Archiwa, Biblioteki i Muzea Kościelne

Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski w pierwszych latach powojennych – sympozjum naukowe i wystawa w Bibliotece Uniwersyteckiej KUL, Lublin, 9 grudnia 2024 roku

Paulina Byzdra-Kusz — 2025-06-17

Międzynarodowa konferencja dyplomatyczno-archiwalna (Úřední písemnosti a jejich hranice) Praga, 12-13 listopada 2024 rok

Janusz Łosowski — 2025-06-17

Catholic Press in Poland in 1989–2023. An Outline of Issues

Małgorzata Bańkowska — 2025-06-17

The article is the first in a planned series presenting the results of the author’s research on the Catholic press published in Poland after 1989 from a holistic perspective. It presents the current state of research on this type of press, its historical outline, definitions, typology and functions. The study is an introduction to research on the importance of the Catholic press in Poland and a formal and content-based analysis of selected titles. It presents the main research questions and areas, and points out the main problems associated with the study of the Catholic press.

Exempla in ad status Teaching in the Light of a Collection of Sermons by Maciej of Grochów from the Jagiellonian Library Manuscript of the Early 15th Century

Krzysztof Bracha — 2025-06-17

The BJ 1619 manuscript from the early 15th century contains several collections of De tempore et de sanctis sermons. The manuscript was mostly transcribed by Maciej of Grochów, vicar of Kcynia, in 1407. The aforementioned collection includes a small compilation of ad status sermons with exempla, addressed to the rich, the poor, merchants, servant journeymen, judges, knights and farmers, respectively. The collection of Michał of Grochów is more similar simple exhortations than full sermons of the sermo modernus type. They are devoid of scholastic divisions into points, or logical proofs. Instead of such erudite and schematic image, the exhortations abounded in narrative threads, legends of saints, and exempla. Michał of Grochów’s collection is not an original one, but it is among the later editions in the long literary tradition of Sermo generalis by Honorius of Autun. The five sermones are further found in a 15th century Silesian manuscript BUWr I F 607 in the collection Exempla valde pulcra, which was published by Joseph Klapper in 1914. The teaching proposed by the preacher is not an interpretation of social construction, but a picture of stereotypes, motivated by a moralizing agenda. The preacher refers to the feudal ladder only in appearance, since his goal was not to use feudal pattern, but to break it, reframe it for moralistic motives, since moralistic didacticism was the basis of the sermon, not a means to convey a picture of social relations. The collection edited by Michał of Grochów is a unique testimony to the sermones ad status in Polish collections, even if not an original one. It lacks any reference to Polish realities, and is filled with a message with universal appeal.

Archival Resources on Military Pastoralism in the Resources of the Central Military Archives in Warsaw

Sławomir Bylina ks. — 2025-06-17

The archival holdings of the Central Military Archives in Warsaw contain fonds relating to pastoral ministry in the Polish Army from 1919 to 1983. Among the most important documents from the 1919–1939 period are the files of the Field Bishop’s Curia from 1919–1932, the files of the corps district command, and the files of the Cabinet of the Minister of Military Affairs. Among other things, the fonds include internal orders to the Catholic military clergy of the Polish Army, laws and regulations on the organization of military pastoral care in peacetime and in case of war. The correspondence between the ministries and the Field Bishop’s Curia includes numerous orders on religious matters, statements, organizational charts, lists of chaplains, as well as reports on the activities of various Catholic and non-Catholic denominations. A small number of the archive’s resources contain documents from 1943–1945. The subsequent files are dated 1945–1964 and 1981–1983, the time of the General Military Deanery.

Evangelical Record Books of the Koszalin-Kołobrzeg Diocese

Tadeusz Ceynowa ks. — 2025-06-17

Church record books (birth and baptism registers) in Polish archives are of great interest, both to researchers, genealogists and private individuals. A few years ago, an article on Catholic record books held in the Archives of the Diocese of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg came to the reader’s attention. This time, readers will have the opportunity to learn about interesting collection of Evangelical registers. After the resettlement of Germans after World War II from the areas granted to Poland, some of the archival documentation produced there remained at the Protestant parishes. In accordance with current state regulations, the vast majority of the rescued archival materials, including record books, have been transferred to state archives and is successively relocated from Civil Registry Offices. The establishment of a diocesan archive in Koszalin with the help of the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation and the guarantees given by Bishop Marian Gołębiewski that the German heritage of Pomerania stored therein would be available to all interested parties, obliged the staff of the institution to take over from the parish the surviving documentation of both Catholic and Evangelical origin. The purpose of this article is to present the surviving 117 record books from 27 Evangelical communities (Pomeranian Province, West Prussia, and the Border March of Poznań-West Prussia) functioning before 1945 on the territory of the present Diocese of Koszalin-Kołobrzeg.

