Christianization of Poland
History of Poland |
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The Christianization of Poland
While the spread of Christianity in Poland took centuries to finish, the process was ultimately successful, as within several decades Poland joined the rank of established European states recognised by the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire. According to historians, the baptism of Poland marks the beginning of Polish statehood.[4] Nevertheless, the Christianization was a long and arduous process, as most of the Polish population remained pagan until the pagan reaction during the 1030s.
Background
Before the adoption of Christianity in modern-day Poland, there were a number of different
The Moravian cultural influence played a significant role in the spread of Christianity onto the Polish lands and the subsequent adoption of that religion.[1][5] In the opinion of Davies, the Christianization of Poland through the Czech–Polish alliance represented a conscious choice on the part of Polish rulers to ally themselves with the Czech state rather than the German one.[1][6] In a similar fashion, some of the later political struggles involved the Polish Church refusing to subordinate itself to the German hierarchy and instead being directly subordinate to the Vatican.[7][8][9]
Baptism
"The Baptism of Poland" refers to the ceremony when the first ruler of the Polish state,
The exact place of Mieszko's baptism is disputed; Most historians argue that Gniezno or Poznań are the most likely sites.[7][10] However, other historians have suggested alternative locations, such as Ostrów Lednicki, or even in German Regensburg.[10] The date of Mieszko's baptism was 14 April 966, Holy Saturday.[7]
The ceremony was preceded by a week of oral catechism and several days of fasting. The actual ceremony involved pouring water over the segregated groups of men and women, although it is possible that their heads were immersed instead, and anointed with the chrism.[7]
Christianization of Poland
The baptismal mission which began in the two major cities of Gniezno and Poznań with the baptism of Mieszko and his court spread throughout the country.
Although at first the Christian religion was "unpopular and alien", Mieszko's baptism was highly influential[3] but needed to be enforced by the state, and ran into some popular opposition, including an uprising in the 1030s (particularly intense in the years of 1035–1037).[5][9] Nonetheless, by that time Poland had won recognition as a proper European state, from both the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire.[11]
Out of various provinces of today's Poland, Christianity's spread was slowest in Pomerania, where it gained a significant following only around the 12th century.[5] Initially, the clergy came from the Western Christian European countries; native Polish clergy took three or four generations to emerge, and were supported by the monasteries and friars that grew increasingly common in the 12th century.[3] By the 13th century Roman Catholicism had become the dominant religion throughout Poland.[3]
In adopting Christianity as the state religion, Mieszko sought to achieve several personal goals.[5] He saw Poland's baptism as a way of strengthening his hold on power, as well as using it as a unifying force for the Polish people.[5][8] It replaced several smaller cults with a single, central one, clearly associated with the royal court.[7] It would also improve the position and respectability of the Polish state on the international, European scene.[7][8] The Church also helped to strengthen the monarch's authority and brought to Poland much experience with regard to state administration. Thus, the Church organisation supported the state, and in return, bishops received important government titles (in the later era, they were members of the Senate of Poland).[5]
Millennial celebrations of 1966
The preparations for the millennial celebrations begun with the Great Novena of 1957, which marked a nine years period of fast and prayer. In 1966, the
On 30 July 1966, the
An anniversary parade was held in front of the
See also
- Catholic Church in Poland
- Lech, Czech, and Rus
- Christianization of Bohemia
- Christianization of Kievan Rus'
- Dagome Iudex
- History of Poland (966–1385)
- List of archbishops of Gniezno and primates of Poland
- Northern Crusades
Notes
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-03456-5. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ Chrystianizacja Polski południowej. Materiały sesji naukowej odbytej 29 czerwca 1993 roku, Kraków, 1994
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-85332-3. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-226-99304-1. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Juliusz Bardach, Boguslaw Lesnodorski, and Michal Pietrzak, Historia panstwa i prawa polskiego Warsaw: Paristwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1987, pp. 53–54
- ISBN 978-0-231-12817-9. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-521-36429-4. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-03456-5. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-231-12817-9. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ a b Leszek Moczulski (2007). Narodziny Międzymorza: ukształtowanie ojczyzn, powstanie państw oraz układy geopolityczne wschodniej części Europy w późnej starożytności i we wczesnym średniowieczu. Bellona. p. 638. GGKEY:KQL3CPL831C. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ]
- ISBN 978-0-231-12817-9. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ U.S. #1313 Polish Millennium MNH Archived 14 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Defilada tysiąclecia – partyjne obchody milenium – zdjęcie nr 7". wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Niesamowita Defilada Tysiąclecia. Tak to wyglądało w 1966 [WIDEO] | Warszawa W Pigułce". 16 August 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Kronika RP". kronikarp.pl. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- ^ "Рыцари (в кинореквизите) участвуют в параде в честь 1000-летия Польского государства". Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ^ "Jak wyglądała największa parada wojskowa w historii Polski". 19 July 2016.