We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.
The study is devoted to the foundation and the oldest history of the Transfiguration Monastery in Kobryn, which played an important role in the history of the Orthodox Church in the 15th and 16th centuries. Prince of Kobryn Semen Romanovich founded the Transfiguration Monastery in his castle, making a bequest to the monastery before 1460. The Transfiguration Monastery in Kobryn developed dynamically until the middle of the 16th century. The monastery’s endowments and privileges have been confirmed by the rulers several times. In the early 1640s, the monastery was stripped of part of its endowment. We obtain the most information about the Transfiguration Monastery in Kobryn from the monastery’s vetting of 20 December 1562, which was part of the inspection of Kobryn’s economy conducted early the following year. At that time there were four Orthodox parishes in Kobryn. Two bishops of the Turów-Pińsk Diocese originated from the Kobryn monastery – Vasyan and Jonasz. At the end of the 16th century, the Kobryn archimandry was treated by the rulers as a distribution of goods to their subjects for merits to the country, including lay people. The attitude of the Kobryn monastery to the changes taking place in the Orthodox Church in the second half of the 16th century and to ecclesiastical union was determined by the attitude of its individual superiors and the policy of the bishops of the Volodymyr–Brest and Turów-Pińsk dioceses. The Ordinary of the Diocese of Volodymyr-Brest is known to have been one of the supporters and implementers of ecclesiastical union. The ruler of Turów-Pińsk was also an advocate for the union. After the Union of Brest, the Transfiguration Monastery became a Basilian monastery, whose superiors were often diocesan ordinaries.
More...
Parish chronicles and documents of a similar nature are often one of the most important sources for the history of a particular parish, town, village and local community. The chronicle of the Choceń parish by Rev. Władysław Siemaszko was written in 1914–1918 and it covers the period from the 12th century to 1913. It is divided into two parts. The first (30% of the chronicle), consisting of four chapters, is devoted to the history of the Choceń parish from the 12th century to 1896. It outlines the history of the village and parish of Choceń, with particular emphasis on the parish’s endowment and a brief description of its administrators. The second part (70% of the chronicle), consisting of nine chapters, tells the new history of the Choceń parish, that is, from the arrival of Rev. W. Siemaszko in January 1897. The author successively presents the material condition and socio-economic situation in the parish, which he found upon his arrival in Choceń (church, parish buildings, parish lands, villages belonging to the parish, manors, ownership structure, population). Many of the entries address the construction of a new parsonage, new outbuildings and a new church, and the efforts made in connection with these projects. The chronicle ends with a description of the visit and consecration of the church by Bishop Stanisław Zdzitowiecki in September 1913. The edition of the chronicle of the Choceń parish (Włocławek Diocese) by Rev. Siemaszko is the realization of a demand made by historians regarding the editing of sources for the history of the Church in Poland, especially parish chronicles.
More...
The article presents a last will and testament that the otherwise unknown nobleman, Jan Aleksander Dąbski, dictated in 1639 in Bodzentyn, the town of the bishops of Kraków in Lesser Poland. The wills of the nobility became widespread much later than those of the burgesses and the clergy in the Kingdom of Poland. They appeared in greater numbers as late as the 1630s. The testator came from the relatively indigent nobility of the Duchy of Siewierz, owned by the bishops of Kraków. The source suggests that he was a servant at the bishop’s castle in Bodzentyn. This will and testament is one of the very few accounts that shed light on the relations at the court of the Bishop of Kraków in early modern times. This source deserves attention, however, primarily because of its elaborate introduction outlining the author’s religious views. They go well beyond mere catechetical rudiments of the faith. The testator emphasizes the fear of the Divine Majesty, but also God’s mercy as an answer to the frailty of human nature. He calls on the Saviour to come surrounded by angels and conquer his enemies. He firmly believes that salvation can only be obtained through total devotion to the Cross, through the intercession of Mary and the Guardian Angel. At least some of these truths of faith were similarly formulated in sermons preached at the nearby Benedictine monastery of the Holy Cross in the 15th century. It is, therefore, likely that this is the aforementioned medieval inspiration of religious attitudes formed by sermons or through confession in Bodzentyn in the 17th century.