The Fate of the Record Books of the Military Parish in Kraków during World War II

Czesław Chrząszcz ks. — 2025-06-17

In the Habsburg monarchy, field pastors were required to keep accurate record books. These ledgers recorded important facts of soldiers’ religious life: marriages, births of children and deaths of military personnel. For the state, this was important information, which is why the rules for keeping these books had become gradually clarified. A large number of record books of the military units comprising this great operational union have been collected in Kraków, since 1869 the headquarters of the imperial–royal 1st Army Corps. In 1918, the books passed into the ownership of the reborn Polish state. In the interwar period, they were kept in the chancellery of the Kraków military parish. Gradually, more volumes were added, in which the metric facts of soldiers of the Kraków District of 5th Corps of the Polish Army were recorded. The purpose of this article is to outline the fate of the books of the Kraków field ministry during World War II. In 1939, in the face of Nazi Germany’s aggression against Poland, most of them were moved to the building of the Metropolitan Curia in Kraków. In 1942, the German occupation authorities confiscated them. Currently, the older part of these archives is kept at the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv in Vienna. Their identification is possible on the basis of poorly known lists that were compiled in 1937 and 1942.

Catalogue of the Collection of Parchment and Paper Documents from the Holdings of the Warsaw Archdiocesan Archives

Martyna Deszczyńska — 2025-06-17

The catalogue of parchment and paper documents from the holdings of the Warsaw Archdiocesan Archives is an archival aid, the lack of which has so far prevented the introduction into scholarly circulation of diplomas held by the institution. The 79 documents, representing 76 archival units, dated from 1289 to 1870/1907 (two documents from the 20th century are certified translations of a 1676 diploma). Despite the rudimentary and to some extent haphazard nature of this collection – comparing to the state before the burning of the Warsaw church archives by the Germans in 1944 – it presents considerable historical value, especially for the history of the Gniezno Archbishopric and the Collegiate Chapter in Łowicz.

Early Printed Books with Works of the Greek Church Fathers from the Jagiellonian Library – Selected Examples

Katarzyna Dźwigała — 2025-06-17

The modern era witnessed a revived interest in the Greek Church Fathers in Europe. Their writings were intensively translated into Latin and modern languages and published. The article presents selected examples of early printed books from the Jagiellonian Library of the 15th and 16th centuries from the collections of individuals or institutions associated with Kraków, containing works by Greek patristic authors as evidence of interest in such works among scholars and the Church in modern Poland. The issue in question is also analysed in the context of intellectual exchanges between Europe and Poland.

Comparative Analysis of Medieval Colour Symbolism Illustrated with an Example of Illuminations of Cistercian Manuscript Codices of the 12th–15th Centuries

Karolina Ernest — 2025-06-17

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of medieval colour symbolism in relation to illuminations of Cistercian codices of the 12th–15th centuries. Nine manuscripts related to the provenance of the former Cistercian abbeys in Henrykowo, Ląd, Kamieniec Ząbkowicki, Lubiąż and Trzebnica form the basis for the discussion of the topic. The main purpose of the article is to answer three questions: Can the selected manuscripts be an example reflecting colour symbolism in Cistercian art? Does the way the illuminators used colours affect the interpretation of the content of the painting? Do the pigments used allow the identification of the hierarchical structure (spiritual meaning)? The first part of the article focuses on presenting the symbolism of colour and its meaning in the Middle Ages. The medieval society has been characterized as particularly sensitive to radiance, light and colours, which were seen as expressions of God’s presence in the world. The next part of the article synthesizes the grey monks’ approach to the issue of art and its importance in Cistercian monasteries. It has been demonstrated that the principle of asceticism, pioneered by St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153), was of great importance to Cistercian art, both in the ornamentation of manuscript codices and in the architecture and decoration of temples. The strict rules of Cistercian life, including the need for monks to observe values such as simplicity, modesty, poverty and humility, left its mark on Cistercian artistic creativity, and strongly influenced it. The aforementioned part is followed by a comparative analysis, first describing the symbolic meaning of primary colours in the Middle Ages and theology, and then indicating the place of the colours on selected decorative elements of the referenced manuscripts. Moreover, colours not belonging to the range of primary colours, but appearing on the illuminations of the Cistercian codices, were indicated. The results of the analysis showed that the colour-based symbolism was not fully implemented in the illumination of the 12th–15th century manuscript codices of the Polish Cistercians. This is because colours did not have a significant meaning with the grey monks – they were chosen at random. The use of specific pigments by illuminators was based on practical grounds and tradition. The primary purpose of using a particular colour was primarily to emphasize religious content and monastic spirituality.

