The Cult of Saints in the popular religion of Lithuania

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Liaudies religija; Rokas; Šv.; Šv. Agota; Šv. Antanas; Šv. Jurgis; Šv. Mergelė Marija; Šv. Rokas; Šventųjų kultas; Švč. Mergelė Marija; Popular religion; Roch; St.; St. Agatha; St. Anthony; St. George; St. Roch; The Blessed Virgin Mary; The cult of saints.

ENThis article analyzes the religiosity of the contemporary individual, examining how it is manifested in the ways saints are construed in contemporary popular religion in Lithuania. The article analyzes what attitudes to Christian saints are prevalent in Lithuania in the 21st century, singling out the saints most frequently encountered in the worldview of the countryside and small town residents. The article then discusses the activities of the saints referred to both in traditional culture and nowadays. The conclusion is drawn that, in the contemporary world, the understanding of saints which was characteristic of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries still dominates; in it, saints are construed as helpers to human beings in all spheres of their life. The data of the fieldwork show that, in Lithuania, particularly popular are those saints who are related to protection, health, and household (St. Anthony, St. Agatha, St. Roch), i.e. those who are expected to help in the case of a misfortune, illness, or loss. St. George, in the meantime, traditionally related to agriculture and the livestock, has lost popularity due to significant changes in the lifestyle and occupations of Lithuanian people. The central place in the cult of saints is reserved for the Blessed Virgin Mary, who provides help in all spheres of human life, particularly in cases of illness and misfortune. [From the publication]