Reformation in Prussia and Polish reformation in Masuria
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Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu |
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Online publication date: 2021-06-16
Publication date: 2021-06-16
KMW 2021;311(1):3–18
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ABSTRACT
This article consists of four parts. In the first part that is entitled the “Word of Lord in the mother tongue of the Masurians”, the author stresses the importance of a sermon delivered by Jerzy
Polentz – the bishop of Samland and the first Lutheran bishop in history – in the royal cathedral
on 24 December 1523, in which he admonished that the Word of God should be preached in
the native tongue of the believers, in the case of Masurians – the Polish language. The second
part, entitled “Official introduction to Lutheranism in the Duchy of Prussia”, discusses the documents issued by Prince Albrecht, in which he established the principles of faith and conduct
in the Lutheran Church of the Ducal Prussia. These included: 1. “Reformation Mandate” of
6 July 1525, demanding that priests preach “pure” Word of God, which according to the contemporary terminology meant preaching the Gospel based on the teaching of Martin Luther; 2.
“Church Ordinance” and “Agenda or articles about ceremonies”, both documents published on
10 December 1525; 3. “Visitation instruction” of 13 March 1526, containing regulations regarding the transformation of Catholic parishes into Lutheran ones. The third part is entitled “Polish
pastors in Masuria” and lists the names of first Lutheran priests active in the southern part of
East Prussia. They were usually former Catholic priests who converted into Lutheranism. Many
of them were Polish. Finally the fourth part entitled Polish Lutheran books in Masuria” is devoted to Polish religious prints (Catechism, New Gospel, Posil, Augsburg Confession, etc.). The
author quotes here Władysław Chojnacki who claimed that more Polish prints were published
in the 16th century in the Ducal Prussia (Königsberg and Lyck) than in entire Poland: 104
prints appeared in Polish, 183 in German and 90 in Latin. Most of them contained Lutheran
religious writing. Usually, one parish owned at least a copy of the Bible, Postil, Catechism and
a Polish Hymnal. One copy of Catechism allowed the community of believers to learn the Ten
Commandments, while one copy of Hymnal enabled them to memorise many sacred songs.