Illustrating Antiquity. On Illustrations to Pharaoh by Bolesław Prus and Quo vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Grzegorz First — 2025-06-17

In the last years of the 19th century, two great Polish novels were published, first in the press, then in book editions, the plot of which was set in ancient times – Quo vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz and Pharaoh by Bolesław Prus. Both works of the positivist writers were based on a thorough knowledge of Roman and Egyptian antiquity. Fast-paced, multifaceted and ambitious in their messages, the novels quickly found the appreciation of readers and the interest of artists who wanted to illustrate both plots in accordance with the prevailing trends and styles in painting and graphic art at the time. The article discusses the works of Jan Styka and Piotr Stachiewicz illustrating the work of H. Sienkiewicz, as well as the illustrations of Jan Holewiński, Edward Okuń and Jan Marcin Szancer for the work of B. Prus. Another mentioned item was recently identified in archival sources unfinished illustrations to Pharaoh by Henryk Siemiradzki.

Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Processionals from the Archives of the Cistercian Abbey in Kraków-Mogiła in the Context of the Typology of Sources

Michał Jędrzejski ks. — 2025-06-17

The Archives of the Cistercian Abbey in Kraków-Mogiła holds many valuable music and liturgical manuscripts, which include five 17th- and 18th-century processionals, i.e. books used for singing during processions, with the signatures: ms. 709, ms. 710, ms. 747, ms. 754, ms. 811. The purpose of this article is to present their contents, preceded by an analysis of musical notation, in the context of a typology of sources, i.e. defining a processional as a music-liturgical book. Various definitions of processional were addressed to verify the adherence to them of the Mogiła processionals. The repertoire is tabulated by division: de tempore, proprium de sanctis, commune sanctorum, commune Beatae Mariae Virginis, votivae, pro defunctis. The purpose, genre and incipit of the chants are given, noting the presence in each source. Demonstrably, the processionals from Mogiła are characterized by a great richness of repertoire, covering the entire liturgical year and various genres of liturgical monody. This fact confirms the validity of the broad, descriptive definition of the processional and shows the prospect of further research to detail the Cistercian processional tradition in Mogiła.

Claustrum sancti Adalberti. The Late Medieval Seat of the Dominicans in Wrocław in the Light of Written Sources

Krzysztof Kaczmarek — 2025-06-17

The Dominicans arrived in Wrocław in the 1320s and settled at the St Adalbert Church, which had been donated to them. Unlike the temple, which has been the focus of architectural and art historians’ attention for years, the convent’s residential buildings and accompanying outbuildings have been scantly recognized in the literature. The purpose of this article is to put these premises in perspective with the written sources that have survived to the present day, mainly accounts dating from the 15th and early 16th centuries, written down by the hands of the local priors.

Anti-Hussite Sermon from the Manuscript of the University Library in Wrocław I F 282

Ewelina Kaczor — 2025-06-17

The subject of this article is an unfinished anti-Hussite sermon from the late 1560s and early 1570s from the collection of the University Library in Wrocław. The manuscript I F 282 originally belonged to the library of the Canons Regular of St Augustine in Żagań, a congregation heavily involved in the fight against the Hussite heresy. Although the importance of preaching to the anti-Hussite efforts in Silesia has been noted in the literature on the subject, anti-Hussite sermons have not yet been analysed and, moreover, few have been identified so far. The article is an attempt to fill an existing gap in the state of research. The text analysis is accompanied by an edition of the sermon.

Unpublished Historical Study by Rev. Ludwik Gietyngier, M.A., on a Portion of the Resources of the Kłobuck Parish Archives

Jacek Kapuściński ks. — 2025-06-17

Rev. Ludwik Gietyngier (1904–1941), a clergyman from the Częstochowa diocese and blessed of the Catholic Church, paid attention to his intellectual development from the beginning of his priestly journey. He was particularly interested in church history. Thus, in this scientific discipline, he first wrote his master’s thesis, defended brilliantly in 1937 at the Theological Faculty of the Jagiellonian University, after which, as part of his doctoral studies, he began preparing his doctoral dissertation under the guidance of Rev. Prof. Tadeusz Glemma. He was unable to complete it, as he died a premature martyr’s death during World War II. Of his whole scholarly output, he left behind only the aforementioned master’s thesis and a recently found historical study, presenting a list and inventory description of 51 archival units stored in the Kłobuck Parish Archives. The archival materials he identified and examined came from the years 1442–1862 and were in the form of parchment documents (12 units), books, scrolls and fascicles (11 units) and other individual documents (28 units). The work in question, written in 1938, is of exceptional value with regard to research on reconstructing the rich holdings of this archive, especially since it was heavily d ecomposed during the German occupation.

