Stanisław from Łowicz, member of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and his book collection

Abstract

The author first describes briefly the history of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, called also the Guardians of the Holy Sepulchre, who came to Poland in 1163 and established the monastery in Miechów. The library collections consisted of (among others) books of deceased monks, including those belonging to Stanisław Bieda from Łowicz (died in 1574), currently stored in a.o. the University of Warsaw Library - 14 works in 22 volumes (19 works in 26 volumes in total has been preserved). Next, the author presents Stanisław - a graduate of the Cracow Academy, doctor of theology, religious writer, and finally a monk. Preserved works from his book collection prove his interests in patrology, exegesis, dogmatics, and law. His volumes, bound mostly in an ornamented leather, are plenty of handwritten marginalia, corrections in the text, bibliographical notes, and information on the place, time, and price of purchase. The books present their owner as wise, renaissance monk, interested in new trends in the catholic church. The article is completed with the List of the books from Stanisław from Łowicz collection, with provenance information and description of bindings.