Title Saints in the national memory cultures of the 20th century: the cases of Saint Casimir and Saint Josaphat
Authors Streikus, Arūnas
DOI 10.15388/TMRofSaintJosaphatKuntsevych.2025.21
ISBN 9786090712160
eISBN 9786090712177
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Is Part of The making and remembering of Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych. 17th–20th century / edited by Ivan Almes, Nataliia Fedyshyn, Salvijus Kulevičius.. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2025. p. 455-471.. ISBN 9786090712160. eISBN 9786090712177
Keywords [eng] memory culture ; saints ; national patrons ; the Holy See
Abstract [eng] The article examines the 20th-century histories of the veneration of Saint Casimir and Saint Josaphat Kuntsevych, seeking to answer the following questions: Does the development of these cases correlate with tendencies to instrumentalize national patrons in other contexts, or does it challenge them? Where do the 20th-century trajectories of the veneration of St. Casimir and St. Josaphat overlap, and where do they diverge? And why were neither of them included among the top-tier people of the pantheons of national heroes in the 20th century? The review analysis essentially confirms the insights of other researchers regarding the adaptability of such sites of memory across different contexts and their particular relevance to diasporic communities. The analysis also reveals the obstacles which prevented St. Josaphat from transcending the boundaries of religious veneration and becoming a national hero. Although the research found that St. Casimir did surpass these boundaries, he did not attain the status of a national patron due to competition with other sites of memory.
Published Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2025
Type Book part
Language English
Publication date 2025
CC license CC license description