Three Documents Concerning the Ruthenian Lands of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland from the Diocesan Archives in Zielona Góra

Joanna Karczewska — 2025-06-17

The article discusses three documents from the 15th–16th centuries in the Diocesan Archives in Zielona Góra concerning the Ruthenian lands of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. Until recently, they were stored in the parish archives at the Marian shrine in Rokitno. They were most certainly brought to the western lands of Poland in 1945 by settlers from the Borderlands of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The documents are highly informative. On their basis, it is possible to reconstruct and supplement the news about the settlement of the Ruthenian lands, the local land ownership and the parish organization in the Przemyśl Diocese. They also bring genealogical information, mainly about the Herburt and Lanckoroński families, as well as mentions of officials in Ruthenia and Podolia.

‘The Lord God Has Taken Strange Care of Churches and Priests.’ Material Losses of the Catholic Church on the Territory of the Oświęcim Deanery during World War II

Adrian Kędzierski — 2025-06-17

The article addresses the issue of losses suffered by the Catholic Church in the Oświęcim deanery during World War II. This issue has not yet been discussed in detail in the historical literature. The losses were caused by warfare, the looting policies of the German occupiers, the brutal Soviet liberation and the behaviour of demoralized parishioners.

The Latin Rite Archdiocese of Lviv (1939–1990): State of Research

Pavlo Khomiak Rev. — 2025-06-17

The purpose of this article is to analyse historiographical sources authored by Ukrainian, Polish and Soviet researchers who studied the situation of the Roman Catholic Church in the Lviv Archdiocese in 1939–1990; to identify the main approaches and methodologies used in the study of this issue in different scholarly traditions, as well as to assess the degree of objectivity and completeness of coverage of the topic; to systematize scholarly achievements on the impact of political, social and cultural processes on the position of the Church; and to identify current areas of research. An analysis of the research conducted to date reveals a change in the approach to capturing the position of the Roman Catholic Church in different periods, particularly in Soviet and contemporary Ukrainian historiography, which adds to our understanding of the issue. Thus, the article aims to contribute to the continuation of further scientific research on the history of the Diocese of Lviv and to identify new fields of scientific inquiry.

The Fall of the Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Armenian Church in Poland during World War II and Attempts to Save It

Tomasz Krzyżowski — 2025-06-17

The period of World War II brought severe and irreversible consequences for the functioning of the Armenian Catholic Church in Poland. Repression by the Soviets and Germans against the clergy and faithful, the outlawing of church institutions and the expatriation of the population into post-war Poland led to the liquidation of the Armenian Archdiocese of Lviv. The archival, library and museum collections stored in Lviv and in parish churches in the provinces suffered significantly. The looting of cultural property and the deliberate destruction of book collections and archival collections are also part of the strategies of the occupYing powers, especially the Soviets. This was the case with the furnishings of the Armenian archbishops’ palace, the Armenian Benedictine monastery and the cathedral chapter buildings. The collections were nationalized and incorporated into the resources of state institutions: libraries, archives, and museums of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Thus, the book collections, manuscripts, textiles and liturgical paraphernalia and other mementos of Armenian culture, which had been accumulated for several centuries, were decomposed and lost. The article discusses the losses suffered and attempts to reconstruct the fate of the collections of individual institutions: the library of Archbishop Józef Teodorowicz, the library and archives of the Armenian chapter, the consistory archives, the Armenian Archdiocesan Museum, and the furnishings of the Armenian Ca thedral in Lviv and the churches of the former Armenian Archdiocese. Reconstructing the fate of the aforementioned collections is not easy due to gaps in archival documentation and the relocation of collections during the occupation and in the post-war period. Some works of art and memorabilia of Armenian provenance have been transported by clergy and laity to Poland and are currently stored at the Armenian Polish Culture and Heritage Foundation in Warsaw and the Ossoliński National Institute in Wrocław.

