The polemic in Hypatius Pociej’s collection of sermons published in 1714

Abstract

Theologian and polemicist Hypatius Pociej (Polish: Hipacy Pociej, 1541 – 1613) was a bishop of the eparchy of Volodymyr-Brest (now a part of Ukraine) and since 1599 until his death, he was Metropolitan of Kiev. He was Protestant, later Orthodox, and then Unitarian. Hypatius played an active role in the Union of Brest which aimed at uniting the Orthodox Church with the Catholic one. His polemical texts have rarely been the subject of academic study – especially so in the context of historical-religious context of the era. Still less researched is the polemic included in the collection of sermons published by the printing house of Supraśl monastery by the theologian and metropolitan Leon Kiszka (1663 – 1728) in 1714 in Polish translation under the title Kazania i homilie męża bożego, nieśmiertelnej sławy i pamięci, Hipacjusza Pocieja […] z listem Melecjusza patriarchy Aleksandryjskiego i responsem Hipacjusza [Sermons and homilies of the man of god of immortal fame and memory, Hypatius Pociej […] with a letter by Meletius, Patriarch of Alexandria and a response from Hypatius]. The Polish translator made significant changes to the original text and adapted it to the new circumstances. Since in the early 18th century, the main task of the polemicists was a unification of the nation in one – Catholic – faith, Kiszka advocated the union in a narrowly Counter-Reformation spirit. The collection of sermons is a declaration of the sense of belonging and a programmatic manifest of the union. This was markedly strengthened by the polemic in the new Baroque-Counter-Reformation light.

Keywords

• hypatius pociej
• leon kiszka
• union of brest
• sermon literature
• translation
• adaptation