A Few Strokes to the spiritual Portrait Hints of Uniate Archbishop Josaphat Kuntsevych

Abstract

This article describes the main features of spiritual life of Uniate archbishop Josaphat Kuntsevych (1580–1623), who was killed by the rebellious citizens of Vitebsk because of his zeal in spreading uniatism. Through the efforts of the Uniates and Latins, he was declared a martyr in the name of Christ, the Catholic faith, and the holy union with the Roman Church. The author notes the difference of approaches to the interpretation of his personality in the context of the two confessional traditions: the Latin-Uniat and Orthodox. This article aims to objectively examine Kuntsevych’s spiritual image, based on the rules of monastic life peculiar to the Orthodox East. A wide range of sources have been studied: Kuntsevych’s writings and various historical accounts on the peculiarities of his missionary and pastoral activities, as well as the materials of the canonization process. It The results show that Josaphat Kuntsevych is an early example of the union’s Latinization. Under the Jesuits’s influence, he adopted an intolerant view of “schisma”. This led to an internal break from the Eastern spiritual tradition and its replacement with a surrogate of Catholic exercises and Orthodox fasts and prayers in the inner life. Lacking proper instruction at the beginning of his monastic journey, Kuntsevych indulged in reading and applied spiritual exercises guided by his own imagination. His zeal for asceticism in the spirit of Jesuit practices attracted the attention of others, and without the advice of a spiritual director, he was unable to develop self-criticism and true humility. His harshness to himself led to him treating others the same way. Kind and affectionate to submissive and agreeable listeners, Josaphat became intolerant and intrusive to dissenters. With a passionate desire for martyrdom, Josaphat followed the lessons of his Jesuit leaders, who saw death at the hands of infidels as the best means of converting them. In conclusion, Josaphat Kuntsevych affiliated himself internally with Latinism despite his outward adherence to the Eastern rites.