Historical Library of the Archbishop’s Office in Košice

Štefan Lenčiš Rev. — 2025-06-17

The current archbishop’s library in Košice is one of the largest historical libraries in eastern Slovakia. Its origin can be found in the first library of the parish church of St. Michael (r. 1420) and later in Cathedral of St. Elizabeth. The discovered oldest book catalog of the parish library from 1604 brought a very valuable book fund, which contained up to 160 manuscripts. The gradual creation of this parish library was developed especially after 1804, when the Bishopric of Košice was founded. The initial parish library fund was significantly enriched primarily by the bishops themselves by donating, but also by purchasing book titles, and even by their own philosophical and theological works. The bishop’s library was gradually undergoing reorganization and at the same time the creation of new book catalogs, which are the subject of research in connection with this library. Currently, this library, since 1995 already called the archbishop’s library, has almost 60,000 volumes in its collection. The most valuable books include manuscripts (codexes) and incunabula. A very large number of historical books, among which philosophical and theological disciplines dominate, are also very valuable. The rich book collection of the Archbishop’s Library requires a new professional approach, targeted research and also professional care associated with the creation of a new library catalog.

Litterae deauratae et pictae – Unknown Italian Cuttings from Illuminated Papal Manuscripts at the National Museum in Kraków

Justyna Łuczyńska-Bystrowska — 2025-06-17

The National Museum in Kraków holds a collection of albums containing a series of initials cut from 16th-century Italian illuminated manuscripts from the papal book collection in the sacristy of the Sistine Chapel. The French Revolution and Napoleonic campaigns caused a massive dispersal of aristocratic collections and monastic book collections, which had far-reaching effects on the antiquarian market in the 19th century. During the Napoleonic invasion of Rome in 1798, the treasures of the Vatican were looted, along with the contents of the sacristy of the Sistine Chapel, which contained a priceless book collection amassed over the centuries by successive popes and church dignitaries. The largest group of Vatican manuscripts came into the possession of Rev. Luigi Celotti (1759–1843), a connoisseur and art dealer employed by the Barbarigo family in Venice. On 26 May 1825, the London’s Christie’s held the first ever auction devoted entirely to cuttings and single sheets cut from medieval and Renaissance manuscripts. On display were miniatures, fragments of borders, initials and single pages cut from medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, which were then spread among libraries and private collections around the world. The purpose of this article is to provide an art-historical analysis of hitherto unknown albums in the collection of the National Museum in Kraków in the context of 19th-century collecting practices.

Secret Archive in the Diocesan curia as a Special Manifestation of the Ecclesial ‘Culture of Secrecy’

Karolina Mazur — 2025-06-17

The category of secrecy is of particular significance in the canonical order. It is meant to protect the individual and the church community, the freedom of the individual believer and the freedom of the community. Of particular importance is the secrecy in criminal trials. The secrecy constitutes a protection of the Church’s freedom from undue external interference and pressure, enabling it to fulfil its task in the world to the best of its ability for the good of humanity; it protects Church institutions, serves to respect the privacy of individuals, preserves the autonomy of the Catholic Church, and facilitates the normal functioning of institutions and the realization of the common good. A spectacular manifestation of the appreciation of secrecy in canon law and the functioning of the Church is the canonical institution of a secret archive in the diocesan curia, whose goals coincide with those of the canonical category of secrecy. The purpose of this article is to present in canonical terms the question of the secret archive in the diocesan curia, which appears as a particular manifestation of the ecclesial ‘culture of secrecy’. Part one discusses the role of secrecy in the canonical system. In the second part, the issue of the obligation to establish and care for the secret archive is presented on the basis of canonical regulations, followed by a presentation of the documents that constitute the secret archive’s stock, and finally the destruction of documents from the secret archive is addressed.

Materials from the Archives of the Greater Poland-Mazovian Province of the Society of Jesus as a Source of Knowledge about Theatrical Activities in the Łódź Jesuit Institutions after World War II

Małgorzata Mieszek — 2025-06-17

The article attempts to reconstruct information on amateur theatres operating at Łódź Jesuit churches after World War II. They were an important factor in evangelization and catechetical work, bonding the community, and deepening the religious knowledge and spirituality of the faithful. An attempt was made, based on archival materials, to reconstruct the repertoire, frequency of performances, and their occasionality. The performers and some aspects of stage production of plays staged at the Łódź Jesuits were also addressed.

