LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Senieji raštai; Biblija; Konstantinas Sirvydas; Pamokslai; Old writings; Bible; Konstantinas Sirvydas; Sermons.
ENThe paper sets out to examine the postil "Punktai sakymų" written in Lithuanian by a Jesuit priest Konstantinas Sirvydas (Vilnius, part I published in 1629, part II - in 1644). To more thoroughly analyse the topics relevant for the baroque sermon, its rhetoric and sources, the postil by K. Sirvydas is compared to another postil of the time written by a famous Dominican priest in Poland Fabian Birkowski (1566-1636) - "Kazania na niedziele у święta doroczne" (Sermons for Sunday and all holidays of the year, Kraków, 1623). The paper focuses on the imagery of K. Sirvydas’ sermons, to his attempt to give more meaning to each item or phenomenon, to persuade, to surprise the addressee. Movere, the tendency of the Baroque rhetoric, is particularly distinct in K. Sirvydas’ postil. Despite numerous examples, characteristic of all sermons of the Baroque, the book of sermons Punktai sakymų preserves the clarity of thought. Human nature is one of the key topics of sermons of the Baroque. K. Sirvydas’ postil, like many other sermons of the time, discloses the sin- ful nature and weaknesses of humans, a changing understanding of the world. Existential considerations include social reality, whereas the analysis of everyday life problems gives a clue to the reader about the principles of true life. K. Sirvydas employs in his Punktai sakymų well-known "signs", persuasive techniques attempting to teach people, giving them guidance in their practical life and in general norms of behaviour. [From the publication]