Udział bractw religijnych w pogrzebach siedemnastowiecznych mieszczan krakowskich

Abstrakt

The participation of religious brotherhoods in the funerals of burghers in Cracow in the 17th century

People of the modern era were very social beings. They usually functioned in a community, identifying with its activities and principles. It was in the community that shaped individual mentality, which was reflected for instance in patterns of religiousness. Among such communities were religious brotherhoods. In the 17th century Cracow had about thirty religious brotherhoods. For rich and educated burghers membership in such a brotherhood was a confirmation of their high position in the town but also a way of searching deep spiritual and intellectual experiences. Members of lower classes sought support from those more affluent and an enhancement of their status. They also counted on the privileges associated with the membership, e.g. a decent burial, commemorative masses and their co-members’ prayers. The article concerns one of brotherhoods’ common activities, i.e. participation in funerals. It explores the practical and financial side of this activity, e.g. the choice of a place for a burial, remunerating brotherhoods for their participation, their expenditure (paying priests and undertakers), officials responsible for funerals, the funeral equipment of brotherhoods, the organization of processions, the look of the brothers and methods of notifying about funerals. The source basis includes brotherhood charters and registers, as well as testaments of Cracow burghers. The participation of brotherhoods in funerals can be considered in three aspects: their involvement in burying their members, participation in burying the poor, and participation in the funerals of non-members, for which brotherhoods were paid.  Seventeenth-century Cracow burghers were eager to join brotherhoods. Their activity could have been a compensation for daily toil and private problems. Being a member, in addition to other privileges, gave one a chance of a decent burial (even being short of money), and of being remembered in regular masses (some brotherhoods even kept special books of the dead). It was also an opportunity of avoiding social alienation and to alleviate the fear of death characteristic of the epoch. Brotherhoods were glad to take part in funerals; in some cases it was even considered a duty. They were sometimes paid for it but this was not the decisive factor as the remuneration was small and did not constitute a regular source of income. Those fees had no significant impact on funeral costs (for which Cracow burghers allocated up to several hundred zloties) or on the financial standing of brotherhoods. A funeral was a ceremony that manifested the strength of social relations in those times.