‘And with Their Prayer, One Had to Be Secretive…’ – Memoirs of Rev. Jozef Szubert (1906–1973) from Concentration Camps. Edition of the Source Text

Tomasz Nocoń — 2025-06-17

The article is the first edition of the source text of Wspomnienia z obozów (Memories from the Camps), an account written down by Rev. Józef Szubert (1906–1973). The memoirs were found in the collection of the Archdiocesan Archives in Katowice. Rev. Józef Szubert a priest of the Silesian (Katowice) diocese, was arrested by the Nazis in 1940. At first, he was detained in the Dachau concentration camp, then transferred to the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp. He was imprisoned for six months and left the camp in November 1940 and returned to the diocese, where he continued his pastoral work. The text is another source for historical research on the persecution of Polish clergy during World War II.

The Madonna of Kazimierz Dolny. History of Property

Romana Rupiewicz — 2025-06-17

The sculpture of the Beautiful Madonna of Kazimierz Dolny was created around 1420–1430. Until 1935 it was in the parish church in Kazimierz Dolny, then it was loaned to the Institute of Art Propaganda in Warsaw for an exhibition entitled Polish Gothic Art. The article presents archival material, hitherto unpublished, on the history of the sculpture’s loan and subsequent attempts to recover it in Communist Poland. Ownership of the sculpture was transferred to the Treasury under the Decree on Abandoned and Derelict Property of 8 March 1948, which was finally confirmed by a Supreme Court ruling in 1965. Efforts were made to recover the sculpture shortly after the war by the parish priest of Kazimierz, Rev. Hipolit Boratyński, and architect Karol Siciński, who was rebuilding the town, then destroyed after the war.

Source Materials Concerning the Dzierżyński and Siła-Nowicki Families in the Collection of the Manuscripts Section of the University Library of the Catholic University of Lublin

Ewa Rzeczkowska — 2025-06-17

The article presents the collections of the Manuscripts Section of the University Library of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin concerning the Dzierżyński and Siła-Nowicki families. This is a unique collection, as it contains documents from Russian archives, which confirm the noble lineage of both families. They also provide tools for compiling the history of these families and reconstructing the biographical features of their prominent representatives. One of the most valuable historical sources is the manuscript of Ignacy Dzierżyński’s memoirs. It can be helpful in describing the history of education and schooling in the Polish lands in the first half of the 20th century.

The Activity of Zygmunt Sarnecki’s ‘Ars’ Salon in the Context of the Development of the Art Market in Kraków in the Early Twentieth Century

Ewa Skotniczna — 2025-06-17

The issue of the formation of the art market in Poland in historical terms has not yet been widely reflected in art history research. The turn of the 19th and 20th centuries was a period of special flourishing for Kraków as one of the most important cultural centres in the Polish lands under the partitions. The high supply of artworks required the organization of modern forms of sales. Although sales of art objects existed through the activities of second-hand bookshops, bookstores, warehouses, publicly organized auctions, and popular lotteries, there was a lack of professional intermediation that could raise the level of the art market at that time. This gap was filled by the initiative of Zygmunt Sarnecki (1837–1922), a well-known playwright, publicist, and art expert, who in 1904 opened a salon in Kraków called ‘Ars’, which sold sculptures and paintings by Polish artists. The purpose of the article is to describe the activities of this first fully professional art salon in Kraków in relation to the situation of the luxury goods trade at the time. The nature and activities of the company, the process of acquiring works from artists themselves, and its significance for the formation of the art market in Kraków in the early 20th century were reconstructed on the basis of Zygmunt Sarnecki’s hitherto unpublished correspondence with artists and press materials. This topic may inspire more extensive research within the scope of the issues described in the article.

Musical Iconographic Spaces of the Norbertine Monastery in Strzelno

Dariusz Sobczak ks. — 2025-06-17

The Norbertine Monastery in Strzelno, which has existed since the 12th century, hides a rich musical culture that is constantly developing, becoming part of the national and European heritage. The interest in the past of the site came mainly in the second half of the 20th century, and, as a consequence, the history of the Norbertine nuns and an instrumental ensemble was discovered, books and music documentation were found, and a catalogue of musicians active in the Strzelno church over the centuries was compiled. The historic scientific research is complemented by the musical iconography found in the temple, which carries a profound message and forms a coherent whole with the chanting and music performed therein. This publication constitutes a humble discovery of the iconographic content and an attempt to decipher their iconological meaning. To achieve this result, historical, analytical, iconographic and iconological methods were employed.

