Liturgia i pobożność ludowa w świetle „Dyrektorium o pobożności ludowej i liturgii”

Abstract

Beside liturgy an important place in the Church is taken by various forms of extra-liturgical communal and private piety. The term “popular piety” (piete populaire) is superior to other forms of extra-liturgical Christian piety: services (les pieux exercises), outer pious practices (les devotions) and popular religiousness (religiosite populaire). Manifestations of popular piety recognized by the Church belong to the Christian cult. The basic difference between liturgy and popular piety consists in the fact that liturgical celebrations, mainly those of sacraments, are necessary in order to live in Christ and in the Church, whereas the rich forms of popular piety are only recommended as a complement to liturgy. However, they should agree with its spirit, issue from it and lead to it. On the basis of the Church’s teaching on liturgy, and mainly on The Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy the author formulates the Church’s theological and pastoral directions concerning the relation between liturgy and popular piety. What is common in liturgy and popular piety is first of all God Himself in the Trinity of Persons, whom the faithful address; next, it is the aim, which is sanctification (salvation) and worshiping God (cult). In the final part of the article the author mentions the most important rules that are supposed to shape the forms of popular piety in everyday life of Christian communities.