The Mariavites; Heresy, The Apocalypse, and Poland's Female Savior; Cyrocki

Damian Cyrocki [+–]

Dr Damian Cyrocki holds a PhD from St Mary’s University, London.

The Mariavites are an independent Catholic movement who were excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church in late 1906. This book gives a history of the beginnings of the movement focusing on how the early Mariavites understood the establishment the Kingdom of God on earth (and, more precisely, in Poland). Their history dates to 1893, when the nun, Feliksa Maria Franciszka Kozłowska (1862-1921) claimed to receive revelations from God recommending that she create a monastic order of Mariavites. Due to the fraught political situation relating to the occupation of Polish lands, the Mariavites initially had to act in secret, while their mission was not accepted by the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Being outside official church structures, they introduced a number of controversial measures, especially in the interwar period after the death of their founder. Priests married nuns, nuns were ordained, compulsory confession before a priest was abolished, and Kozłowska was understood to be the embodiment of the Holy Spirit. These are just some of the changes that were intended to restore the state from before original sin.

The Mariavites covers these and other central features of their apocalyptic or millenarian theology, including those involving the rapid exaltation of Mateczka after her death, her expected return, and blending of traditions associated with Mary and Jesus. This involved interpreting her death as a sacrifice for the coming kingdom, the seemingly curious identification of Mateczka with the Son of Man of Revelation 1:13, and the seemingly less curious identification of Mateczka as the second Eve and ‘a woman clothed with the sun’ in Revelation 12:1. As Archbishop Kowalski was in no small part responsible for the elevation of Mateczka, there is a discussion of the legacy of his influence and his little known translation of the entire Bible into Polish.

With reference to the original Polish documents, the volume clarifies what has not been properly understood in scholarship: the ideology, logic, motives, and theological tradition underpinning of this new religious movement. To gain a proper understanding of this also means looking at the Mariavites in the context of the influence of nineteenth-century Polish messianism, as well as the ancient Christian sources and Catholic Tradition which the Mariavites used abundantly.

Prelims

Abbreviations

Preface

Chapter 1

Introduction [+–]

The first chapter discusses the methodology that was used to study the phenomenon of Mariavitism. First, the issue of terminology is addressed, namely what exactly is meant by the words Mariavitism, Catholicism, Mateczka and saints. This was followed by a discussion of the Mariavite literature that was used in writing this book. Some of the Mariavite publications were intended only for Mariavites to read, so the question of whether it is ethical to use these works is taken up. At the very end of the chapter, the structure of the work and its objectives are discussed.

Chapter 2

Events Leading up to the Revelations of 1983 [+–]

The second chapter plays a propaedeutic role. It analyzes the political, cultural and social situation in the nineteenth-century Poland that led to the emergence of Mariavitism. It helps the reader to understand why eschatological ideas could grow so easily in Congress Poland and why Mariavitism should not be a kind of aberration, but rather something that it explicable in its cultural and historical context. This chapter also briefly discusses Polish Messianists who were considered by early Mariavites to be the heralds announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God. Their ideas were widely used, studied, and reinterpreted by Mariavites and helped them shape their theology. Kowalski’s “Lecture on the Apocalypse” may have more references to their works than to the Book of Revelation as he believed that without their output the Apocalypse cannot be correctly understood. Finally, the chapter presents a reader with a short biography of Mateczka before she was given revelations in 1983.

Chapter 3

Mariavites Inside the Roman Catholic Church [+–]

The third chapter begins with the analysis of the most groundbreaking moment in the history of Mariavites, namely Kozłowska receiving her revelation in 1893. It was understood as the announcement of the fulfillment of the Apocalypse. As the revelations were transmitted by a woman, she was eventually understood to be “a woman clothed with the sun” (Rev. 12:1), whose role was to follow God’s will perfectly. The chapter then focuses on the spread of the movement and their ideas inside Roman Catholic Church. Finally, it shows why the movement was eventually condemned by the Pope and Catholic hierarchy in 1906. It is worth recalling throughout that many of their concepts, which came to existence at that time, were reinterpreted after the schism. It should also be stated that this chapter contains a lot of so-called “background” material. It is certainly crucial to understanding the origins and development of Mariavite understandings of eschatology, apocalypticism and revelations in the rest of this thesis and which will be flagged up in this chapter. But it is also important to include such detail because it is material that is not otherwise readily available and is grounded in primary sources untranslated into English.

