St. Josaphat Kuntsevych’s Regulae and Constitutiones for the Priesthood

Abstract

The chapter delves into two works associated with St. Josaphat Kuntsevych, who was Archbishop of Polatsk from 1618 to 1623: Regulae S. Josaphat pro suis praesbyteris (Rules of St. Josaphat for His Priests) and Constitutiones pro omnibus sacerdotibus (Rules for All Priests). Research supports St. Josaphat’s authorship of the Regulae, although it suggests that the final version may have emerged shortly after his martyrdom. The origins of the Constitutiones, which is seemingly a compilation of offenses and their punishments, predate the Regulae, and likely existed as a metropolitan list. The Regulae, comprising 48 articles, was introduced during Josaphat’s tenure in order to spearhead the reform of the clergy and enhance the organisation of the parishes’ ministry; these were communicated at annual eparchial councils. The Constitutiones specifies nine articles outlining penalties for clerical misconduct. The investigation extends to the primary sources of these works, suggesting that Josaphat adapted pre-existing council precepts, which were common in Ruthenian Kórmchaia books, for their formulation. Further, the chapter explores the manuscript tradition, publication, and translation of these documents, scrutinising both Ruthenian and Latin manuscripts and their editions. These normative documents were aimed at eparchial protopresbyters, priests, and deacons, but explicitly excluded monastic clergy, highlighting their integral role in ecclesiastical discipline and governance.