Kształtowanie się kultu i nauki o Maryi – „Róży Duchownej”

Abstract

The article presents the development of the devotion to, and teaching about, the Blessed Virgin Mary – Mystical Rose (Rosa Mystica) in the life of the Church. It consists of three points. The first points out how the Bible is very restrained in its use of rose metaphors in general, mainly due to its profanation in ancient pagan civilizations (roses were used to decorate goddesses and lecherous lips). In fact, the Hebrew text makes no mention of it at all, while Greek and Latin texts of the deuterocanonical books (Wisdom of Sirach) refer to its symbolism only a few times. At first, the Fathers of the Church were equally guarded. Only later did they overcome the stigma of pagan connotations associated with the rose, and used it metaphorically to express the Blessed Virgin’s spiritual beauty. Thus theological and devotional foundations for the title “Mystical Rose” were established. Historically, the title emerges in the Middle-Ages. This leads to the second point, namely, how the term came into being and who it was that contributed to its dissemination (writers, mystics, liturgy, poetry, sacred art, and pilgrimage centers). The third point concentrates on the modem development of the devotion and teaching about the Rosa Mystica. It first points out the role of the Rosary and the Litany of Loreto in the popularization of the title. It then demonstrates that the height of its popularity coincided with the baroque period, which relied heavily on biblical, patristic and medieval Marian symbolism. The cult of the Mystical Rose appeared in preaching, poetry, hymns and iconography. Teaching about her flourished in numerous theological works, whose authors attempted to build their Mariology based solely on the Litany of Loreto. The Enlightenment put a damper on the devotion and to the teaching about Rosa Mystica. However, by the end of the 19th century and throughout the 20th both the devotion and teaching about it was slowly restored. Noteworthy in the process of its reemergence are the reflections of Blessed John Henry Newman. Soon, Marian sanctuaries where the Mystical Rose is venerated (Fontanelle, Gostyń) began to thrive and post-councilor popes would bear them gifts of golden roses. Theologians began to explore the theological significance of beauty, thus making the mystery of Mary more accessible. This, in tum, evoked interest in her mystical life, which is the hermeneutical key to understanding her spirituality.