The Song Jezu, Zbawicielu ludzski (Oh, Jesus, the Savior of Mankind) by Władysław of Gielniów. A Dialog with the Tradition

Abstract

The article contains an interpretation of the song by Władysław of Gielniów, Oh Jesus, the Savior of Mankind that is a theological treatise about the Holy Spirit in verse. The explanation of references to the biblical and patristic exegetic tradition connected with theological dogmatic questions that are found in the text and presenting its cultural contexts are supposed to indicate a possibly broadest plane of meanings of the work. Attention is also paid to the motif of symbols of the Holy Spirit’s graces that is present in Władysław’s Marian poetry. The mystagogical function of the works is also mentioned; in vulgari they explained the difficult truths of the faith, and owing to the literary merits they realized the Horatian principle of “docere et delectare”.