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The Canonisation of St. Wojciech

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Labuda G.

Kwartalnik Historyczny

2005

vol. 112

issue 3

33040

The persons most interested in elevating Wojciech (Adalbert), a martyr for the faith, to the rank of a 'saint' included Duke Boleslaw the Brave, who planned to create a metropolitan organisation of the Polish Church, and Gaudenty, a participant of his brother's missionary expedition, who was with all certainty foreseen from the very onset to become the 'archbishop of St. Wojciech' entitled to the 'church in Gniezno'. In his capacity as a monk of the monastery on the Aventine, Gaudenty (who was consequently just as well-known among the papal and monastic circles of Rome as his brother) acted as the spokesman of Duke Boleslaw. It was in the Aventine monastery that the first 'Life of St. Wojciech', inspired by Pope Sylvester II and Emperor Otto III, was written by Jan Canaparius with Gaudenty's co-operation, and envisaged as important testimony of the martyrdom of St. Wojciech. The papal edict (litterae) which confirmed the act of the canonisation has not survived, but researchers agree that it was issued prior to 2 December 992. Gaudenty was mentioned among the witnesses of an imperial document addressed to the Farfa monastery as 'archiepiscopus s. Adalberti martyris' ; he also accompanied Emperor Otto on a pilgrimage to Gniezno, which was also an official, Church expedition. Here the Emperor headed a council convened at the beginning of March 1000, which ultimately established an archbishopric and appointed Gaudenty to the office of the metropolitan bishop. Although no written record of the canonisation of St. Wojciech has survived, the act was indirectly confirmed by an analogous document issued by Pope John XVIII who, upon the request of Abbot Antoni of the hermitage in Kazimierz near Szamotuly, recommended to 'respect and venerate' the five Martyr Brothers, murdered there on 10 November 1003; his admonition was reflected in numerous Church calendars in various bishoprics, not only Polish but also foreign. The fact that Pope Sylvester II similarly advised to 'respect and venerate' the bishop-martyr throughout the whole universal Church should not give rise to any doubts.

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1 Kwartalnik Historyczny

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1 2005

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The Canonisation of St. Wojciech