Hierarchia prawd a patroni kościołów

Abstract

The objective of the article is to answer the question of the degree to which the II Vatican Council concept of the hierarchy of truths finds reflection in dedications of parish churches. The material for this study constituted of the dedications of churches in the Archdiocese of Kraków. The analyses allowed formulating the following conclusions. The post-Council increase in dedications referring to God should be perceived as a positive tendency equal to understanding the Holy Trinity and Incarnation as central truths of the Christian faith. An analogous increase has been noted in dedications to Our Lady, which has been undoubtedly influenced by the Marian dogmas proclaimed in the recent centuries. The complete disappearance of dedications to angels appears to be a symptom of the diminishing devotion to them. The substantial decline in the number of churches dedicated to saints accompanied by a rise of canonizations is a sign of a shift in focus toward the central truths of the Christian faith.