“In our everyday vexations, it is our custom to call for help to our most Holy Protectoress [...]” – edition of the letters of the Canonical Commission convened in Tuligłowy in 1747

Abstract

The canonical commission which convened in Tuligłowy in 1744 tried to investigate the canonicity of miracles taking place in front of a Virgin Mary image in a local sanctuary. The documentation collected during the trial included the testimonies of the faithful, the book of miracles and favors, and letters that form the basis of source edition, which is the subject of the following article. The unique collection of ten letters, combined with the analysis of the preserved printed book of miracles and graces, allows us to present the way in which the followers confirmed the functioning of the Virgin Mary cult in Tuligłowy. By comparing the original preserved letters with the previous printed edition, it is also possible to delve into the social communication strategy of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, which oversaw the miraculous image at the time.