Jak sufragana chełmskiego kijami pobito, czyli o rozruchach religijnych w Hrubieszowie i Czerniczynie z marca–kwietnia 1636 r. Oblata protestacji i obdukcji Abrahama Śladkowskiego oraz oględzin ran jego kapelana, siostrzeńca i woźnicy w urzędzie grodzkim grabowieckim

Abstract

One of the main areas of conflict between the Uniates and the Orthodox in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the early 17th century was the issue of rights to use places of worship. In order to settle the related feuds, a commission was established in 1635 to repartition Orthodox churches in royal towns in proportion to the number of Greek Catholics and Disuniates residing there. One of the centers covered by its efforts was Hrubieszow in the Chełm region, where officials granted the Orthodox the right to own two temples. Despite the verdict, which was favorable to themselves, the non-Uniates there caused riots, during which they attacked a Greek Catholic temple, Catholic clergy and townspeople of the Latin rite. In addition, upon hearing of the arrival of Chelm suffragan Abraham Sladkowski to Czerniczyn, located nearby, they decided to attack the clergyman, to which they convinced the peasants living there. Under their influence, the peasants first attacked the local orthodox church and battered the pop who was in charge of it, and then beat up the aforementioned dignitary, who had arrived there upon hearing of the unrest, not sparing the people accompanying him. As a result of actions taken by the Uniate bishop of Chelm, Methodius Terlecki, the culprits of the incidents were to answer for their actions with their lives and property. However, the punishment was waived after the townspeople did public penance and adopted the Uniate religion.