Lumen 2018

The traditionalism of the Polish nobility [ szlachta ], which held onto the old laws and customs, made it impossible to introduce social reforms. A nobleman was not only very attached to the land that he owned, but on this land he was “the court, the major-domo [mar- shal] and his own one and only master.” 7 The Pacta Conventa , sworn to by King Henry of Valois in 1573, gave the nobility a pretext to refuse obedience to the king and led to the so-called rokosz [rebel- lions] in the 17 th century. The free elections caused chaos during the times of interregnum and led to rivalry among the various groups of magnates as well as to the growing influence of foreign powers which sought to install their candidates on the Polish throne. The principle of liberum veto (whereby no legislation could be enacted without unanimity and anyone could terminate the sessions of the Diet at will) adopted by the Diet, made the reform of the Republic of Poland impossible. The sessions of the Diet were notoriously broken off, often by deputies who were in the pay of one of the magnates, which only deepened the anarchy in the country. Deputy Sicinski of Upita was the first one to use liberum veto to break off the session of the Diet in 1652. In the years that followed, he had many infamous im- itators. In the second half of the 17 th century, as much as 15 out of the regular (i.e., excluding convocations and elections) 35 sessions of the Diet were broken off. 8 During Fr. Papczynski’s lifetime the situation of the peasants was very difficult, even though it was not worse in Poland than in any other country at the same period. 9 The peasants bore the burden of villein service and the injustice that they experienced at the hands of the members of the privileged social strata. Due to the corruption of the courts, 10 poor people could not claim their own rights, which were already quite limited. The authority of public offices totally col- lapsed, the respect for laws and virtues disappeared. In daily practice, a principle of “whoever is stronger, is better” was followed. 11 King John Casimir was well aware of this social injustice and knew that it was this very injustice, more than anything else, that was leading to the downfall of the country. Therefore, in 1656, on behalf of the en- tire Republic of Poland, he made a solemn vow at the Cathedral of Introduction 33