Published: 2021-01-20

Is it UT SUPRA for sure? The spiritual profile of Saint Jan of Kęty in the parenetic narration of Fabian Birkowski

Maria Rowińska-Szczepaniak
Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings
Section: Rozprawy i Artykuły
https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2020.27.2.6

Abstract

The article is an attempt at reconstructing the spiritual profile of St. Jan of Kęty, which emerges from the speech in Latin delivered by Fabian Birkowski. In his literary narration, the 17th-century preacher referred, among others, to the words Ut supra, which were meant to  constitute the life motto of the medieval Professor. Attributing the above expression to Jan of Kęty, however, was erroneous. As it is proved in the present text, the mistake resulted from a wrong understanding of these words in the reading of the translation of Kronika (Chronicle) by Maciej Miechowita, which – in turn – Piotr Skarga attached to Żywot (The Life) of the Saint. This mistake is significant insofar as it was made by other authors, too; in consequence the expression is inscribed in the history of the Krakow Professor’s cult.

Keywords:

hagiography, preaching, parenetics, Fabian Birkowski, Saint Jan of Kęty

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Citation rules

Rowińska-Szczepaniak, M. (2021). Is it UT SUPRA for sure? The spiritual profile of Saint Jan of Kęty in the parenetic narration of Fabian Birkowski. Saeculum Christianum. Historical Writings, 27(2), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.21697/sc.2020.27.2.6

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