Obraz polskiej duchowości na przełomie XIX i XX wieku

Abstract

The period from January Uprising to the end of 20th century is called the fourth golden period of Polish spirituality, the age of the biggest number of Polish blessed and saints. It is a great blooming period discovering experiential mystique of women and studio mystique and discovering Polish schools of the theology of spirituality and Polish conventual spirituality. Polish religious orders promoting Marian cult as means of bringing up children in Christian virtue are developing. There is an intensive pilgrimage movement to Marian sanctuaries. These sanctuaries also played cultural and social role. In religious experiencing of Polish people an important role was played by services such as Lamentations, the Way of the Cross, the cult of Holy Sepulchre and Calvary, litanies and chaplets. This devotion was connected with the national issue and permeated by Passion motives. An expression of that was the identification of the national – liberation faith with the Cross and the Passion of Christ. The spirituality of Polish saints developed the fellowman sensitivity. They were convinced of absolute work for the country and they were aware of the woman role in influence on intellectual – landowning and rustic elites. The convents formed the movement of religious life and spiritually – mystique renewal on Polish lands. This great formation movement of religious congregation for men and women created Polish theology of conventual spirituality. In this period three Polish schools of spirituality arose: the Resurrectionists’, Honorat’s and Franciscan – Capuchin’s ones. In this movement of life renewal and development of conventual life, especially in congregations, Polish experiential mystique of women appeared. In the 19th century there was a great interest of studio mystique. The issues of spiritual life and mystique were promoted by various magazines.