Stan parafii archidiakonatu gnieźnieńskiego w epoce potrydenckiej w świetle siedemnastowiecznych wizytacji (wybrane przykłady)

Abstract

This article aims to show the relation between the premise of the great reform of the Catholic Church from the 16th century and the state of the individual, diversified parishes of the archdeaconry of Gniezno after the Council of Trent. The events of the 17th century are discussed when the process of restoration of the status of the Catholic Church occurred. Two out of four canonical visitations that remained from this archdeaconry were used in the article. They come from the beginning and the end of the 17th century and are the most comprehensive. They allow for an insight into the state of the parish then operating in the ever-changing social, economic, and political conditions. To an extent, they allow to find an answer to the question if and how the reform introduced by the Council of Trent reflects in the functioning and certain elements an essential and important link in the Church structure.