Page 444 [444]
had been alive for centuries which allowed a far greater space in actual practice
to the benediction activity which served the demands of the local believers.
In Hungary, monks played a particular role in sustaining this subterranean
practice — they have carried out extremely useful activity in transmitting the texts
and living practice of mediaeval benedictions. The important role of monks is
shown both by surviving MS and ‘semi-officially’ printed collections. It is no sur¬
prise that among all the monastic orders the role of the Franciscans, whose pastoral
activity was so close to the people, is to be mentioned in the first place. The book
of prayers and benedictions Arca Domini, which ran into a number of editions in
the 18" century, also exudes a Franciscan spirit, as well as the Transylvanian col¬
lection Fasciculus benedictionum (1749), specifically related to challenges of the
weather. We have definite data to show that Manuale benedictionum (1685), pub¬
lished in Einsiedeln, was also used in Hungary. Besides the Franciscans, Jesuits
were also rather active in benedictions in this region. One of the most widely used
books of benedictions, Fasciculus triplex (1739), is affiliated precisely with the Jesu¬
its. This order was also active in the Catholic mission of 16-17" century Hungary
and Transylvania. They were the first to venture into the lands occupied by the
Turks and were fond of applying ‘miracles’ as their ‘weapon’. They badly needed this
for converting people as well as confirming the faith of Catholic believers. Accord¬
ing to mission reports, the fathers kept coming across possessed persons and people
suffering from nervous disorders whom they cured through exorcism and various
sacramentals (St. Ignatius’s water; relics images, medals of the saints; ‘Agnus dei’
wax medals, rosaries). Their activities were highly popular with the Greek Ortho¬
dox and even the Turks. The triumphant ‘mission narratives’ of their ventures, de¬
spite all their exaggeration and tendentiousness, clearly highlight the intensity and
reception of the Jesuit practice of blessings/curses in the early modern period.
Members of the third major monastic order in Hungary, the Benedictines,
also took part in activities of this kind. The late 17° century MS book of bene¬
dictions which survived at the ‘holy mound’ of Pannonhalma (Sacra arca bene¬
dictionum, 1697) contains several special mediaeval type benedictions. These in¬
clude blessing gold, myrrh and incense at Twelfth Day against ‘incubus and suc¬
cubus, analogue-blessing of gold against jaundice; blessings against fever,
epilepsy and bladder stone; and blessing rue, lavender, roses, camphor and sul¬
phur with the aim of repelling demons. In terms of content, this MS book is
clearly related to the medicinal practice of the early modern times, but medical
devices and procedures were shrouded in sacred exteriors.
These most important collections in Hungary (as well as a few scattered MS
notes) constitute the corpus which contains, as far as the original intent is con¬
cerned, approximately 200 benedictions and exorcisms which take the form of
prayers of varying length (from 10 lines to 10 pages). This fact in itself refutes
443