Dr Patryk Ryczkowski, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at Vilnius University, starting from March 2025, under the supervision by Assoc. Prof. Mintautas Čiurinskas of the Department of Classical Philology, investigates a unique chapter in the religious and cultural history of early modern Europe. He will explore how the Basilian monks of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth shaped the Uniate Church’s identity through literature. His research focuses on hagiographies—accounts of saints’ and martyrs’ lives—and examine how they helped balance Orthodox traditions with Catholic influences. In this interview, Dr Ryczkowski discusses Vilnius’ role as a centre of Basilian activity and why this period remains relevant today.
Why is the Union of Brest such a pivotal event in religious and cultural history?
The Union of Brest, announced in 1596, marked the decision by some Orthodox bishops in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to acknowledge the authority of the Pope while keeping parts of their Eastern traditions. This agreement led to the creation of the Uniate Church, which adopted a mix of Orthodox liturgy and theology and Catholic standards.
The Union’s influence extended beyond its origins in historical Poland and Lithuania, shaping the religious and cultural identity of Eastern and Central Europe for centuries. Today, its legacy persists in regions far beyond its roots, including parts of Western Europe and North America.
Your research focuses on Basilian hagiography—writings about saints and martyrs. Why is this literature so significant?
The Basilian monks were instrumental in shaping the identity of the Uniate Church through hagiographic literature—narratives of saints' and martyrs' lives. These texts served multiple purposes: they presented models of sanctity and allowed the Uniates to define their place between Orthodox and Catholic traditions.
Hagiographies are particularly interesting because they balance structure and adaptability. While they followed established literary patterns, they were flexible enough to reflect regional contexts or the intentions of their authors. For the Uniates, these writings were tools of inculturation, helping them present their Orthodox heritage in a way that aligned with Catholic expectations while maintaining their distinct identity.
Could you share how Vilnius fits into this narrative?
Vilnius played a central role in the history of the Basilian Order and the Uniate Church. During the 17th century, especially in its first half, it became both the main monastic and printing centre for the Basilians. As the seat of the Uniate metropolitanate, Vilnius was not just a spiritual hub but also a key administrative and cultural centre.
This makes Vilnius University—and its archive collections—essential for my project. Many critical sources, such as manuscripts and printed works, are preserved here. Relevant sources are held also in the Wróblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. However, the archival situation remains complex. These texts are often dispersed across various collections, sometimes surviving as single copies in libraries outside Lithuania, like in Poland. Part of my project involves mapping and analyzing this fragmented literary heritage.
Figures like Josaphat Kuntsevych and Ignatius Kulczyński are central to your research. What makes them significant?
Josaphat Kuntsevych is a pivotal figure—a martyr who symbolizes the Union of Brest. As an Orthodox bishop turned Uniate leader, he sought to consolidate the Uniate Church but faced strong resistance, culminating in his violent death in 1623. His martyrdom was quickly elevated to sainthood, making him a powerful symbol of reunification with Rome.
Ignatius Kulchynsky, on the other hand, was a Basilian monk and a scholar who worked in Rome to popularize the Uniate Church. He compiled the „Menologium bazyliańskie” (Menologium Basilianum)—a collection of saintly lives—which showcased Basilian saints, including Kuntsevych, alongside figures like St. Basil the Great. This work helped integrate the Basilian tradition into the broader Catholic world, reinforcing the Church's visibility outside the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Your research highlights the Basilian monks as key cultural figures. How did they influence education and intellectual life in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth?
The Basilian monks played a key role in the intellectual and educational life of the Uniate Church. After the Union of Brest, they became central to the cultural revival of Uniate communities, establishing schools, printing presses, and centres of scholarship that combined Orthodox spirituality with Latin Catholic traditions.
They focused on educating both clergy and laypeople, producing theological texts and broader educational materials. Vilnius, as a key Basilian centre, hosted printing workshop that published religious literature in multiple languages, such as Polish and Latin. This multilingual approach reflects their ability to bridge Orthodox and Catholic cultures. Through education and scholarship, the Basilians preserved their Orthodox roots while helping to solidify the Uniate Church’s role in post-Tridentine Church.
The concept of ‘inculturation’ plays a central role in your work. Could you explain how it shaped the identity of the Uniate Church over time?
The concept of inculturation—adapting religious traditions to new cultural contexts while preserving their core—was key to shaping the Uniate Church’s identity. For the Uniates, this involved integrating Catholic practices, such as Latin hagiographic traditions, while maintaining Eastern Orthodox liturgical and spiritual elements.
This balance allowed the Uniate Church to serve as a bridge between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Over time, inculturation became not just a survival strategy but also a way to assert their distinctiveness, demonstrating how they could adapt without losing their heritage. This dynamic remains relevant today in the Greek Catholic Church, which continues to embody this synthesis of traditions.
How does this research change our understanding of post-Tridentine Catholicism?
The Catholic Church after the Council of Trent is often viewed as a monolithic institution, but my research highlights its diversity. The Uniate Church—and the Basilian monks in particular—represents a unique facet of early modern Christianity: a confession that sought to reconcile Eastern Orthodox traditions with Catholic theology.
By examining hagiography, I aim to show how the Uniates navigated this complex cultural and religious space, adapting Catholic forms while preserving elements of their Orthodox heritage. This not only sheds light on the dynamics of post-Tridentine Europe but also reveals the agency of smaller communities within the broader Catholic framework.
What challenges do you face when studying such a fragmented historical legacy, and how do you overcome them?
One major challenge in my research is the scattered nature of the sources. While many Basilian manuscripts and booklets were produced in Vilnius and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, they are now dispersed across Europe, sometimes surviving as single copies in distant archives.
To address this, I combine archival research with digital tools. Institutions like the Vilnius University Library and the Wróblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences provide critical access to these texts, while international collaborations and digital collections help uncover materials that would otherwise be hard to reach. This process not only reconstructs the Basilian literary heritage but also highlights its far-reaching cultural influence.
How does your research connect to contemporary issues of cultural and religious identity in Eastern Europe?
The story of the Uniate Church shows how religious communities adapt to change while maintaining parts of their identity. The Basilian monks managed to bridge two traditions—Orthodox and Catholic—by preserving their liturgical heritage and engaging with Catholic norms.
This history is still relevant today, especially in regions like Eastern Europe, where questions of heritage and identity remain important. It’s a reminder that dialogue and adaptation can help communities navigate cultural and religious boundaries without losing their distinctiveness.