Abstract

The subject matter of the article is an intra-Catholic anti-Roman movement of statist nature, known as Josephinism. The movement spread throughout Austrian crown lands (Austria, Hungary, Transylvania, Banat, Bohemia, Slovakia, Galicia, Lodomeria, southern Netherlands, Croatia and Tuscany). Josephinism had its rise under the influence of enlightened absolutism, and Gallican and Febronian ideas. It started in the 1750s during the reign of Empress Maria Theresa (1740-1780), reached full development during the reign of Emperor Joseph II (1780-1790), and formally ended in 1855 by the conclusion of the Concordat between Austria and the Church State. The Josephinist system claimed and implemented the State supremacy over the Church in administrative and financial matters. By state government’s decrees numerous monasteries and fraternities were dissolved, organising pilgrimages was limited, and bishops’ direct communication with Rome was prohibited. At the same time the number of parishes was increased and a new ecclesiastical order of services was introduced. Joseph’s II great contribution was issuing the Edict of Tolerance in 1781, which granted freedom of religion and worship to the members of Evangelical Lutheran Church, Evangelical Reformed Church, the Orthodox Church, and the Mosaic faith. Owing to the support of Peter Leopold, Grand Duke of Tuscany, brother of Emperor Joseph II, in 1786 a diocesan synod was held in Pistoia (Tuscany), which postulated reforming the Mass, strengthening the authority of bishops and restoring papal primacy of honour in the Church. In 1794 its provisions were condemned by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) in the bull Auctorem fidei.