More...
The article presents the process of establishing the provostry of the canons regular of Żagań in Zielona Góra and transferring to them the right of patronage of the local parish church, starting with the duke’s decision, its confirmation by the bishop and the pope, and ending with the document of the Archdeacon of Głogów, who was responsible for the transfer of the church to the canons. The original documents relating to this process are not known, but copies have survived in the Żagań cartulary, and together they form the source basis of the study. The article also focuses on issues related to the emoluments of the provostry and the importance of the institution in the local environment.
More...
The article is devoted to the garrison pastoral ministry in the area of the Chełmno Diocese in 1850–1873, the period of its membership in the Prussian state. Given the unquestionable importance of the Prussian army in perpetuating the security and stability of the state, ensuring religious participation was among the important factors in the military formation. For this reason, permanent pastoral care was extended to garrison cities, which included Gdańsk, Grudziądz and Toruń. Soldiers stationed in military units located in the Catholic diaspora area, i.e. in Iława, Ostróda, Prabuty, Susz and Zalew, among others, also had the opportunity to receive the sacraments through the ministry of non-local chaplains. Spiritual care for the soldiers was provided mostly by priests from civilian parishes. Full-time chaplains of the Prussian army were employed in the Diocese of Chełmno quite sporadically at that time.
More...
Sacramentary theology is one of the areas where the contact of the Eastern Churches with Rome, from the 17th century, had the greatest impact on their doctrines and rituals. Marriage in particular has undergone significant conceptual changes, which have had a long-term influence on society. While the definition of marriage at the Council of Trent makes the exchange of consent the very “form” of the sacrament, the matrimonial union is conceived in the East as a process, beginning with the agreement between two families, and ending with the religious ceremony which unites the two spouses. The consent of the latter is not required, or is verified at the time of the agreement between the families. Marriage consists of the blessing of the priest. The canonical texts of the Maronite and Melkite Churches, and concrete cases, allow us to understand the gap between Roman teaching on the sacrament and local compromise.
More...
The article is an edition and analysis of the text of the foundation act of the instrumental ensemble at the Corpus Christi Church in Krakow. The foundation was established in 1675 by a canon regular – Rev. Jan Brodowski. He instructed the 6,000 Polish florins he received as an inheritance to invest in landed estates, and the expected annual income of 420 florins was to provide fees for four instrumentalists. These musicians were required to attend Mass on certain days of the year. The foundation bequest regulates their duties in detail.
More...
The article provides an overview of biblical translations created in the 16th century on the territoryof the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the article a specific translation technique and the reasons forthe differences between the original and translated text are considered. A strong opposition to theaccuracy of the translation is a different understanding of the text, due to differences in religion. By thetime of the creation of most Slavic translations, Christian exegetics was fundamentally different bothfrom the ancient understanding of sacred texts and from the interpretation adopted in the rabbinicaltradition. Intertextual differences may be due to differences in culture that have nothing to do withthe religious system. The difference between the original and the translation is due to the fact that notall translators were equally gifted linguists; they didn’t know the original language and the subject inquestion equally well. Therefore, in the textual structure of the translation, we can meet with variouskinds of deviations from the essence and form of the original, up to language and substantial mistakes.
More...