Organs in the Churches of the Klimontów Deanery of the Sandomierz Diocese. Non-preserved Instruments in the Light of Archival Sources

Maria Szymanowicz — 2025-06-17

This article is based on 18th-, 19th- and 20th-century sources stored in archives in Kraków, Sandomierz and Radom. Analysis of the data obtained allowed the following conclusions. 16 unpreserved instruments were found in 10 churches in the Klimontów Deanery For the most part, they were small positive organs with 3–10 voices and one manual keyboard. The exception was the 16-voice organ in the parish church in Goźlice. All instruments were located in the music choir. They served not only a musical function; painted and decorated with woodcarving, they were an important part of their temples’ décor. Only one name of the organ builder is known, namely Grudecki [Grudziński], constructor of the organ in Goźlice. The makers of the remaining unpreserved instruments remain anonymous. Some of the organs were in poor condition and needed repair, and two were completely unusable. Two other instruments in Goźlice burned down during World War I and World War II.

St Peter’s Parish in Stevens Point and Its Pastors in the Pages of Dziennik Chicagoski between 1893 and 1920

Józef Szymański ks. — 2025-06-17

To date, a description of the history of St Peter’s Parish in Stevens Point in Portage County on the Wisconsin River has been presented in a few pages by Rev. Wacław Kruszka. The present study refers to information published in the pages of Dziennik Chicagoski from 1893 to 1920, sometimes supplementing it with news from the Polish press in America. It recreates the process of the formation of the Polish colony in the area and shows the contribution of individual Polish pastors to the preservation by Poles of their religious and national identity. The beginnings of Polish settlement in the city and the surrounding area date back to 1860. The following subsequent Polish pastors served the Polish families settled there: Jan Polak, Bonawentura Buczyński, Józef Dąbrowski, Antoni Bogacki, January Czarnowski, Wojciech Bukowski, Jozafat Wałuń, Jan J. Zawistowski, Emanuel J. Słowikowski, Antoni Lex, Władysław Grabowski, Zygmunt Woźny, Kwiryn Zieliński, Nikodem Kolasiński, Łukasz Peściński and Stanisław A. Elbert. Due to their efforts, a school and a parish were established. The activities were led by: St Peter’s Fraternal Society, St Joseph’s Confraternity, Confraternity of Rosary Women and Confraternity of Rosary Virgins. In addition, the parish had a group of the Association of Poles in America. Thanks to the efforts of Rev. Ł. J. Peścinski, the Polish sisters of the Congregation of the Sisters of St Francis of Assisi obtained permission from Church authorities to establish a separate Polish congregation of the same rule under the name of St Joseph. In 1915 the congregation included 270 sisters, 69 novices and 50 candidates. In 1912, the parish counted 700 Polish families from the city and surrounding farms, reaching within 10 miles to the southwest and seven miles to the east.

The Badge of Miechów. History, Symbolism, Meaning

Marcin Szymoniak — 2025-06-17

The badge of Miechów is the oldest of the Polish badges. Its history is closely linked to the monastery of the Holy Sepulchre in Miechów, one of the largest and richest in the former Commonwealth, existing between 1163 and 1819. So far, it has not been the subject of thorough research by historians, which the article seeks to change. At the end of the 18th century (most likely in 1789), Tomasz Nowiński, the last provost general of the Miechów monastery, established a new badge of affiliation to the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre, established before the end of the 12th century. It was awarded perhaps even until Nowiński’s death in 1830, and was usually called the ‘Order of Miechów’, although it never really enjoyed the rank of an order. It evolved from the monastery’s emblem, the double red cross, which all members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre were allowed to embroider on their clothing. Initially, this ‘order of Miechów’ had the same shape and colour, but was made of metal and hung around the neck. Each was accompanied by a patent in Latin or Polish. As its contents show, the earlier form of ‘the order’ continued to function in parallel with the badge. It was established that ‘the order of Miechów’ was introduced to obtain money for the monastery, which was in financial difficulties (only after making such an offering could one receive it and become a member of the said brotherhood). Hence, it was modified to resemble a real order. Four versions of it were created, the last of which faithfully imitated secular orders (in the form of a six-pointed star cross – a form unique in Polish phaleristics). It was also an important part of the monastery’s changing symbolic sphere from around the mid-18th century. A total of four copies of the badge were found, together with three original patents. The symbolism of ‘the order of Miechów’ is quite elaborate and mainly focuses around its most important element, the double cross. ‘The order’ itself was very popular, but its rank was not very high. This is confirmed, among other things, by the literature and the fact that its ‘cavaliers’ usually included lower rank officers. It is difficult to determine the total number of ‘cavaliers’ of the badge since the late 18th century. Research has shown that it was obtained by at least 12 people, including General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski. It is undoubtedly another important source for understanding the material and spiritual culture, as well as iconosphere of the Miechów monastery.