Chapter 4

Period between Schism with Rome and the Death of Mateczka [+–]

The fourth chapter focuses on the years after the schism, before the death of Mateczka. This was a crucial period for the formation of the Mariavites' identity and their ecclesiology. In particular, it discusses the problem they faced in trying to understand how the Catholic Church could become Babylon the Great (Rev. 17:5) and yet remain the Bride of God. Also discussed is the question of establishing criteria that could help Mariavites recognize authentic revelations. Things became especially complicated when a certain woman began claiming to be the recipient of new divine oracles that challenged the authority of Mateczka. Finally, this chapter examines the period in Mariavite history when the cessation of the valid Eucharist in the Catholic Church and the appearance of the Book of Life (Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12) in Mariavite theology were formulated.

Chapter 5

Reforms in the Church of Mariavites [+–]

The fifth chapter discusses the reforms introduced by archbishop Kowalski in years 1922–35, which shocked Polish society at the time. Because of the sheer mass of data, it was not be possible to discuss all the changes in full detail. Therefore, three the most significant have been chosen, which are: marriages between priests and nuns; ordination of women; and the people’s priesthood. The main reason why these three have been chosen is because all of them were inseparably linked to the idea of the Kingdom. Moreover, this chapter analyses how Maria Franciszka and Kowalski were perceived after 1921. In both cases, the reception of their personalities changed with time due to studies of the Apocalypse, ancient sources and Polish Romantic literature.

Chapter 6

Aftermath of the Reforms [+–]

The sixth chapter discusses the schism in the Mariavite Church that took place in 1935. Depending on the interpretation, it was either the end of the plans for implementing the Kingdom and fulfilling the Apocalypse or another step on the path towards it. In this section takes up what Kowalski’s opponents did in connection with the reforms and the concept of the Kingdom. It is also shown that the archbishop and his followers certainly did not give up on their goals and introduced the last element of the Kingdom concerning the nature of the Trinity. An examination of the idea of the Kingdom and the apocalyptic parts attached to it is presented at the end of the chapter.

Conclusion

Conclusions [+–]

In the conclusion the main problems were delineated. The full-scale history of Mariavites still awaits to be written in English. For that reason, it was important to outline all the significant moments in their history in the first two chapters of this work. The subject has been tackled in Polish literature more thoroughly, but there are still many aspects that need to be rewritten in the light of new textual evidence that occasionally makes its way to the researchers interested in that period. Many English-speaking readers derive their knowledge from the work of Pietrkiewicz (Peterkiewicz), which turned out not to be a proper historical investigation, but rather a literal fantasy with some historical parts in the background. It would be profitable to warn potential future readers that it does not convey reliable information and counter its influence with an authoritative account. Finally, Mariavites continue to exist and despite not being strong in numbers they still have much to say in relation to both the Apocalypse and the Kingdom of God.

End Matter

Bibliography

Reviews

Remarkably, the Mariavites have not been subject to a serious scholarly examination of their ideas, personalities, and history. Damian Cyrocki is the leading expert on the Mariavites and has now produced the most important book on them to-date. He has worked extensively in Mariavite archives and conducted interviews with those associated with the movement—and it shows. This is a superb book which is also of relevance for anyone interested in the study of millenarian movements, apocalypticism, the reception history of the Bible, and Polish religious history.
James Crossley, Professor at the MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion, and Society (Oslo) and Academic Director of the Centre for the Critical Study of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements

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Heresy, The Apocalypse, and Poland's Female Savior

Damian Cyrocki [+–]

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