engleski

Why do we need mediators in relationship with God? Considerations on relationship of God and believers through ordinary presentation on the Early Modern patron saints medals

Ecclesiastical items or devotional objects is a term that encompasses all the religious purpose items, promoting or extending the devotion (crosses, rosaries, medals, pendants or devotional images). Here are elaborated saints medals, and especially the relationship between the presentation on medals and popular piety, all medals found in archaeological researches of Early Modern cemeteries in Croatia. The Council of Trent passes a Decree on Invocation, Worship and Saints Relics and Sacred Images that lays the foundation for the reinforced popular piety. It is a reaction to reformist ideas that have not taken too strong roots in Croatia. The Church’s activity was primarily directed to Catholic renewal and missionary of the regions under the Ottoman rule. A great wave of Catholic renewal was supposed to remove folk believes and traditions brought from the Middle Ages. Thus, superstitious practices related to protection of the populace from various adversities profile in the cult of saints and the custom of wearing medals and all sorts of protective pendants. Of course, the simplification of the worship of saints does not suit to the Church, but by persistent repeating and insisting that the salvation and protection come only from God, to whom the saints are just mediators, an acceptable popular piety of respect and veneration of saints and the Mother of God established. The external manifestation of such veneration is visible in numerous saints medals brought from pilgrimages. This paper shows popular saints on medals, what they protect and what customs are related to worship of a particular saint. It also considers favourite places of pilgrimage and what is the protective role of Mary or some other saint worshipped there and some other presentations that in the course of 17th and 18th centuries represent the Church’s fight against reformist ideas (i.e. presentation of the St. Eucharist or Hell or Purgatory).

early modern patron saints medals; devotions

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