Bractwa kościelne w diecezji sejneńskiej
Church Confraternities in the Diocese of Sejny

Summary/Abstract: Church Confraternities existed in each parish of Sejny Diocese, sometimes even more than one. They did not have a legal status, properties nor superiors out of choice. Common singing of their beads or chaplets as well as taking part in processions with candles proved that such confraternities existed in the particular church. Legal Acts of the dozen or so confraternities existing in Sejny Diocese drew attention to religious lifestyle of their members, underlined obedience to ecclesiastical and secular authorities. The confraternities` members used to wear scapulars as the badge of a particular confraternity, called themselves brothers and sisters. Thanks to the organization form, confraternities formed public opinion, they had considerable influence in their environment. However, they were not as important as they used to be in previous centuries, since they had been deprived of their property and restricted by secular regulations.

• Details
• Contents