Dwa narody w jednym zakonie. Stosunki narodowościowe w Polskiej i Litewskiej Prowincji Karmelitów Bosych
- Two nations in one monastery. National issues in the Polish and Lithuanian province of Discalced Carmelites
- Dvi tautos viename vienuolyne. Tautiniai nesutarimai lenkų ir lietuvių basųjų karmelitų provincijoje
LTStraipsnyje analizuojami Lenkijos ir Lietuvos santykiai remiantis karmelitų ordino pavyzdžiu. Abi tautos susitiko toje pačioje basųjų karmelitų ordino bendruomenėje, kuri buvo įkurta Abiejų Tautų Respublikoje 17 a. pradžioje. Lenkijos ir Lietuvos karmelitų istorijos įvykių analizė leidžia nuodugniau ištirti jų ryšius. Daug dėmesio straipsnyje skiriama Šventosios Dvasios karmelitų provincijos pasidalijimui į lenkiškąją ir lietuviškąją. Skilimas atskleidė tautinius skirtumus, parodė vienuolių tarpusavio nepasitikėjimą, užsispyrimą ir net priešiškumą. Rašant straipsnį daugiausia remtasi dokumentais.
ENThe experience of monastic life is, by its nature, the experience of multinationality and multiculturality. That truth could be easily noticed in the history of monasteries starting the apostolic activity in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Meeting of the two nations that were constituting multicultural community of Polish-Lithuanian country also took place within the structures of the monastic community of Discalced Carmelites order that came to Poland in 1605. In 1626 the first monastery in Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was founded. The author of the article tries to analyse Polish-Lithuanian mutual relations on the ground of Carmelite Order. At first, however, in order to help the readers understand the historical context, the author describes the history of Carmelites’ presence and their activities starting from the first half of 17th century. Apart from the Vilnius foundation, by the end of the 17th century two monasteries were established within the borders of the Grand Duchy: in Głębokie (in 1639) and in Grodno (in 1668). At the beginning of the 18th century, another monastery in Kowno was built. During the following decades, the convents in Antolepty (1731), Pińsk (1734), in Vilnius over Wilia (1739), in Poszumień near Oszmiany (1760) and in Gudohaje were founded. The development of Lithuanian Carmelite Order was slowed down by the partitions of Poland as well as by the abolishment of monasteries executed by Tsarist authorities in the 19th century. Finally, between 1844 and 1845 the most important monasteries in Vilnius, Grodno and Kowno were closed. The monastery in Głębokie survived the longest period of time, that is, until 1860. The most characteristic feature of Lithuanian Discalced Carmelites’ activities was the popularization of the cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy in the sanctuary of the Gate of Dawn, where monks were the temple curators for almost two centuries.Unfortunately, already at the beginning of the creation of monastery structures on the Polish land some of the Polish monks seemed to have tendencies towards isolation and exclusion. Some of them even believed that it was impossible to implement the ideals of Carmelite life on the grounds of Lithuanian Church. Due to the overt intervention of Spanish and Italian monks, involved in the development of Polish Carmelite order, the anti-Lithuanian resistance was broken. After 1626 many Carmelite monasteries emerged within the borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Together with the development of new monasteries, the number of vocations for the ministry from Lithuanian and Russian areas increased. The Carmelite sources keep silent on the topic of any discrimination due to the fact of the foundation of Discalced Carmelites’ Polish Province dedicated to the Holy Spirit in 1617. However, with the growing number of monks coming from the Grand Duchy, the tension in mutual relations with Poles started to grow. In the 18 th century, at the time of creating separate structures of Lithuanian Discalced Carmelites’ Province, an explicit confrontation between Polish and Lithuanian monks took place. This incident, which the author of this article pays special attention to, disclosed, in a very painful way, the quality of Polish-Lithuanian relations.The author of the article paid special attention to the atmosphere present between the two nations in the period of disputes over the jurisdictional dependency of the monasteries mentioned. Unfortunately, the divisi- on into two provinces proceeded in the atmosphere of mutual distrust, obstinacy or even open hostility. Some acts of local resistance occurred while handing over particular monasteries. It was accompanied by accusations of greediness and violence, as well as, forging the documents and the attempts to export the monastery wealth by the party which was made to cede. Documented transmissions used in the article show, in an explicit way, the situation of that period. Particularly bitter ones are, in the context of discussed problems, words written by one of Lublin Fathers in the book of chapter documents which were noted at the moment of Lublin convent’s return to its original province: “We, the Discalced Carmelites of the Polish province neither appropriated the other people’s country nor took the foreign property but our fathers’ legacy only, which our enemies unjustly reigned over for some time (1 Maccabees 15:33)”. Painful is the fact that Lithuanian Carmelites seemed to be enemies to a Polish monk. The following question arose from the analysis of those events: Was the division between Polish and Lithuanian monks so deep? At the end of the study the author, aware of the fact that he discusses an important and delicate subject, formulates the conviction that knowing the truth, no matter how painful it can be, will nowadays help build new relations between the two nations.
