81 and he suffered from dangerous illnesses which were ravaging the country from 1672-1679. The Book of the Marian Protocols from the monastery in Balsamão, Portugal, contains a note stating the conviction that Fr. Papczyński “adopted in 1675 a great devotion for the Poor Souls in Purgatory,” and that in 1676, he made it “a particular goal of the Congregation.”20 Let us look at this note for the answer to the question about the date on which this sensibility towards the needs of the deceased, especially the victims of wars and pestilence, arose in the heart of the priest and religious order member. Indeed, Blessed Papczyński showed an extreme sensitivity in this matter. It probably stayed with him until his dying day, because in his Testament of December 9, 1692, he wrote: “I most urgently and strongly instruct my dearly beloved brethren in Christ to love God and neighbor, /…/ to give proper honor to the Virgin Mary conceived without stain of sin, and to zealously assist the souls of the deceased.”21 Blessed Papczyński’s mystical visions are closely related to two matters. First, there is his profound life of prayer nurtured by contemplation of the truths of the faith, including man’s ultimate matters. While staying in Lubocza and Puszcza Korabiewska, he used to lead an intensive inner life of contemplation. Starting exactly in 1671, he used to remain “in seclusion, guided by the Holy Spirit,” and of this Offi ce and its binding power in the 17th century. In fact, the Offi ce of the Dead, derived from the early Christian practice of praying for the deceased on specifi c days, arose in the 8th-century monastic centers. At the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries, it had become a universal and obligatory daily practice in monasteries and chapters. The obligation of celebrating this Offi ce daily was eliminated by St. Pius V (Breviarium Romanum, 1568). From that time on, it was required to recite this Offi ce in choir on the Mondays of Advent and Lent, on the fi rst day of each month (or on the next day, if taken by another celebration), as well as during certain vigils and quarterly dates. However, the Pope urgently encouraged the recitation of this prayer in choir, granting a 100-day indulgence for each time it is recited on the abovementioned days. The obligation of reciting this Offi ce in choir was eliminated only by St. Pius X (rubrics from 1913, based on the Bull of 1911). At fi rst, the Offi ce included only Lauds and Vespers, to which the Matins were added in the 14th century. Three prayers during the day and one completa joined them in 1913, when the Offi cium defunctorum, which previously had a votive character, that is, being constantly added to the Offi ce of the day (including on November 2nd), has now become a Daily Offi ce on the annual solemnity of All Souls. Based on this information, we can infer that daily recitation of the Offi ce of the Dead, prescribed to the Marians by Bishop S.J. Święcicki, went beyond the all-Church norms and duties. Thus, it must come from some other rationale, which might have been Blessed Papczyński’s inspiration. As to the history of this Offi ce, see S. Baumer, Geschichte des Breviers. Freiburig i. Br. 1895, p. 441, 327, 453; A.J. Nowowiejski, Wykład liturgii Kościoła katolickiego, t. 4, Płock 1916 p. 345-350; C. Callewaert, Liturgicae institutiones, ed. 2, t. 2, Brugis 1939, p. 308 n.; M. Righetti, Nauale di storia liturgica, ed. 3, vol. 2, Milano 1969, pp. 484-487; Breviarium Romanum, Venettis 1794, pp. IV-V, CXX. 20 K.J. Krzyżanowski MIC, O powrót do idei…, 27. The note in the Protocollum Ordinis… was entered by Fr. Aleksy Fischer († 1782) based on Blessed Papczyński’s diary which did not survive. It contains one concrete date on which the Founder defi ned “the Congregation’s special goal”—February 11, 1676. 21 S. Papczyński, Scripta historica…, p. 12: Fratribus meis /…/ solidum sine labe Conceptae Virginis cultum, ferentem Defunctis opitulationem /…/ maxime et instantissime, recomendo. This time, instead of the well-known word “suffragium” he used the term “opitulatio,” which is synonymous. “Cultus solidus” can mean a constant and strong part, which involves the heart, also. Cf. p. 6 in Testament II (1699/1701), Scripta historica…, p. 136.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjI2Mw==