Poland and Austro-Hungarian history in one funeral
From Interia:
The funeral of the Rev. Joachim Badeni, the oldest member of the Dominican Order in Poland, who died March 11, 2010 at the age of 97. The funeral was held in Krakow and was presided over by Cardinals Stanislaw Dziwisz, and Franciszek Macharski. Until his death, Rev. Badeni lived in Dominican monastery in Krakow.
Rev. Badeni was born as Kazimierz Stanislaw hr. Badeni. The Badeni family was part of Polish nobility under the Boncza coat of arms (about 20% of the citizens of the Polish kingdom were nobility or gentry). The Badeni family’s political influence and land holdings extended over tracts of Eastern Poland and Ruthenia, then referred to as Galicia and Lodomeria. Kazimierz was named after his grandfather, Count Kazimierz Felix Badeni, Viceroy of Galicia and the premiere of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Rev. Badeni was the author of several books covering theological and existential themes. He was co-founder of the famous Krakow pastoral academic institute “Beczka“. Rev. Badeni was buried in the famous Rakowicki Cemetery in Krakow.
Notice two things in the photos below: In Poland funeral liturgies are generally performed in purple or black vestments. White is not a popular (or very proper) liturgical color for funerals. This unlike in the United States where we tend to psychologically and liturgically separate ourselves from the fact of death. Second, the Rev. Badeni’s sister, Maria Krystyna Habsburg, Arch-Dutchess of Austria, was in attendance.
“In Poland funeral liturgies are generally performed in purple or black vestments. White is not a popular (or very proper) liturgical color for funerals.”
I’m a Polish (Mom’s side – Guzowski) Catholic who grew up in the pre-Vatican II church. I remember the black at funerals (I still love the latin, chant, smells & bells). I never thought black to be an appropriate color for the Angels welcoming someone into paradise along with the Prophets and the Martyrs. I much prefer the liturgical theology behind the white. Revelation has none of those praising the Lamb dressed in black. The purple would not be bad even with the penitential overtones of Advent and Lent. It is a royal color and we are a “royal priesthood” – that is again good liturgical theology
“This unlike in the United States where we tend to psychologically and liturgically separate ourselves from the fact of death.”
Maybe you do, but no one I know does. In all of the hundreds of funerals I have done, I have never experienced a detachment from death or a sense of denial at a Mass of the Resurrection. Except once… very old school Sicilian family wanted all music deleted from the liturgy of their daughter (and black to be worn) so the assembly could more easily hear the weeping and wailing. That’s not good theology.
If I may offer a thought, what we in the US have historically separated ourselves from is the Resurrection from the dead. This is played out yearly by low attendence in most parishes at the Great Vigil of Easter. How many people actually attend all 3 days of the Triduum? There is our problematic liturgical disconnect.
Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts with you.
Dominus vobiscum,
Ron (Guzowski) Jones