Eklezjotwórczy wymiar świętości i męczeństwa Stanisława ze Szczepanowa

The Church-forming dimension of the holiness and martyrdom of St. Stanisław of Szczepanów

Summary: The role of St. Stanisław in the history of Poland should not be limited only to the cult (relics, images etc.), literature, poetry or to the contribution into the creation of the national consciousness. Stanisław, the bishop of Cracow should be most of all discovered and presented in the light of his holiness and martyrdom. This paper outlines only the great importance of holiness especially in its unusual form of martyrdom, in the process of the existence and development of the Church, especially the local Church.
Stanisław was murdered at the end of the 11th century and he was considerably quickly canonised i.e. in 1253. His holiness is still convincing despite the time passed. His martyrdom revived then and still does revive the Church upon the Vistula River. His death caused the development of the spontanious cult of his figure. The first catalogues of miracles written on parchment in 1252 seem to prove this fact.
An anthropological approach towards holiness does not cover the whole spectre of the issue because holiness still remains most of all a misterium gratiae. With the holiness of his life the bishop of Cracow strengthened the Church in its invisible, supernatural dimension. Only after considering all this the contribution of St. Stanisław into the development of the Polish nationality and consciousness can be discussed. For the Spirit goes before the Matter. The martyrdom of St. Stanisław gave birth to Skałka as a Sanctuary of the Nation.

Peregrinus Cracoviensis, 2003, z.14, s. 55-62.

Instytut Geografii i Gospodarki Przestrzennej UJ

ISSN 1425-1922

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