2011, No. 1-2 (1), Preliminaries

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Tomasz Wiślicz
Supernatural Interventions in the History of the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth: The Cases of the Heavenly Mother of Sokal and the Heavenly Mother of Tynna

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Keywords: miracula, religious propaganda, ex-voto, Virgin Mary, miraculous image, kratophany.

Abstract:
The survival of Polish-Lithuanian state in the mid-seventeenth century in spite of extremely dramatic concurrence of rebellions and invasions could be easily perceived as a wonder. In Polish national mythology the turning point in the chain of the nation's calamities was the successful defense of Jasna Góra sanctuary of Black Madonna against the Swedish troops in 1655. According to the legend, Virgin Mary herself appeared in the sky during the Swedish siege in order to frighten Her enemies. The experience of the wars of mid-seventeenth century and the triumph of the new, baroque religious culture ensured Polish nobility that the well-being of their state depended on the divine providence. Nevertheless, heavenly interventions did not find their place in the historiography of early modern Poland with exception for the miracle at Jasna Góra. Other divine interventions, although contributed to ideological worldview of Polish gentry, did not transcend the boundaries of religious discourse. Thus, reading popular devotional publications throws another light on Polish history, or - speaking more accurately - on the way of perceiving the historical process by people of the 17th century. The contribution analyzes the political component of the cult of two from numerous holy images of Virgin Mary. The first of them is Heavenly Mother of Sokal, which competed in prestige and popularity with Our Lady of Jasna Góra. The second image is Heavenly Mother of Tynna, the object of private cult of two noble families from Podole region.

About Author:
WIŚLICZ TOMASZ – historian of modern times, Assistant Professor in the Institute of History at the University of Warsaw and in the Institute of Polish History at the Polish Academy of Sciences. Contact e-mail: twislicz[at]uw.edu.pl