Język nabożeństw, kleru i wyznawców obrządku wschodniego na terenie Białostocczyzny w XVIII i XIX wieku

Abstract

Orthodoxy brought Old Church Slavonic language as a language of service. The official language of the Orthodox Church was Ruthenian. Since the Union of Lublin, Ruthenian culture had been changed by Polish culture. After the polonization of the nobility, the process involved the priests and partly the peasants – the Uniates. In Polish language prayed and sung, the prayer books and worship songs collections were printed. The clergy took lessons, preached catechesis, and contacted the faithful and among themselves in Polish. In the process of the return of the Uniates to the Orthodox Church, the knowledge of the Old Church Slavonic and Russian language had been proved an important factor. At first, the higher church hierarchy was obliged to use these languages. Uniate and Roman Catholic schools were separated. The diocesan seminary with the Old Church Slavonic language was opened and Russian became the language of lecture. In 1830, the Uniate clergy was ordered to preach the sermons and catechesis in the local dialect in the diocese of Lithuania. In 1833, the documenation was ordered to keep in Russian and since 1836 also the record books. After the dissolution of the union, the knowledge of the Russian language grew and the services were celebrated in the Old Church Slavonic language. The folk schools consolidated the knowledge of these languages since the 60s of the 19th century, and from the 80s of the 19th century also orthodox parish schools. Over the centuries, the language of Eastern rite worshipers had been changed depending on the political situation.