The General Seminary in Hradisko near Olomouc and its students: An example of the monarchy’s centralization project Cover Image

Generální seminář v Hradisku u Olomouce a jeho studenti: Příklad centralizačního projektu monarchie
The General Seminary in Hradisko near Olomouc and its students: An example of the monarchy’s centralization project

Author(s): Petra Hanáková
Subject(s): Cultural history, Political history, Social history, History of Education, 18th Century, History of Religion
Published by: AV ČR - Akademie věd České republiky - Ústav pro českou literaturu
Keywords: General Seminary; Joseph II.; Josephinism; education of the clergy; the lower clergy; Olomouc; Hradisko u Olomouce

Summary/Abstract: The General Seminaries, a reform of ecclesiastical education introduced by Joseph II, aimed to increase state oversight of clergy training. This reform focused on preparing clerics for the practical aspects oftheir future profession and for effective communication with the general public. This study revisits and revises previous research on the General Seminaries, particularly areas that have been neglected. Using the Olomouc Seminary (Hradisko u Olomouce) as a case study, it explores the curriculum of key subjects, such as pastoral theology and national/modern languages, which were designed to equip studentsfor interactions with the rural population. The study also sheds light on the seminarians and graduates—figures largely overlooked in past research—highlighting how their education in the General Seminary shaped their identity and understanding of their vocation within the lower clergy at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.

  • Issue Year: 15/2025
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 91-111
  • Page Count: 21
  • Language: Czech
Toggle Accessibility Mode