Symfonije anielskie Jana Żabczyca w perspektywie angelologicznej
Jan Żabczyc’s “Angelic Symphonies”: an angelological perspective

Summary/Abstract: The article is an attempt to interpret "Symfonije anielskie" by Jan Żabczyc from an angelological perspective. It fills a research gap concerning the function and significance of angelic figures. In Żabczyc's work, angelic figures are situated at the intersection of two orders: the theological order, rooted in classical angelology (including the writings of St Thomas Aquinas and St Bonaventure), and the folk order, shaped by popular religious imaginings of illiterate and semi-literate audiences. In the first part of the article, angels are interpreted as representatives of the theological structure of the angelic choirs. The care they exercise over humans, especially over shepherds, corresponds to the Catholic vision of a hierarchical order of the world and the principle of lex caritatis. The second part reconstructs the "folk angel": a being close to humans, embedded in the realities of rural culture and Christmas folklore. The study demonstrates that the theological and folk images of the angel in the "Symfonije" form a coherent vision of religiosity. Regardless of perspective, the angelic figures function as mediators between the spheres of the sacred and the profane, enabling the ennoblement of shepherds and incorporating the "little ones" into the experience of the mystery of the Nativity.

• Details
• Contents