It is known that Aron Pumnul - linguist, historian, literary critic, theologian, teacher of Mihai Eminescu - was born into a Greek Catholic family in the village of Cuciulata in Transylvania, and after completing his theology studies in 1846 at the Catholic Institute “St. Barbara” in Vienna, he was ordained a Greek Catholic priest. In publications in Romania, especially in Transylvania, the Greek Catholicism of Professor Aron Pumnul was strongly emphasized. The author presents an unpublished document, found in the State Archive of the Chernivtsi Region (Ukraine), from which it appears that in 1849 A. Pumnul switched to the Orthodox confession following his baptism, which was recorded in the register of the newborn of the Church of St. Nicolai in Chernivtsi. In support of this idea, other unpublished documents are presented, such as the record of the professor's marriage to Ecaterina Teodorino, the birth of his son John or the death of the scholar, documents in which his Orthodox confession is confirmed. After the passing of the Greek Catholic A. Pumnul to Orthodoxy, his activity as a militant for the social and national rights of the Romanians takes on a new scope: even from the first months he stands out as editor of the Romanian section of the newspaper “Bucovina”, promotes national culture, researches Romanian history, language and literature, educates a young generation of Romanian intellectuals, writes and prints the famous “Lepturariu...”, is the beloved teacher of the poet Mihai Eminescu. Having arrived in Orthodox Bukovina, the great scholar understood that only by becoming Orthodox could he be of real use to the Romanians here. For him, above all, it was the service of the nation and its culture, regardless of political boundaries and religious differences that had arisen in the course of history.
More...
This study confidently evaluates views on taqlid al-faith in classical theological literature, asserting that they can be assessed in light of neurobiology and modern learning theories. It is evident that a considerable number of believers base their understanding of faith in taqlid (mimicry). However, whether most people meet the criteria for achieving Tahqiq faith (research-based) remains uncertain. The criteria for achieving internalized faith are well-established and can be met with proper guidance and effort. This assertion is based on the perspectives of Muslim theologians on faith, which highlights the differences between taqlid and internalized faith. Taqlid faith is not based on reason. However, critical faith is based on reasoning and logical deductions, leading to the conclusion that Allah is the absolute creator of everything. It is important to note that while arguments based on reasoning and deduction alone may be insufficient to establish the existence of the divine in matters of faith, theological scholars assert that they are still a valuable tool in understanding and interpreting religious beliefs. Theological schools should reconsider their justification of the method of reasoning employed regarding the subject of internalized faith. Faith is not solely a cognitive process but also encompasses behavioral and emotional dimensions. This framework asserts that theological approaches that reduce faith in a cognitive process must be evaluated in the light of modern science's mirror neurons and learning theories. Mirror neurons, discovered by a group of scientists from the University of Parma, Italy, led by Giacomo Rizzolatti, are a crucial biological mechanism that significantly influences the way people relate to each other, empathy, and learning processes. The text clearly and confidently explains how mirror neurons in the brain respond to various experiential factors and how they affect cognitive function. It asserts that the theory of mirror neurons is grounded in human physiology and emphasizes that imitation involves both actional similarities and cognitive processes. The cognitive process in the theory of mirror neurons, whereby individuals believe in observing others, implies the use of reasoning. Additionally, the connection between imitation and social learning theories was examined, highlighting its crucial role in the development of genuine beliefs. Learning theories emphasize the interaction between individuals and their environment, highlighting the significance of social interactions such as modeling and imitation. Theological schools should reconsider their justification of the method of reasoning employed regarding the subject of the Tahqiqi (research-based) faith. Faith is not solely a cognitive process but also encompasses behavioral and emotional dimensions. This framework asserts that theological approaches that reduce faith in a cognitive process must be evaluated in the light of modern science's mirror neurons and learning theories. Mirror neurons, discovered by a group of scientists from the University of Parma, Italy, led by Giacomo Rizzolatti, are a crucial biological mechanism that significantly influences the way people relate to each other, empathy, and learning processes. The text clearly and confidently explains how mirror neurons in the brain respond to various experiential factors and how they affect cognitive function. It asserts that the theory of mirror neurons is grounded in human physiology and emphasizes that imitation involves both actional similarities and cognitive processes. The cognitive process in the theory of mirror neurons, whereby individuals believe in observing others, implies the use of reasoning. Additionally, the connection between imitation and social learning theories was examined, highlighting its crucial role in the development of genuine beliefs. Learning theories emphasize the interaction between individuals and their environment, highlighting the significance of social interactions such as modeling and imitation. Bandura, one of the main proponents of this theory, argues that people learn by observing the behavior of others around them. He also emphasizes that learning is not limited to imitating observed behaviors but that cognitive processes also play an important role. Therefore, he argues that the process of learning by imitation depends not only on external factors but also on the internal thought processes of the individual. This study discusses the effects of imitation on human behavior and its relationship with cognitive processes within the framework of social learning theory. It has been argued that the process of modelling the behavior of the person being imitated overlaps with the process of inference and deduction underlying social cognitive theories. In addition, the interplay between the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions of faith is emphasized, and it is stated that the Prophet taught faith using live models, symbolic models, and verbal instructions in the Prophet's message, and that these teachings were observed and imitated by the Companions. The article is unique in its field as it is a multidisciplinary study.
