The role of the piety of the Christian people in the process of sanctifying man on the example of the cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The term „sanctification” in theology practically always appears in the liturgical context. According to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the liturgy is the most perfect, though not the only, place to sanctify human life. Among other forms, a special place of devotion of the Christian people should be mentioned, which, although having the  characteristics of particularism, can have a huge impact on the universal Church. In this context, the relationship between the piety of the Christian people and the process of sanctification, which is most precisely expressed in the liturgy, has been shown. In the text, the author analyzes the worship of the Heart of Jesus in the light of two liturgically significant features: worship of God and apostolic work, which is the fruit of the sanctifying power of the liturgy. An additional element remains to show the worship of the Heart of Jesus in the historical context and the impact of popular piety on the official approval of texts and liturgical feasts.

Keywords: popular piety, cult of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, sanctification, liturgy, history

Termin „uświęcenie” w teologii pojawia się praktycznie zawsze w kontekście liturgicznym. Zgodnie z nauką II Soboru Watykańskiego liturgia jest najdoskonalszym, choć nie jedynym, miejscem uświęcania życia ludzkiego. Wśród innych form szczególne miejsce zajmuje pobożność ludu chrześcijańskiego, która choć posiada cechy partykularyzmu,  może mieć ogromny wpływ na Kościół powszechny. W tym kontekście ukazana została relacja, jaka zachodzi pomiędzy pobożnością ludu chrześcijańskiego a procesem uświęcania, który najpełniej wyraża się właśnie w liturgii. W tekście autor poddaje analizie kult Serca Jezusowego w świetle dwóch istotnych liturgicznie cech: oddania czci Bogu i  dzieła apostolskiego, które jest owocem uświęcającej mocy liturgii. Dodatkowym elementem pozostaje ukazanie kultu Serca Jezusowego w kontekście historycznym i wpływu pobożności ludowej na oficjalne zatwierdzenie tekstów i świąt liturgicznych.

The term „sanctification” in theology practically always appears in the liturgical context. According to the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, the liturgy is the most perfect, though not the only, place to sanctify human life. Among other forms, a special place of devotion of the Christian people should be mentioned, which, although having the  characteristics of particularism, can have a huge impact on the universal Church. In this context, the relationship between the piety of the Christian people and the process of sanctification, which is most precisely expressed in the liturgy, has been shown. In the text, the author analyzes the worship of the Heart of Jesus in the light of two liturgically significant features: worship of God and apostolic work, which is the fruit of the sanctifying power of the liturgy. An additional element remains to show the worship of the Heart of Jesus in the historical context and the impact of popular piety on the official approval of texts and liturgical feasts.