The Legend De sancto Adalberto Episcopo and Miracula sancti Adalberti

Abstract

The paper presents two hagiographic sources concerning St Adalbert, e.g. De sancto Adalberto episcopo the so-called Tempore illo (from the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries) and Miracula sancti Adalberti (the 2nd half of the 13th c.). The author claims that they are the portraits of Adalbert, and that is why he uses similar methods to those which are employed when analyzing a painting. The author makes reference to B. Uspieński’s investigations into the similarities between painting and literary work. The paper consists of three parts. The first one entitled „Material and Form” presents the construction of the compositions, their language with particular emphasis laid on „colores rhetorici” and the occurrence of historical and legendary contents. The investigations prove that in the case of Tempore illo we deal with a hagiographic legend which arose as a resullt of a recast of two Adalbert’s vita (Vita prior and Vita altera). On the other hand Miracula sancti Adalberti are the so-called legend abbreviated by the genre which originated in the 13th c. in the group of mendicant religious orders. After formal considerations (part 1) in part 2 and 3 the author presents the portrait of Adalbert contained in those two sources. Part 2 is entilled „Background” and presents the categories which surround the main hero. The following categories have been distinguished: time and space, nature, people and supernatural creatures. All those categories are unconditionally subordinate to the figure of Adalbert. The only reason why they are in the text is to better show the person of the saint. Part 3 entitled „Figure” presents the personality pattern of Adalbert contained in those two hagiographic writings. The analysis was carried out at two levels: „static” in which the following „determinants of sanctity” have been distinguished e.g. personality traits which constitute the sanctity of the main hero. In the case of Tempore illo there are eight of them (priest, ascetic, benefactor, pilgrim, missionary, martyr, worker of miracles, national hero), five in Miracula sancti Adalberti (priest, missionary, martyr, worker of miracles, national hero). The „dynamic level” presents the stages of Adalbert’s life with particular emphasis on the so-called rites of transition. The personality pattern of Adalbert boosted in Tempore illo and Miracula sancti Adalbert is markelly different from the pattern in the two earlier vita of the saint. In Vita prior and Vita altera Adalbert is presented first of all as a perfect monk who for the toil of his life was granted „a palm of martyrdom”. Nevertheless, in the sources which are the basis of the present paper he is described as a man of action who after initial failures in Czechoslovakia carries out a fruitful missionary and pastoral (first of all in Poland) activity disrupted by his martyr’s death in Prussia.