More...
The Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans in the Ottoman Empire were exegesis classes held during Ramadan under the sultan's chairmanship within the framework of a specific plan and program. These lectures were held during the reign of Mustafa III in m. 1759 and continued until the abolition of the caliphate. In the Islamic scholarly tradition, Huzur Lectures are similar to scholarly gatherings such as muhākemāt, muhādarāt and majālīs. Leading scholars of the period took part in these lectures as mukarrir (lecturer) and interlocutor (discussant). The sultans attended these meetings as listeners, discussants and administrators. The main subject of the lectures was the verses of the Qur'an. After the takrir, the discussion committee asked questions to the mukarrir and made evaluations with the question-and-answer method. The Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans are a subject of the science of tafsir in terms of interpretation and discussion of Qur'anic verses. However, the Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans have been the subject of disciplines other than tafsir such as history, literature and religious education. Research in the literature has been conducted in the context of Mardin's Huzur Dersleri. However, it has been determined that Mardin's work does not indicate the changes made in the takrir committee with information such as the fact that some mukarrirs could not perform their lectures due to health, death and other reasons. For this reason, in addition to Mardin's work, Huzur Lectures should be analyzed more comprehensively by taking into account the Mashihat-ı Islamiye Sicill-i Ahvâl books, State Archives, invitations to lectures, newspapers and magazines of the period and other documents. In this study, by examining these sources, the data on how many verses the muqarrirs recited during which sultan's reign were investigated in a multidimensional way, and the information that seemed to be in dispute was eliminated. The Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans, where the verse(s) recited could not be identified, were not taken into consideration. In this study, a chronology of the Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans were created by examining how many verses were recited in which sultan's reign and by whom. The Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans, which continued in the presence of a total of ten sultans and one caliph in a historical period spanning nearly two centuries, were subjected to changes in procedures and rules over time. The transition to the Mushaf classified is one of these changes. In this context, by analyzing the documents of Gümülcineli Ahmed Āsım Efendi, who served in the Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans for 41 years, we have made predictions about which verses may have been taught in some lessons and by whom. Our research criticizes a few issues related to the relevant field around the following questions: Could the Lessons in the Presence of Sultan of Ottomans be considered as a different interpretation work in the context of the Qur'anic verses in its performance? Did the mukarrir (reporter) masters put the verses independent of each other on the agenda in the recitation of the lessons? Is it possible to talk about a integrated tafsir activity in these lessons, which were held from 1200 Hijri onwards, in which various scholars were supposed to exegete the verses in order according to the order of the Mushaf? To answer these questions, the tradition in question should be examined in detail, and it should be determined what kind of method the mukarrirs (reporters) followed in the selection of the subject verse. Also, it has been observed that many researchers working on this subject are content to cite Mardin's Huzur Dersleri as a source. However, this situation gives rise to other problems. It has been determined that a great deal of information in Mardin's work needs to be criticized. Thus, by not being satisfied with the information here, Directorate of State Archives, meshihat archives, it is thought that the course invitations, newspapers and magazines of the period, and other documents should be investigated in a multifaceted way. In this process, the verses presented and the information related to them were analyzed and the disputed data was analyzed. On the other hand, there is no period-person-based analysis of the verses read either. Through the information that meets this triple criterion, it is foreseen that an important step can be taken to examine Huzur Lectures as the subject of the science of tafsir and to determine which other disciplines they can be the subject of. Based on the results of this research, the information obtained from the sources is examined by making a chronological classification of the verse(s) subject to the lessons.
