Leprosus i księżna. Pielęgnacja zakaźnie chorych w świetle dokumentów z procesu kanonizacyjnego św. Elżbiety Węgierskiej

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present the image of the care of the infectiously ill in the documents of the canonization process of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231). The material under discussion includes the testimonies of the saint’s spiritual director Conrad of Marburg, her four servants and additional hagiographical material. The accounts made by direct observers of the duchess’ life emphasize the variety of forms of her involvement in the care of lepers and suffering from diseases that cause similar symptoms, arousing disgust in people from her surroundings. The narrative, rich in drastic details, plays the role of a hagiographic argumentatio illustrating the heroism of the central character of the testimonies.