Pasyjne kazania o. Fortunata Łosiewskiego, jako przykład kaznodziejstwa późnobarokowego

Abstract

The content of topical sermons – and the texts under analysis can be considered as such – related in the first place to sins and Christian virtues, i.e. broadly understood moral and social issues. The author observed life and described it in a colorful and detailed way. He gave the listeners a lot of instructions and directives, incentives and warnings. It would be difficult to find a deeper dogmatic justification in his sermons; they are mostly conventional and not very attractive. This does not mean, however, that his reflections lacked passion and religious zeal. He firmly demanded authentic faith, non-hypocritical moral attitude and resignation from cheap formality, so that the listener might enjoy the fullness of eternal life in the future. The syntax of his speeches was not always very clear or understandable, though his language was lively, colorful and rich. Latin quotations, present here and there, were mostly translated into Polish. According to his contemporaries such language was more respectable and richer. Apart from neologisms and archaic expressions he used compound words, diminutives and synonyms. Coarseness, unfettered triviality, irony and satire are all present in the sermons. Undoubtedly, he was making use of colloquial expressions; all in accordance with the existing canons of the art of preaching. And although it would be hard to talk about sophistication, his suggestive and descriptive style, which makes it an efficient tool for a preacher, should be emphasized. The number of Latin additions is moderate. Despite the remoteness in time, the writings of this 18th century Franciscan friar confirm the ever up-to-date thesis of homiletics: as much as every preacher should know perfectly his contemporary world in order to translate the timeless Biblical truths into the language of his epoch and incorporate them into the present, he should avoid a situation in which the spirit of the epoch might conceal the revealed deposit of faith. Disregarding literary value of Fortunat Losiewski's Passion sermons, it should be stresses that they are characterized by unquestioned closeness to life. It can be felt that the preacher was talking on the basis of his own experience and that in his preaching the matter of utmost importance is on the one hand the worldly well-being of his listeners, and on the other, their eternal salvation.