Magnateria w życiu religijnym Wilna w XVIII wieku

Abstract

Vilnius was dominated by magnates that supported development of Catholic Church institutions and estates - temples, monasteries, schools, hospitals, religious brotherhoods, etc. A peculiar pious nature of the end of the OId Polish era was also a result of the magnates' commitment to religious life, especially in the cities. Magnates most often resided in tenements and palaces, among others, Michał Radziwiłł, Aleksander Pociej, Antoni Tyzenhauz, Ludwik Michał Pac, and Dominik Marcin Wołłowicz. Moreover, at that time, the Sapieha, Chreptowicz, Tyszkiewicz, Ogiński, Massalski, and Chodkiewicz families had their estates in city centers. After numerous fires in the first half of the 18th century, their palaces, tenements or manor houses were rebuilt and became a trademark of Vilnius baroque, rococo and neo-classism. Numerous church foundations, various types of financial support, among others testamentary bequests for religious purposes, many religious orders brought to Vilnius, especially female ones, was one of the most important evidence confirming substantial contribution of magnate families to the city's religious life in the 18th century. Furthermore, magnate families successfully emphasized their piety in public by participating in a number of religious ceremonie s included in the liturgical calendar, or occasional anniversary celebrations taking place in Vilnius churches and streets. In headline news, local newspapers wrote about magnates participating in both sacrum and profonum ceremonies.