HISTORY OF THE CHURCH Rocznik Teologii Katolickiej, tom XVIII, rok 2019 Rev. Tadeusz Kasabuła University of Białystok DOI: 10.15290/rtk.2019.18.13 0000-0003-3731-5324 The Officials of the Cathedral Chapter of Vilnius Before the Partition of Poland Originally, the members of cathedral chapters were organizationally and structurally divided into two categories: general prelates and canons. During the early stages of organization, prelatures were simultaneously dignities and capitular offices. After the Middle Ages, however, prelatures ceased to be offices and became titular dignities instead. Due to the evolution of the struc- ture and the development of the organization of the chapters and the ways in which they functioned, it was necessary to appoint new officials who were independent of the particular dignities. From the moment that the college of prelates and canons was founded and established in Vilnius, they functioned and acted in spiritualibus and in temporalibus by following the example of the chapter in Cracow that had existed for centuries and adapted the practices to the local conditions of Vilnius. This influence is very clear in the selection and competencies of the officials chosen for the Cathedral Chapter of Vilnius. Among the officials chosen before the partition of Poland took place, those who had the most lasting effects were the capitular procuators, inspectors of capitular goods and property, chancellors, notaries, architivists, and deputies to the Lithuanian Tribunal. Key words: Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Vilnius, cathedral chapter, capitular procuator, chancellor, notary, archivist, Lithuanian Tribunal. Introduction By using the Cathedral Chapter of Cracow as its organizational and structural model, the positions, dignities, functions, and offices of the Cathedral Chapter of Vilnius bypassed the initial stages of develop- ment that were characteristic for the Polish chapters that were formed 184 Rev. Tadeusz Kasabuła during the early centuries of the Middle Ages.1 From the moment that the Vilnus chapter of prelates and canons was founded and erected, they functioned and acted in spiritualibus and in temporalibus ac- cording to the example of the Cathedral Chapter in Cracow that had existed for centuries and adapted its practices to their local conditions. Whenever the Chapter was in doubt regarding a particular issue, it first referred directly to the Cathedral Chapter of Cracow and then, as time when on, to the legal practices and customs that were established in Cracow that were more or less modified into a set of statutes that was transferred to Vilnius. Originally, the members of cathedral chapters were organization- ally and structurally divided into two categories: general prelates and canons. During the early stages of organization, prelatures were simul- taneously dignities and capitular offices. As time passed and moved further away from the Middle Ages, however, prelatures ceased to be offices and, instead, became titular dignities. Originally the provost, meaning the pastor, presided over and supervised the chapter, while the deacon kept watch over the Sluga Boza n the Cathedral, the arch- dean was de facto the episcopal official of the Cathedral Chapter of Vilnius who visited parishes and examined candidates for the priest- hood. The custodian took care of the treasury and the sacristy and was also responsible for ministry the within the cathedral until this responsibility was passed on to the penitentiaries, personal preachers, History and the college of vicars. The cantor was responsible for the musical of the Church and liturgical chant, and the master of schools directed the cathedral school. As the offices evolved, the dignities bestowed on specific prel- ates began to be passed on either to those who chapter appointed to assist it or directly to the prelates’ deputies who performed their duties. For example, the deanreceived a vice dean, the custodian—a vice custodian, the cantor—a vice cantor, the master of schools trans- ferred his powers to an unaffiliated director of the school and school dormitories. When visiting parishes, the capitular archdeacon was more and more often replaced by the diocesan bishops themselves or suffragan bishops and, later on, by the visitators appointed by the bishop. The evolution of the structure and organization of the chapter meant that the changes and variations in way the chapter functioned 1 M. D. Kowalski, “Początki majątku krakowskiej kapituły katedralnej,” in Duchowieństwo kapitulne w Polsce średniowiecznej i wczesnonowożytnej. Po- chodzenie i funkcjonowanie elity kościelnej, ed. A. Radzimiński, Torun 2000, pgs. 69-84; W. Abraham, Organizacja Kościoła w Polsce do połowy XII wieku, Poznan 1962, pgs. 179-180, 302-305; S. Zachorowski, Rozwój i ustrój kapituł polskich w wiekach średnich, Cracow 1912, pgs. 41-45. The Officials of the Cathedral Chapter of Vilnius Before the Partition... 