacrée à des analyses détaillées des iconostases des églises de Baia Sprie et Cetăţele. La comparaison des deux ensembles révèle qu’ils ont été réalisés par les mêmes ateliers. En ce qui concerne la critique du style, leurs peintres sont identifiés comme « Ştefan de Şişeşti » ; en ce qui concerne leurs sculpteurs, aucune donnée n’a encore été trouvée à ce jour. Une particularité des deux iconostases réside dans le fait que non seulement les portes royales battantes et certaines structures ornementales sont chantournées, mais ces chantournements caractérisent également l’arrière-plan des icônes dans l’axe central, ainsi que celui des apôtres et des prophètes. Quant à la représentation de Dieu le Père, elle est en relief. L’Auteur suggère que ces choix peuvent représenter une innovation dans la qualité esthétique qui ne pouvait être achevée que dans les intérieurs lumineux des églises en pierre. Dans le cadre de la présente étude, des tentatives ont été faites pour explorer les antécédents et les parallèles de ce phénomène sur le territoire de l’éparchie de Moukatcheve.

La mise en œuvre des peintures médiévales. Dialogue avec Carolina Sarrade, archéographe

Author(s): Carolina Sarrade / Language(s): French Issue: 2/2018

Les ‘Ateliers Museikon’ (ii) UN PARI 21-28 mai 2018

Author(s): Ana Dumitran / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2018

Haute lecture by Colard Mansion. Innovating text and image in medieval bruges Groeninge Museum Bruges - March 1st-June 3rd 2018

Author(s): Vladimir Agrigoroaei / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2018

Patriotismus in der Familie: Wert oder Identität Eine auf Forschungen der polnischen Mission in Deutschland basierte Studie

Author(s): Ireneusz Celary,Jan Kazimierz Przybyłowski / Language(s): English,German Issue: 10/2020

Der Artikel beschäftigt sich mit dem Thema Patriotismus in polnischen Einwandererfamilien im Kontext soziokultureller Verhältnisse in Deutschland. Ziel der Studie war es, den in Familien kultivierten Patriotismus zu erforschen und die Frage zu beantworten: Handelt es sich um einen Wert, der die Wahrung der nationalen Identität ermöglicht? In dem Artikel wurden die Ergebnisse einer soziologischen Studie (Umfrage), die man bei der polnischen Mission in Deutschland durchführte, verwendet. Das zusammengetragene bibliografische Material wurde für die kritische Analyse der Studie herangezogen.Basierend auf den Forschungsergebnissen stellt man fest, dass der polnische Patriotismus, der von der deutschen Sozialkultur und Religion unter Berücksichtigung der herkömmlichen Umstände verifiziert wurde, seine Authentizität bewahrt und vor nationalistischen Einstellungen schützt. Daher bleibt der Zusammenschluss von Glauben und Polentum tief im polnischen Patriotismus verwurzelt, das authentische und universelle Erbe, das in polnischen Familien an nachfolgende Generationen weitergegeben wurde, vertretend. Aufgrund der durchgeführten Untersuchungen lässt sich bestätigen, dass Patriotismus auch in polnischen Familien in Deutschland gepflegt wird. Patriotismus sollte vor allem in der Familie vermittelt werden, deswegen sollten Eltern die religiösen Traditionen (Glaubenserziehung) mit den nationalen Traditionen (polnische Bräuche und Kultur) verbinden.

