Towards the reform of medieval mendicant orders. Exhortatio ad meditationem et conformationem passionis Christi by Maciej Hayn (†1477)

Abstract

Exhortatio ad meditationem et conformationem passionis Christi written by a Dominican Matthias Hayn in 1470 describes how the friars should make an effort to improve their behaviour towards others and deepen their spiritual life during Lent.

The author, who received good education while attending Dominican Studia Generalia in Cologne, Vienna and Paris, was designated by the Master General of the Order of Preachers to effect an observant reform in the Dominican Convent in Wrocław. Presumably Hayn wrote ‘Exhortatio’ as a part of his reform activities. The first part of the text is introduction, where Hayn explained the aim of his work. At the beginning he quoted the words from the first reading for Ash Wednesday: “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning” (Joel 2:12) and then he recommended to the brothers that these three acts of penance are the best way of reconciliation with God. According to Hayn the best example to follow in this matter is Christ, therefore during Lent the friars should ponder the Passion and seek to imitate Christ in their everyday situations, especially in those concerning life in monastery. The second part of Exhoratio (the main one) is divided into forty three short chapters called “Morselli” and each of them consists of “Passio” and “Conformatio”. The first is a passage from the Passion parphrased by Hayn, the latter presents a commentary on the preceding “Passio” including advice for the friars.

This article comprises a critical edition of Exhortatio ad meditationem et conformationem passionis Christi accompanied by a Polish translation. The edition is based on two exisiting copies of the text which are contained in two manuscripts from the Wrocław University Library collection.