185 made it necessary for it to appoint new officials who were not affiliated with particular dignities. The Procurator Because the Cathedral Chapter of Vilnius followed the structures and organization of the Cathedral Chapter of Cracow, the the offices that arose from and were connected with particular prelates as well as the offices that developed independently prelates were few in number from the very beginning and into the 18th century. Among the independent prelates, the procurator undoubtedly played the most significant role. Although individual members of the chapter managed the praestimoniae with the help of their deputies, the management of the property that was held in common was the responsibility of the entire college, which over time appointed a separate official—the procurator—to carry out the duties related to this task. In light of original sources, it is difficult to say when the entire capitular body first collegially appointed an individual to fill this office, which was independent from any dignities bestowed on prelates. It is also dif- ficult to assert whether this office was established by the authority of the praepositor, which S. Zachorowski suggests in his discussion of royal chapters.2 The fact this office was first noted in the capitular acts in 1503. In that year, on August 14, a canon from Vilnius named Jan from Borzeyniewa was chosen as the procurator. His powers History were defined rather vaguely; he was granted full power of attorney of the Church to manage the Chapter’s affairs. Whether the Chapter exercised such foresight, or whether these affairs became so numerous or the nature of these matters made it necessary to appoint someone else to man- age them, the fact is that the newly created position of procurator was granted the right to take on a deputy. Perhaps, however, the office of procurator arose as a result of the existing need for someone to pri- marily manage the provost’s affairs, since the establishment of this office corresponds to a time period when Ezram Ciołek, who rarely made an appearance in Vilnius, held it. This also seems to be the case when one considers the affairs with which the procurator, who was tasked with taking care of the sums money that were offered at the relics of the Holy Martyrs and left by the provost, was entrusted. A canon Mikołaj Żukowski, who had left Vilnius for a period of time, left 2 S. Zachorowski, op. cit., pgs. 193-201. 186 Rev. Tadeusz Kasabuła the management of his funds to the procurator.3 It appears that the Chapter enjoyed the benefits of having a canon procurator because the scope procurator’s duties continually increased; for, the procurator was inspecting the Chapter’s property a decade or so later.4 After the vote in 1521, the canon Wojciech Wieleżyński was elected to the office of prosecutor, and his rights and duties were determined. According to the resolution enacted by the Chapter on September 20 of that same year, the procurator had to administer all of the Chapter’s moveable and immovable goods; take care of and supervise the construction of capitular buildings; oversee the church’s furnishings and equipment; collect taxes, rents, and debts owed by lessees and other subjects; and search out and enforce the necessary pentalties in the form of fines and contriutions on those who in any way harmed the functioning of the capitular benefice or who did not pay the Chapter what they owed according to the terms of a lease or any other agreement; and to carry out patrimonial judicial decisions regarding capitular goods.5 In time, the procurator was commissioned with dispensing the dis- tribution and keeping the financial records of revenue and expenses.6 As a result, the members of the Chapter who were delegated by it to deal with different matters were required, under the penalty of losing their income while away from the cathedral, to inform the Chapter in advance if they planned to be away.7 The procurator held the keys to the capitular treasury and, when necessary, was commissioned with History curbing the prelates and canons’ frequent attempts to take funds of the Church designated for the sacristy, for the vessels and vestments needed to celebrate the Mass, and for maintaining the cathedral building, and 3 Lietuvos Mokslų Akademijos Vrublevskių Biblioteka – rankraščių skyrius (ab- breviated hereafter as LMAB), f. 43-210, Acta Capituli Vilnensis (abbreviated hereafter as ACV), vols. 1-2 (1502-1546), k. 15; J. Kurczewski, Kościół zamkowy czyli katedra wileńska w jej dziejowym, liturgicznym, architektonicznym i eko- nomicznym rozwoju, Part 3, Wilno 1916, pgs. 5-6. 4 LMAB, f.43-210, ACV, vols. 1-2 (1502-1546), k. 32. 5 Ibid, k. 43-44, 56. 6 LMAB, f.43-210, ACV, vols. 1-2 (1502-1546), k. 66; LMAB, f.43-216, ACV, vol. 8 (1602-1624), pg. 452; LMAB, f.43-237, ACV, vol. 29 (1767-1777), pgs. 231-232. 7 Since the members of the Chapter were more frequently began to neglect their obligation to reside by the cathedral, using capitular affairs as their excuse for being away when they were gone, in fact, for personal reasons (although a few members did, in fact, attend to capitular affairs while away), and, consequently, would collect refection for their trips, the chapter decided to specify “away on the chapter’s business” during the spring session in 1627.