More...
The article has a theoretical-descriptive-research character and is based on an analysis of the literature in the field of religiosity as well as social research methodology. The issue of analyzing the sociological contexts of Marian prayer services during the month of May is not often addressed in social science research due to its interdisciplinary nature as well as the lack of interest in cultural capital in the area of religiosity. May folk prayer services at shrines or statues, understood as a spontaneous gathering of the faithful to sing Marian hymns and litanies, reveal intervening phenomena that include the formation of social ties, the construction of identity based on preferred values and social norms, which even today, in an era of a globalized world, shed valuable light on the shape of social relations and the importance of culture in the consciousness of Poles. The presented research material was collected during an open, participatory and uncontrolled observation, when in May 2022 I observed prayer gatherings at a roadside chapel, while in 2023 I observed people praying inside a former church building, a wooden stationary chapel belonging to the same parish
More...
Bolesław Miciński was born in 1911 in Podolia. The writer lived and worked in Poland, and from 1939 he was in emigration in France, where he died of tuberculosis in 1943. The author of the article describes the connections of Miciński’s works with Greco-Roman antiquity and the Bible. The poetic volume Chleb z Gietsemane [Bread from Gietsemane] (1932), the essay Odpowiedź na list Francesca, obywatela rzymskiego [Reply to the Letter of Francesco, a Roman Citizen] (1940) and the lecture Portret Juliana Apostaty [Portrait of Julian the Apostate] (1942) are analysed in detail. Miciński was well known in ancient culture and consciously drew on its deposits for erudite, aesthetic and rhetorical purposes. It is also worth emphasising that antiquity was a reservoir of motifs, themes and sentences, which were updated in the works of the Polish writer in the process of renarration and reinterpretation, showing the universal value of the ancient tradition..
More...
This paper brings forth the grave danger of religious hatred manifested in the spiritual area of reverence towards Romanian Orthodox religious monastic leaders. It points out specific aspects of religious intolerance, hatred and the anti ‘sect’ teaching and preaching of two of them: Father Arsenie Papacioc and Father Arsenie Boca. The myth developed especially around Arsenie Boca substantially contributes to the fundamentalist and fanatical attitudes of believers in relationship to the ‘other.’
More...
The Church is the cultural memory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She always has a time-historical dimension and therefore the theology of the signs of the times is to interpret significant events of the present in the light of the Gospel. With Vatican II came the era of the universal Church and the approaching end of the dominance of European Christianity. In this context, the synodal Church can and should present models for realizing herself globally. We do not know if and when the synodal process will bring with it a different Church order, but the existing system no longer works. Synodality does not primarily mean the decision-making process or constitutional structure of the Church, but rather a guiding idea or model of how the mission of God’s people in their journey through history should be lived and understood, the historical expression of universal communion. The lack of synodality is a crucial indicator of the Church’s lack of credibility. In the synodal process, the episcopal principle must guarantee the binding nature of the relevant learning processes and synodality remains open. The relationship between episcopacy and synodality is marked by constant tension and the challenge flowing from it is the only guarantee of balancing it. Synodality is therefore not a ready-made patent, but it can initiate and trigger action, thinking in the Church and with the whole world and lead to the emergence of the necessary charisms.
More...
