Published: 2025-12-29

Artistic setting of the cult of Blessed Michał Giedroyc in the Church of St. Mark in Cracow in the first half of the 17th c.

Aleksander Stankiewicz
Artifex Novus
Section: Artykuły tematyczne
https://doi.org/10.21697/an.16220

Abstract

In 2018, Pope Francis I issued a decree on the heroic virtues of Blessed Michał Giedroyć, thereby confirming his public veneration. This event served as an impetus for further research into the life of the blessed and the history of the Order of Canons Regular of Penance, to which he belonged. Until now, scholars have mainly focused on analyzing the cult of the blessed, leaving the artistic representation of his image and his burial site in the background.

The preserved depictions of the blessed, particularly those from Kraków, have been analyzed in the context of his presumed princely origins. Giedroyć’s original tomb, destroyed in a fire in 1589, was the site of numerous miraculous events that initiated the development of his cult. The reconstruction of the church in 1594 and the solemn elevation of his relics in 1624 were key moments in affirming his sanctity. Giedroyć’s tombstone stands out for its rich ornamentation. The decorations used in its design suggest connections with the creators of bas-reliefs in the Chapel of St. Hyacinth (before 1619) at the Dominican Church in Kraków and the frames of side altar retables (before 1615) at the Church of Corpus Christi in the Kazimierz district of Kraków.

The iconography of Blessed Michał Giedroyć has developed since the 16th century, reflecting both his spirituality and his attributed aristocratic heritage. Depictions in engravings, paintings, and other works of art emphasized his humility, asceticism, and associations with Marian and Passion devotion, in line with post-Tridentine principles of piety. A previously unknown engraving depicting Blessed Michał Giedroyć, published in Prague and dedicated to the Chancellor of the Kingdom of Bohemia, Wilhelm Slavata, significantly enriches the iconography of the blessed and testifies to the dynamic development of Giedroyć’s cult in the first half of the 17th century.

Keywords:

Bl. Michał Giedroyć, St. Casimir, iconography, Cracow, Regular Canon of Penance, tomb sculpture

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Download files

Citation rules

Stankiewicz, A. (2025). Artistic setting of the cult of Blessed Michał Giedroyc in the Church of St. Mark in Cracow in the first half of the 17th c. Artifex Novus, (9), 44–75. https://doi.org/10.21697/an.16220

Cited by / Share

This website uses cookies for proper operation, in order to use the portal fully you must accept cookies.