Taksa za posługi duszpasterskie w archidiakonacie pomorskim w XVII – XVIII w.

Abstract

Until recently an official fee for priestly services in the Pomerania region between 16th and 18th c. was not known. The author discovered it at the archives of Chełm Diocese in Pelplin. It contains rates for the congregation for such ministerial services as baptism, wedding ceremony, funeral services and Easter confession; also those paid for a priest’s visit at Christmas time or blessing of food at Easter. It also included tithes. The church authorities saw a need to establish rates for liturgical services and maintaining of priests and other church staff so that those worshippers who asked a priest for ministrations were not dissatisfied with too high fees while ministers and consistory officials could make an adequate living on them. A rise in prices and earnings would tempt the clergy to raise fees for church services; this, in turn, would cause dissatisfaction among the congregation members; a fixed rate prevented the church against such complaints.