CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS MINORITIES IN POLAND AND UKRAINE

Discover the fascinating cultural and religious mosaic in the heart of East-Central Europe. This unique monograph takes you on a journey to two distant but similar worlds, where the Catholic faith intertwines with local identity. Get to know the stories of people for whom religion is not only a denomination, but also the foundation of social and cultural life.

• Comparative studies of two unique communities
• Analysis of religious and cultural identity
• History and present of Catholic minorities
• Influence of religion on social and cultural life
• Anthropological and sociological perspective
• Scientific editing by Magdalena Zowczak

The monograph "Catholic religious minorities in Poland and Ukraine. Comparative studies" under the scientific editorship of Magdalena Zowczak is an extraordinary journey into the communities of two depopulating towns: Murafa in Ukrainian Podolia and Biały Bór in Poland. In Murafa, Roman Catholics have lived among Orthodox Christians for centuries, and in Biały Bór, after the Second World War, Greek Catholics deported from the Bieszczady Mountains were settled. For both of these minorities, religion remains a key element of identity, and their lives are centered around temples.

In Murafa, with the change in the language of the liturgy and prayer, Catholics abandon the memory of the Polish tradition. In Biały Bór, Greek Catholics build their Ukrainian identity around the trauma of displacement, in opposition to Orthodoxy. Their ethno-religion is overcome by the mysticism of the church designed by Jerzy Nowosielski, referring to early Christian patterns. In contrast to it, domed churches are erected by believers dissatisfied with modernization. In Murafa, the older generation of Roman Catholics was deprived of part of the local Polish tradition, and with it part of their identity. However, the parish remains a garden of the Mother of God under God's protection.

This publication is not only a sociological and anthropological analysis, but also a profound study of the human condition in the context of a changing world. It is a story about memory, identity, religion and culture that will surely interest anyone who wants to understand the complexity of modern societies. This book is a valuable source of knowledge for students, scientists and all lovers of history and culture of East-Central Europe. Oficyna Naukowa, year of publication 2023, 532 pages, format 222x151 mm, paperback.