Wojciech Mruk

Next book by fr. Dariusz Wiśniewski, that is some comments on publication of Franciszkanie i islam w XIII wieku (en. Franciscans and Islam in the 13th Century), Poznań 2020, s. 243

Fr. Dariusz Wiśniewski devoted his next book to the complicated and still relevant problem of the inter-religious relations between Latin Christians and Muslims. This time he has focused on the activity of St. Francis and the Order of Friars Minor during the 13th century. In those days, the Latin Christians were involved in the Crusades, missions and diplomatic affairs in Iberia, North Africa and the Holy Land. St. Francis and the Franciscans were among the loyal supporters of the papacy. At some point they had created their own policy towards Muslims as well. The author of the book brought the opinion that St. Francis and his disciples were fanatic pacifists in question. He proved that both the authorities and the members of the Order accepted the Crusades and missions as a different, but still acceptable way leading to the conversion of Muslims as the idea of preaching the Gospel of Christ to all the people in the world was one of the most important tasks of the Order. One may criticise some of the author’s decisions regarding the structure of the book and question some of his opinions that were not proved sufficiently. Fr. Dariusz Wiśniewski’s book is nevertheless both interesting and inspiring as it proves that there are several serious problems to be discussed and solved regarding this particular topic.

Recenzja książki:

Denys Pringle, Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Land, 1187–1291, Crusade Texts in Translation, vol. 23, Farnham, Ashgate 2012, ss. 463

Jerusalem – a holy city in medieval guidebooks for pilgrims

A literary genre, typical for the high and late Middle Ages, connected with pilgrimages to the Holy Land, were lists of holy places. The tradition of making such brief, impersonal, and often anonymous catalogues of places worth visiting dates from the 12th century. Such registers were prepared for people guiding pilgrims or even pilgrims themselves who travelled from Europe to the East. That is why, the literature tends to treat works of that type as “guidebooks”. Comparison of three medieval guidebooks i.e. Descriptio de locis sanctis by Rorgo Fretellus (ca. 1137), and two anonymous textes: Les sains pelerinages que l’en doit reqquerre el la Terre Sainte (ca. 1229–1239) and Peregrinationes totius Terrae Sanctae (1491) allows us to analyse changes of pilgrims’ needs and expectations. Creation and collapse of crusaders’ states, as well as development of Ayyubid and Mamluk empires changed political situation in the Holy Land and had a serious impact on pilgrimage movement. Forced modification of pilgrims’ routes took place during decades of important changes of piety of Latin Christians, so pilgrims needed updated guidebooks.

Some comments on Fr. Dariusz Wiśniewski’s book Europa i islam w średniowieczu. Konfrontacja i współżycie

Fr. Dariusz Wiśniewski has prepared a book on the confrontation bewteen and coexistence of Latin Christians and Muslims in the Middle Ages. As we can read in the introduction, the book is addressed not only to scholars but to a wide spectrum of non-professional readers as well. In fact, the author managed to present some aspects of the very complicated and still actual problem of cross-religion relations in a way that can meet the expectations of more demanding readers. He pointed out and explained some of the most important consequences of the development and expansion of Latin and Muslim societies in the Mediterranean region before the fall of Acre in 1291. One may criticize the author’s decision on the choice of theterminus ad quem. The collapse of the Crusader states in Outremer is not the most important turning point in the history of the relations between the Latin Christians and Muslims in the Middle Ages. Thus, we can treat Fr. Dariusz Wiśniewski’s book as an interesting and inspiring, but definitely not final, voice in the important and still open discussion on this intriguing problem of medieval history.

MERCHANT, PILGRIM AND A HERMIT – GODRIC OF FINCHALE AND HIS UNUSUAL WAY TO SANCTITY

Godric of Finchale (ca. 1065/1069–1170) was born in a peasant family in Walpole. He was a merchant who achieved great economic success and became a rich man. As a grown-up man he decided to become an independent recluse at Finchale, but after a few years he was assimilated into the community of monks of Durham. Godric spent around 50 years at Finchale and stayed there until his death. His ascetic life gained him the fame of ‘a saint man’. Before the end of the 12th century monks of Durham prepared three hagiographic texts about Godric. The authors concentrated not only on his life as a hermit but also put emphasis on the period when he was  hard working very successfull and rich merchant who used to pray and visit holy places. Medieval hagiographers usually omitted in their texts the episodes which did not prove sanctity of their heroes, so it can be presumed that in the opinion of monks of Durham, Godric’s hard work and economic success were the first steps on his way to sanctity. Such statements in hagiographic texts written before the end of the 12th century allows us to treat the monks of Durham as the pioneers of new churchmen’s attitude to the growing merchant class.
 

Kronika naukowa: Profesor Gaetano Platania z Universita degli Studi della Tuscia w Viterbo doktorem honoris causa Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego