Treści ideowe kultu Świętej Włóczni w świetle średniowiecznych źródeł liturgii polskiej

Abstract

With the saint Spear we at once associaste an important relic of Christ’s Passion. In the early Middles Ages this vestige was deeply revered for it was linked with the names of eminent sovereigns or holy warriors. Already in the time of the Romains, a spear in the hand of a ruler was the symbol of his authority. The leading feature of religions or political reverence in Germany was symbolized precisely by this spear-holding ruler. Liudprand of Cremonia, chronioler of Otto the Great, who was the first to establish this belief (for Constantine) through St. Helen as well as the first to trace the history of the apparition of this insignia through Henry the Ist, became the exponent of political tendencies involved on the saxon dynasty. Henry the Ist and his successeurs endeavored to take over all the prerogatives of the ruling Karolings including the succession to the throne. They regarded the apear of Constantine as a symbol of the past Caesarean tradition, which, from then on, all the pretendents to the throne tried to attain. This is why, they ordered all coins and seals to carry their image with the saint Spear in hand. Otto the IIIrd even transmitted a copy of this spear (which, in Gaul acquired the name of St. Mauritius’ spear) to Bolesław Chrobry during the Gniezno meeting in the year 1000. It is now conserved in the cathedral in Cracow. This gesture recognized, at the time, the sovereignty of Polish authorities and assigned to Poland the religious mission of the "defender of the Faith”. A somewhat later chronical of Theitmar judged this with as much disapproval as did the Magdeburg annuals who charged Mieszkow the IInd with illegal appearance with the royal crown, the saint Spear grasped in his hand. In the later Middle Ages, the saint Caesarean Spear slowly acquired a purely sacral character. This is why Carol the IVth obtained a special constitution from the Pope for Bohemia and Germany at the ceremony of Lanceae et clavorum Domini on the first Friday after Easter. Already, at the end of the Century, in Silesia, belonging at that time to the Czechs, a special formulary consecrated to the Mass of the saint Spear, appeared. Similar texte of votive form were circulating in all Polish dioceses from the XVth Century on. Despite the fact that this cult was mostly Concerned with the Passion as a whole, one can detect certain links with the spear-holding ruler, especially in the prayer commending the Caesarean or royal couple to God. Only 4 Silesian texts refer to an Emperor; although a petition in the name of the king appears in one Cracovian and in four Silesian manuscripits. Even missals, printed in Wrocław between 1505 and 1519 refer to this request; this is due to the fact that at this time, Silesia was not subject to the German imperial authorities. Texts of the Holy Mass possessed a votive character not only in the Wrocław diocese but also in other Polisih dioceses. Only in the Kamienian diocese, ,by order of Bishop Benedict (1485-1498) was the ceremony of Lanceae et clavorum Domini incorporated into the calendar. The appearance of a formulary Consecrated to the Mass of the sainlt Spear in almost all of the Cracovian missals can be linked with the Spear of Otto the IIIrd as well as with the Nails of Christ conserved in the treasury of the cathedral in Cracow itself.