Pluralistic societies are characterized by an individualistic understanding of freedom, subjectivization of lifestyles, a diversity of worldviews, and diverse morality. They spread scepticism about obliging and common ideals, relativism in matters of religious and moral nature, and even – to some extent – moral nihilism. In this article, we will present a general characteristic of a pluralistic society, analyze the condition of religion and the Catholic Church in changing socio-cultural conditions, and formulate some challenges for the Catholic Church in Poland. The entire discussion closes with a brief post-scriptum.
More...
The edition of the Romano-Germanic Pontifical in 1963 by C. Vogel-R. Elze was the basis for further research on the Pontificals in various fields for decades. In recent studies, Henry Parkes undermined the basic assumptions of this edition, rightly postulating its revision. The article synthetically summarizes the history of the Vogel-Elze edition and its principles, reconstruct its criticism by Parkes, his new hypotheses and postulates for further research, as well as a critical assessment of his hypotheses. Parkes challenged the fundamental assumption of the Vogel-Elze edition that the codex 451 of Monte Cassino is the closest to the original and the most representative group of manuscripts to reconstruct the Pontifical is the group 1, because the original has not been preserved for comparison. The absence of Benedictiones and Iudicia Dei in group 1 and Cassinensis 450 would be evidence of their later origin, not earlier. The Pontifical would not be only a book of a bishop, but it was used, for example, during the coronation of kings, it also contains many blessings given by presbyters or even liturgical commentaries and was used in monasteries. In his opinion, the codex B 52 from Bamberg is the oldest one, and the most representative group of manuscripts collected by Andrieu is the group 2. Except for emphasizing that codex B 52 and group 2 contains Humili prece singing absent in Cassinensis 450 and in codices group 1, he does not present any arguments for his hypothesis. His critique of the Vogel-Elze edition, however, can certainly provide an important guide to the critical use of the Vogel-Elze edition in the study of the Pontificals.
More...
The purpose of this paper is to present synthetically the Polish-Catholic Church (PCC) from a historical, theological and ecumenical perspective. The primary sources for the study are historical and theological studies concerning the PCC and published materials from the work of Roman Catholic and Polish Catholic teams, which are the fruit of the ecumenical dialogue. The historical-synthetic method will be used to explicate the title issue. In today's world, marked by antagonism and division, the call for reconciliation and visible unity among all followers of Jesus Christ is particularly timely. Actions for the unity of Churches and Ecclesial Communities affect the credibility of Christianity. Since 1998, the PCC has been engaged in an official ecumenical dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. The fruit of the dialogue is the abandonment of mutual prejudices, getting to know each other better, and clarifying doctrinal and juridical differences. The PCC emerged from the mission diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church in the United States of America and Canada (PNCC) in 1951. It is autonomous and organisationally independent. It remains in unity of faith and morals with the parent PNCC. It has a synodal-episcopal system. The PCC is a member of the Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches, the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches and a co-founding member of the Polish Ecumenical Council.
More...
The article discusses the transformation of the role of religion in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era, religion, including the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), was suppressed and persecuted. However, a turning point occurred during “Perestroika,” leading to increased dialogue between authorities and the ROC, continued after the fall of USSR.Today, Orthodoxy is the dominant religion in Russia and plays a crucial role in filling the ideological void left by communism. It contributes to the restoration of Russian national and cultural identity, often with a strong anti-Western sentiment. Although many Russians identify as Orthodox, religious practice remains limited, and the influence of atheism and secularization persists. The ROC’s heritage is also used to justify autocratic rule in Russia.The “church-state symphonia” is evident both domestically and internationally, with the Moscow Patriarchate advocating claims to former Soviet territories, supporting the concept of the “Russian world” (Russkiy mir). The Moscow Patriarchate, as part of the Kremlin’s conservative project, promotes “healthy traditional values” in ideological opposition to the West. The Russian Orthodox Church also supports Russia’s efforts to shape a multipolar world and challenge the dominance of “Pax Americana.” It is positioning itself as a mediator between East and West in the international intercultural dialogue, often cooperating effectively with the Islamic world.
More...