Szentképek a padok alól (Tamási-Római katolikus templom) = Images of Saints from Beneath the Pews (Roman Catholic Church in Tamási)

Vindus, Melinda (2024) Szentképek a padok alól (Tamási-Római katolikus templom) = Images of Saints from Beneath the Pews (Roman Catholic Church in Tamási). WOSINSKY MÓR MÚZEUM ÉVKÖNYVE, 46. pp. 267-290. ISSN 0865-5464

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Abstract

During the 2022–2023 renovation of the Roman Catholic Church in Tamási, conducted under the archaeological supervision of András K. Németh, several artefacts – primarily metal objects – were discovered both within the church and in its surrounding churchyard. These finds date from the Middle Ages to the present day, with a significant portion of religious objects belonging to the early modern and modern periods. The present study focuses on the examination of small prints, specifically paper images of saints, associated with private religious practices. The veneration of saints serves as a unifying symbol within Christianity, rendering the relationship between believers and the Creator more personal and tangible. The cult of saints originated within small, localised communities and gradually spread throughout society in diverse forms across different historical periods. Even today, the relics of saints, as well as associated acts of pilgrimage, reverence, and devotional objects, remain integral to religious life. The tradition of small saint images, often kept in prayer books or Bibles, can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Their widespread dissemination, however, was facilitated by the advent of reproductive printing techniques in the eighteenth century. These images imbued with sacred significance were commonly sold at markets and fairs, allowing believers to purchase and have them when visiting the saints’ icons, statues, or relics. The saints’ images discovered in the Roman Catholic Church of Tamási can be categorised according to their temporal and spatial distribution. The earlier images were found beneath the pews in the nave, while later items were collected from the choir loft near the organ. Many of these images bear inscriptions on their reverse sides, including prayers (such as rosaries and children’s prayers) and epigraphs related to religious milestones (such as priestly ordination or pilgrimages to Máriagyűd). These inscriptions provide valuable insights into the religious lives of their former owners.

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