Žehnání Cyrilla

Žehnání ctihodného a v církvi Boží vzácného muže, kněze Jana Cyrilla, někdy Jednoty bratrské staršího a konsistoře pražské podobojí seniora etc., s domem svým, kněžstvem svým, cirkví svou v exulantství lešenském zůstávající: též s Jednotou, vlastí, konsistoří pražskou, s Polskem i světem. Když léta 1632 v den slavnosti svatého Ducha seslání lidu Božímu kázání čině a horlivě Boží milost a věrnost vychvaluje, šlakem tknut a téhož dne k večerou dokonal, v neděli pak svaté Trojice tam v Lešně vzácně pohřben

The blessing of the venerable and in the Church of God most worthy gentleman, the priest Jan Cyrill, formerly elder of the Unity of Brethren and senior of the Utraquist Consistory in Prague etc., upon his house, his clergy, his Church remaining in exile at Leszno; the same upon the Brethren, his homeland, the Prague Consistory, upon Poland and the world. Who in the year 1632 on the day of the Feast of the Holy Ghost brought God’s message to the people and who ardently praised God’s mercy and fidelity, suffered a stroke and that same evening passed away, and who on Trinity Sunday was most reverently buried in Leszno.

Origin of the work:
  May 30^th – June 5^th 1632, Leszno

Editions:
  1632 Leszno

1961 Prague, in: Archiv pro bádání o životě a díle J. A. Komenského (Acta Comeniana), 20, 1961, no. 1, pp44-50

1983 Prague, J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 4

Contents:

A song composed for the funeral of Jan Cyrill, as his testament and farewell to those mentioned in the title.

Jan Cyrill was a conspicuous figure in the Czech evangelical world. He was a member of the Prague Lower Consistory, a preacher at the Bethlehem Chapel, and one of the four elders (seniors) of the Unity of Brethren. On November 4^th he crowned Frederick V of the Palatinate King of Bohemia, for which reason his was one of the first names on the list of post-White Mountain expellees.

Comenius was related to Jan Cyrill – the latter’s daughter Marie Dorota was Comenius’ second wife. To honour his father-in-law, who was buried on June 6^th, 1632, Comenius composed this song, which begins with the words “S světem se již žehnaje” (“Upon the world his blessing”). Externally the blessing is a typical commemorative flyer, which was probably intended for distribution among the funeral guests. That this is one of Comenius’ compositions was recognised by F. M. Bartoš.

For further study, see also:

F. M. Bartoš, Zapomenuté dílko Komenského. Časopis Českého musea, 102, 1928, pp94-95

J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 4. Prague 1983, pp339-341

Jan Kumpera, Jan Amos Komenský, poutník na rozhraní věků. Prague & Ostrava 1992, p316