Saint Jack in Folklore Religiosity and Polish Culture

Abstract

St. Jacob Odrowąż, a Dominican born in Kamień Śląski close to Opole, canonized in 1594 by Clement VIII, is one of the most prominent figures of the thirteenth century. He is considered to be the founder of the Polish province of the Dominican and initiator of the creation of many monasteries in Poland, Prussia, the Czech Republic (Znojmo, Jihlava, Olomouc and Prague) and Austria (Friesach on the border between Styria and Catharinia). He is called the Apostle of the Northern Europe, the Apostle of the Slavs, the Light of the North, Lux ex Silesiae (the Light from Silesia); he carried out evangelization among the peoples inhabiting today’s Baltic countries and the Black Sea grasslands, also in Kievan Rus. This article is an attempt to discuss and analyse the cult of St. Jack in Polish tradition and religious culture. The author presents the biography of the Saint, legends and myths associated with him as well as proverbs, agrarian and culinary customs. The materials used in this article come from field research that the author conducted in the years 2015-2020, as well as from the available literature.