PAVLINI U SENJU

Author(s): Mile Bogović / Language(s): Croatian Issue: 1/1988

In occasione del II. centenario dell'abolizione dell'ordine di san Paolo degli eremiti (paolini), avvenuta nel 1786., l'Autore descrive la storia dei paolini e dei loro conven-ti a Senj, e cioe: di Santissimo Salvatore nella valle Ljubotina (oggi detta Spasovac), di Santa Elena in Vlaška Draga (oggi Sv. Jelena) e di San Nicolö in cittä.AH'inizio dell'articolo si accenna alia letteratura e poi in modo sommario si ripor-tano i dati piü o meno giä noti, trattenendosi piü a lungo sui risultati della propria in-vestigazione. I primi due suddetti conventi fanno parte integrante della storia medie-vale di Senj. Quello infatti di Santissimo Salvatore risale alia meta del secolo XIV, mentre Santa Elena fu fondata nel 1390. Le fonti conservate ci permettono di conos-cere in modo assai preciso i loro possedimenti, sono scarse invece per quanto concer-ne la loro attivitä. Questa si svolgeva in conformitä alia regola degli eremiti di S. Paolocon modificazioni causate dalla posizione e condizine dei due conventi. A Senj essi possedevano diverse case e negozi (apoteche). Tutti e due i conventi vengono meno nella prima metä del secolo XVI, poiche non erano in grado di asicurare riparo davanti alle continue scorrerie dei Turci. La continuitä della loro presenza a Senj e salvaguardata proprio per mezzo delle case di loro possesso entro le mura della cittä. Un nuovo periodo della storia paolina a Senj incomincia nel 1634., quando venne-ro invitati dal vescovo diocesano Agatić a prender in consegna il convento e la chiesa di San Nocolo, che poco prima erano stati abbandonati dai domenicani. Sull'attivitä di questo convento abbiamo notizie piü frequenti, di cui perö finora e stato pubblica-to poco. Ai paolini di San Nicolo a Senj nel 1725. e stato affidato il ginnasio di Senj, il quale fu da loro gestito fino all'abolizione dell'ordine {1786). Allora si verificarono momenti critici per la scuola. II trasferimento della scuola ai francescani ed a profes-sori laici non ebbe successo duraturo e fini colla chiusura della scuola nel 1803. Alia fine dell'articolo si espongono i dati principali della storia dell'edificio del convento e della chiesa di San Nicolö. Vengono elencati alcuni elementi piu noti dell'in-ventario, varie iscrizioni raccolte da I. Kukuljević prima della distruzione degli edifici stessi, avvenuta nel 1874. Nella chiesa parrochale di Punat nell'isola di Krk (Veglia) ancor oggi si pud vedere l'altare maggiore della chiesa, al duomo di Senj invece e stato trasportato l'altare collaterale con la statua della Pietä (Madonna di sette dolori). La posizione del convento e della chiesa nella piazza oggi chiamata Trg Oslobođenja.

Duchowość bez ducha

Author(s): Michał Borek / Language(s): Polish Issue: 71/2021

Wesley Wildman’s and Kate Stockly’s book Spirit Tech: The Brave New World of Consciousness Hacking and Enlightenment Engineering is an interesting compilation and analysis of current research on technologies of spiritual experience. The book offers the latest advances in neuroscience, very bold predictions about the development of spirituality technology, and very far-reaching conclusions about the development of religion. The authors take an interdisciplinary approach to their work, touching on neuroscience, medical engineering, psychology, religion, and ethics. They do not shy away from the big philosophical, psychological, and ethical questions, and they specifically focus on questions of authenticity, meaning, safety, and social responsibility arising from the marriage of technology and spirituality. Modern neuroscience along with engineering has already created new areas of science-faith and technology-faith relationships. Spiritual alternatives in the form of technology are increasingly posing a fresh challenge to traditional spirituality and religion.

Crucile de piatră din zona dealurilor Ciceului (jud. Bistrița-Năsăud)

Author(s): Adrian Socaci / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 34-35/2021

In the area of the Ciceu hills, in northern Transylvania, people have fashioned from the local stone a wide array of stone objects and monuments since ancient times. Among them one can notice the Ciceu crosses. The solitary holly relics resonate with the past times when the sacred was an important part of humans lives. The monuments were fashioned in a simplistic, sober manner, the stone masons around Ciceu did not excel in their artistic creativity, they were busy transposing in stone the ideas and symbols with religious character. The crosses from Ciceu hills were placed on the edges of the graveyards and the village, at the crossroads, on the hilltops separating village borders and the roads leading to the nearby monasteries. For most of the crosses in the Ciceu area their dating is difficult, the symbols were influenced by the millennium-long art of wood from Maramureș. In the summer of 2012, in Ireland, we visited Ahenny Cemetery (County Tipperary)and Kells Monastery (County Meath), places where arched stone crosses are erected. I have noticed on that occasion some similarities between the Irish stone crosses and those in Romania(especially northern Transylvania, from Hășmașu Ciceului, Ciceu Giurgești, Negrilești, Dobric).The similarities seem to be the result of archaic religious forms and symbols conveyed by Irish and the Anglo-Saxon missionaries. In the seventh century, St. Kilian christianized the population of Franconia and Thuringia. In the next century, other Irish missionaries, scoti peregrini, have travelled all over Europe, some reach Vienna and their art seems to penetrate the Romanian countries and Hungary. There are some signs that since the 11th century, religious influences between the British Isles and Transylvania/South Carpathian area may have occurred with the journey of the Anglo-Saxon “wanderers” to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea areas.

