Schematyzmy karmelitów prowincji galicyjskiej
DIRECTORIES OF THE CARMELITES OF THE GALICIAN PROVINCE

Summary/Abstract: The Carmelites (Ordo Fratrum Beatae Mariae Virginis de Monte Carmelo) were among the larger orders in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth around 1772: they numbered nearly 1,000 monks living in 59 religious houses. The change in the political situation of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the partitions resulted initially in the disintegration of the monastic orders’ provincial structures that had existed until 1772. Subsequently, in accordance with the partitioners’ policy toward Catholics, the Church saw the suppression of religious orders: a significant number of monasteries were abolished and monks were dispersed. The lands annexed to Austria became the only area where Carmelites managed to survive in the Galician Province until Poland regained independence.The historical source presented here, namely directory (also known as elen-chus), was usually issued annually as a list of diocesan and/or religious clergy members. For the Carmelite community belonging to the Galician province, (today know) 23 annals of such sources have been published in more than 50 years. They contained information about each monk: their name, surname, functions, possibly degrees, year of birth and – in the case of fathers – the year of ordination. The last information about a particular person was that provided in the list of the deceased community members. Although the basic content of the Carmelite directories was not very rich, it does provide a basis for a preliminary determination of community size and basic personal data.

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