The Worship of Saints in Bytom Deanery Churches in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, the deanery of Bytom, created between 1328 and 1334, had 28 parish churches, excluding chapels and churches other than the seats of curates.

A study revealed a large differentiation in their patronage. Most often, in six cases, churches were dedicated to Virgin Mary (a half of those to Her Birth). Five times the patron was St. Nicholas, twice each were John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, Stanislaus, All Saints, Catherine, Martin, Peter and Paul, Jacob, and Bartholomew, with only one church each invoking Holy Trinity, Lawrence, Norbert, Hedwig, Michael, Holy Cross, Corpus Christi, Steven, Bernardino, Albert, and Adalbert.

Similar proportions are discernible in the entire Kraków diocese, to which the deanery belonged until 1821. Predominant were dedications to St. Mary. The most popular among remaining saints was St. Nicholas: his name was given to 74 churches (8.3%).

A look at the neighbouring Wrocław diocese, which grouped remaining Silesian deaneries, for any infl uences on Bytom deanery suggests that those were weaker than the impact exerted by Kraków (e.g., adjacent Gliwice deanery with 22 parishes had three St. Nicholas churches, but only one St. Mary’s church).

In the Middle Ages, the deanery of Bytom, created between 1328 and 1334, had 28 parish churches, excluding chapels and churches other than the seats of curates.

A study revealed a large differentiation in their patronage. Most often, in six cases, churches were dedicated to Virgin Mary (a half of those to Her Birth). Five times the patron was St. Nicholas, twice each were John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene, Stanislaus, All Saints, Catherine, Martin, Peter and Paul, Jacob, and Bartholomew, with only one church each invoking Holy Trinity, Lawrence, Norbert, Hedwig, Michael, Holy Cross, Corpus Christi, Steven, Bernardino, Albert, and Adalbert.

Similar proportions are discernible in the entire Kraków diocese, to which the deanery belonged until 1821. Predominant were dedications to St. Mary. The most popular among remaining saints was St. Nicholas: his name was given to 74 churches (8.3%).

A look at the neighbouring Wrocław diocese, which grouped remaining Silesian deaneries, for any infl uences on Bytom deanery suggests that those were weaker than the impact exerted by Kraków (e.g., adjacent Gliwice deanery with 22 parishes had three St. Nicholas churches, but only one St. Mary’s church).