Hejt i symbole religijne. Obrażanie przez prowokację jako nowy problem społeczny

Author(s): Anna Leszczuk-Fiedziukiewicz / Language(s): Polish Issue: 37/2021

The main purpose of this article is to analyse the medial discourse connected with new ways of presenting religious symbols and social reactions to this. Religious symbols are used by communities that want to stand out in society. The research questions consider whether these events, treated by Catholics as scandalous and offensive, could be examples of a new form of hate speech in the Polish public sphere. If so, this would involve an evolution from the language sphere to the visual sphere and, therefore, would be a crucial shift in a cultural war in our society. The diagnosis of phenomena related to events perceived as “provocations” indicates that we are dealing with a new social problem. This problem involves people associated with the Catholic Church, the police, the court, and the prosecutor’s office because the authors of initiatives are accused of offending religious feelings, which, according to Art. 196 of the Criminal Code is a crime in Poland.

Eucharystia Kościoła rzymskokatolickiego w Niemczech w dobie pandemii COVID-19

Author(s): Andrzej Glombica / Language(s): Polish Issue: 37/2021

This article draws on the experiences of the Federal Republic of Germany and provides a theological reflection on the consequences of political decisions made in response to the spread of COVID-19. The research primarily concerns the relationship between the importance of the communal celebration of the Eucharist and the limitation on contact imposed on the grounds of protecting human life and health. Due to the novelty of the subject, the sources are generally accessible internet materials. The starting point is a calendar of specific decisions by the state authorities and the reactions of the German Bishops’ Conference to these secular regulations, followed by the comment made by German Roman Catholic theologians on the situation. Of these, more attention has been paid to the controversial responses – made by the Bishop of Magdeburg Gerard Feige, Archbishop of Cologne Cardinal and Doctor of Theology Rainer Woelki, and dogmatist Julia Knop – rather than those that are theologically insightful or correct. All this has been juxtaposed with the Church’s official teaching on the communal celebration of the Eucharist and its basic assumption, i.e., the predominance of the divine element over the human element. This article shows that state measures, ecclesial behaviour, and theological discussions can all be interpreted as a practical negation of the saving nature of the Eucharist. This presentation concludes with the question of what is more important: celebrating the Eucharist, receiving Holy Communion, experiencing community, or further weeks of strictly limited social contact, including in religious gatherings. This question is also an invitation to undertake further, in-depth reflection not only on the economic, social, and emotional effects of the pandemic but also – and perhaps primarily – on the spiritual ones.

Reakcja na zagrożenie koronawirusem – analiza publikowanych treści w początkowej fazie epidemii na oficjalnej stronie Konferencji Episkopatu Polski

Author(s): Rafał Jakub Pastwa / Language(s): Polish Issue: 37/2021

The mediatisation of reality has embraced societies and institutions, including religious institutions and religion. This has increased the importance of religious communication, which is part of a broad and complex process of social communication. Its strong position and importance have grown with the development of communication technologies and the popularity of the mass media, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decrease in the number of believers in churches in Poland in March 2020 made the media the dominant platform for religious communication. The processes of the mediatisation of religion and the mediatisation of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland strengthen the position of the media in the transfer of religious content and in creating the image of a church institution. The emergence of COVID-19 in Poland in 2020 triggered a reaction from numerous institutions, including the media. On the official website of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, numerous administrative and pastoral messages appeared, which constituted a specific instruction for the faithful from both the pastoral and institutional perspectives. They were also of interest to the media and the public. The dominance of administrative and pastoral texts published on the website episkopat.pl in the analysed period is in line with the nature and mission of the Church, which cannot be reduced to either a temporal and institutional perspective or a spiritual and salvific perspective alone. The analysis of the content quality allows us to notice a slight shift of emphasis towards the temporal perspective, while in the analysed messages, institutional language, defined by the author as the “language of distance,” prevails.

За вярата и страданието

Author(s): Anguel S. Stefanov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2022

Nikolay Turlakov published a study in this journal, No. 4, 2021, entitled “Humility and Justification or Rebellion and Struggle: Philosophical Notes on the Attitude to Suffering in Religious Faith and Customary Morality”. The outlined dilemma is whether one must follow a rigorous faith and submissively encounter human sufferings, or one ought to struggle against them. I was impressed by the interesting reflections the author has made in his study, so my paper is presented here as a kind of a letter to him. My aim is directed to strengthening his attempt at resolving the dilemma by finding a way out of it on the base of the introduction of what is called a moderate religious faith.

„Mimo drzwi zamkniętych” (J 20,26). Refleksja nad duchowością komunii w warunkach izolacji społecznej na przykładzie Ruchu Focolari

Author(s): Katarzyna Wasiutyńska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 37/2021

The period of social isolation due to the pandemic limited the opportunities for meetings between small and large communities and left a deep mark on the form of experiencing the spirituality of communion, which is one of the most characteristic features of the post-Conciliar Church. An example is the Focolare Movement, where the privileged path to union with God is the relationship of love for one’s neighbour, in which Jesus’ promise is fulfilled that he stands among those gathered in his name (cf. Mt 18:20). Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare, saw in modern technological advances the possibility of developing Christian love, which by its nature is universal. The period of the pandemic marked an unexpected breakthrough in this aspect, as well as in the wider understanding and practice of ecclesial communion. The abolition or prolonged limitation of physical meetings has led to the intensive use of other means of communication, making the virtual space a potential place for communal spiritual experience and concrete action for the benefit of others. A remarkable event in its course and fruitfulness, carried out remotely, was the General Assembly of the Movement, which, according to the Statutes, takes place every six years and is the supreme organ of power. The common discernment typical of Focolarini implies, as a fruit of mutual love, the presence of the Risen One, who makes the voice of the Holy Spirit resound with all power. The adaptation of the forms of the spirituality of communion to external circumstances shows an irresistible need to share a spiritual experience and, if it is authentic, leads to a deepening of the relationship with God and between persons, despite the difficulties.

Jak niemiecki Marienkirche stał się polską Katedrą Wniebowzięcia NMP w świetle akt z zasobu Archiwum Państwowego w Gorzowie Wielkopolskim

Author(s): Dariusz A. Rymar / Language(s): Polish Issue: 01/2021

The purpose of this article is to investigate the process of erection in Gorzów the capital of Apostolic Administration of Kamień Pomorski, Lubusz, and Prelature of Piła – in fact the biggest diocese in Poland in the years 1945–1972. This process was composed of two elements: 1) decisions of the higher authorities of the Catholic Church, and 2) activity of the local government. As follows from the analysis of files in the State Archive in Gorzów Wielkopolski, the decision of the Church authorities was accidental. From mid August 1945 they were in search of a suitable seat for the diocese authorities. The natural, biggest centre in this area was Szczecin, but it was rejected, probably because of its peripheral location, and lack of guarantee that it will remain in Poland at that. On the other hand, Rev. Edmund Nowicki came accidentally to Gorzów as early as in August 1945. It was the first bigger town centre in the planned Administration’s territory he came to. He was extremely friendly welcomed by the local government administration headed by the Government Representative Florian Kroenke. In the decision to locate the capital of the Apostolic Administration in Gorzów he saw support to his efforts to make Gorzów capital of the Lubusz Land. To convince Rev. Nowicki of his favourable attitude, he ordered several renovations works in the church that had to become cathedral which were made at the city’s expense. This is perfectly demonstrated in the files preserved in the State Archive in Gorzów Wielkopolski.