Worship of the Icon in Nowy Świerżeń in the 17th and 18th Centuries – Between Pragmatism and the Patronage of the Radziwiłł Family

Dorota Wereda — 2025-06-17

The article presents the history of icon worship in the Unitarian Orthodox church in the Radziwiłł-owned village of Nowy Świerżeń (present-day Novy Sverzhen) in the 17th–18th centuries. The history of the worship is analysed in the context of the influence on its development of the representatives of the Radziwiłł family. In order to animate the cult and provide pastoral care to arriving pilgrims, like at the Marian worship site in Żyrowice, Prince Aleksander Ludwik Radziwiłł planned to bring the Basilian Order to the village in 1652. The foundation was finalised as late as 1740. Many pilgrims came to Świerżeń to experience miraculous healings. As a token of gratitude, they placed votive offerings next to the icon. Reports of miracles were recorded in Księga Cudów (The Book of Miracles), the first edition of which was published in 1650, and a second edition, supplemented with information on more miracles, in 1750. The Marian devotion centre in Nowy Świerżeń remained an important place of worship for the local community in the modern era. It has not received more than local publicity, the reasons for which were complex. The worship of the icon of the Mother of God in the Świerżeń Orthodox Church was initiated at a time when many other places of Marian devotion had a long tradition, and others had already gained fame. This condition was also influenced by the Radziwiłłs’ insufficient support for the promotion of the cult of the Virgin Mary in the image in Nowy Świerżeń.

The Seals of Silesian Knights in the Pre-Hussite Era. Addendum from the Collection of Polish Church Archives

Marek L. Wójcik — 2025-06-17

The article, which has the character of a source edition, complements a book published in 2019 on the seals of Silesian knights from the pre-Hussite era (i.e., before 1419). It compiles 32 – mostly unknown in historiography – seals from archdiocesan archives in Gniezno and Wrocław. The catalogue, compiled in accordance with generally accepted standards of sphragistic description, is preceded by a brief introduction that discusses why the seals included herein were omitted in the 2019 publication and explains the principles of their current edition.

Epitaph of Marcin Orłowita (d. 1630) in Bydgoszcz Cathedral and Its Founder

Tomasz Zaucha — 2025-06-17

The epitaph of Martin Orlowita (c. 1560–1630) in the Cathedral of St Martin and Nicholas in Bydgoszcz allows us, thanks to the addition of information from archival sources, to learn about the figure of the patrician at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries and his pious foundation for the Bydgoszcz parish. The sources also include information about the family relations of a painter from Kraków, Łukasz Porębski, who commissioned a Baroque epitaph made of black marble from Dębnik, which was coming into fashion.

Losses in the Resources of Catholic Record Books in the Diocese of Warmia after 1945

Wojciech Zawadzki ks. — 2025-06-17

During World War II, the Diocese of Warmia suffered significant personal and material losses. This article is an attempt to describe war losses in the resource of Warmian record books. The approximate number of record books in the Diocese of Warmia before 1945 and estimates of the books that have survived to the present day are presented. The search conducted covered state and church archives in Poland (Olsztyn, Elbląg, Gdańsk) and in Germany (Münster, Leipzig, Berlin). Many books previously remaining in the parish archives of the Diocese of Warmia and Elbląg were also included in the scope.

[Review]: Powstanie Wydziału Teologicznego Uniwersytetu Śląskiego w Katowicach. Dokumenty i relacje, wprowadzenie i edycja Lucyna Sadzikowska, Katowice 2023, ss. 334 (Źródła do Dziejów Kościoła Katolickiego na Górnym Śląsku, 34), ISBN 978-839-650-59-34

Damian Bednarski ks. — 2025-06-17

[Review]: Wacław Umiński CM, Towarzystwo św. Wincentego a Paulo na ziemiach polskich w latach 1850-1959, Kraków 2024, ss. 606, ISBN 987-83-7730-676-5

Józef Marecki ks. — 2025-06-17

[Review]: Andrzej Derdziuk, Zakonnik i uczony Roland Prejs OFMCap 1956-2023, Wydawnictwo Diecezjalne i Drukarnia Sandomierz, Lublin 2024, ss. 250, ISBN 978-83-8345-232-6

Tadeusz Zadykowicz ks. — 2025-06-17