"Melius est mori quam vivere"- representation of death in polish printed funeral orations in the 17 th century

Eschatological issues became the primary part of the17th century funeral orations. Such situation was influenced by the parenetic character of this source as well as high mortality of people in the Baroque era, caused by wars, natural calamities and disastrous hygienic conditions. The perception of female and male death at that time was different. Male death was considered to be heroic, meritorious and – most of all – public and thus worthy of presentation in culture. Female death, however, usually took place in the privacy of home, during a hard childbirth or as a result of illness, and thus was considered to be common, not worthy of public view. In the Baroque era, the model of good death became popular. It presumed an acceptance of the transient nature of life and preparation for death’s arrival by reading ars bene moriendi manuals. Good death was also awaited through listening to sermons of thanatological subjects, contemplating pictures depicting death scenes and monthly or annual “trainings” in dying. Special devotional services in which the members of religious confraternities participated were popular at that time. Charity and mercy towards both the living and the dead were also valued. Moreover, good death in old Poland was understood as natural death preceded by suffering and illnesses, as they allowed for the completion of all earthly issues and parting with family. The sacraments (of penance, Holy Communion and holy oils), which the moribund received for his last journey, began to play a very important role at that time. The perusal of funeral sermons leads to a conclusion that thoughts about death and life beyond the grave accompanied the people of the Baroque era almost all the time. Because of that, people strove to lead a pious and virtuous life and apologize to God for bad deeds, in order to deserve eternal life in heaven