Sicco (pagan priest)

Sicco, Sikko, or Siggo (second half of the 10th century) was a Prussian, a pagan priest of the Prussian ethnic religion and leader of the group responsible for the martyrdom of Adalbert of Prague. He is mentioned in the two earliest hagiographic works dedicated to the martyr. The name by which he is known is generally considered a conventional name.

Sicco in historical sources

The First Life of Saint Adalbert, likely authored by John Canaparius, states that Sicco struck the missionary with a spear through the heart, acting as the first assailant due to his priestly role.[1][2][3] In the Aventine redaction of the text, the leader-priest is named Sicco, while in the Monte Cassino redaction, the killer is not named but described as an "elder".[4]

In contrast, the Second Life of Saint Adalbert by Bruno of Querfurt does not mention the leader being a priest, though he is still depicted as delivering the first blow. Additionally, this account notes that Sicco lost a brother in a battle against the Polans.[1][5][6] The name Sicco appears only in the shorter redaction of this work.[1]

Sicco also appears as the Prussian leader in the Czech versified hagiography Quatuor immensi, likely from the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries, which clearly draws on the account attributed to Canaparius.[1]

Interpretations

Scholars generally agree that, despite differences, the hagiographic texts likely refer to the same individual.[7][8] The occasional omission of Sicco's priestly role stems from reliance on Bruno's account, which may have deliberately excluded ritual or sacral motives to emphasize vengeance instead.[9] It is possible that the story of avenging a brother's death was not Bruno's invention but originated from the Prussians themselves, who may have justified their actions to envoys of the Polish ruler Bolesław I the Brave during negotiations to ransom Adalbert's remains.[10] The assailants, likely warriors from a stronghold guard, are interpreted as performing ritualistic elements during the missionary's execution – such as Sicco's use of a notably large spear, possibly of ceremonial significance – for violating the order to leave Prussian lands, as decided by a tribal assembly.[11][12][13]

Etymology of the name

The name Sicco was typically treated by copyists as a proper name, occasionally as a common noun, and in one instance as an abbreviation of the Latin siccarius ("assassin").[14] While some modern works still consider it a personal name,[1][8][12][15] it is often regarded as a conventional name. It likely derives from a distortion of the Prussian term zigo ("walker" or "wanderer"), referring to priests who traveled between settlements to provide counsel, healing, and prayers, and who, during military campaigns, served as seers and were obliged to strike the first blow in battle.[3][16][14][17] Consequently, many works on Saint Adalbert, especially popular biographies, omit the name Sicco, simply noting that a priest delivered the first blow.[18][19][20]

Sicco and the Gniezno Doors

Scholars have sought Sicco's presence in the Gniezno Doors reliefs. Joachim Lelewel identified Sicco as the Prussian piercing the missionary with a spear in the martyrdom scene (panel 14), but did not associate him with the priest, whom he saw as the figure preparing to behead Adalbert with an axe.[21][22][23] Jadwiga Karwasińska suggested that the priest-leader is depicted in panel 12, holding a curved staff and standing at the forefront of Prussians listening to Adalbert's preaching.[24]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wyrozumski, Jerzy (1997). Legenda pruska o świętym Wojciechu [Prussian Legend of Saint Adalbert] (in Polish). Kraków: Universitas. pp. 9, 12–13. ISBN 83-7052-904-6.
  2. ^ Banaszkiewicz (2001, p. 90)
  3. ^ a b Canaparius, John (1966). "Świętego Wojciecha żywot pierwszy" [First Life of Saint Adalbert]. In Karwasińska, Jadwiga (ed.). Piśmiennictwo czasów Bolesława Chrobrego [Literature of the Time of Bolesław the Brave] (in Polish). Translated by Abgarowicz, Kazimierz. Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe. pp. 84–85.
  4. ^ Banaszkiewicz (2001, p. 91)
  5. ^ Banaszkiewicz (2001, p. 94)
  6. ^ Bruno of Querfurt (1966). "Świętego Wojciecha żywot drugi" [Second Life of Saint Adalbert]. In Karwasińska, Jadwiga (ed.). Piśmiennictwo czasów Bolesława Chrobrego [Literature of the Time of Bolesław the Brave] (in Polish). Translated by Abgarowicz, Kazimierz. Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe. pp. 145, 151.
  7. ^ Mielczarski (1967, pp. 59, 127)
  8. ^ a b Labuda, Gerard (2000). Święty Wojciech: biskup-męczennik, patron Polski, Czech i Węgier [Saint Adalbert: Bishop-Martyr, Patron of Poland, Czechia, and Hungary] (in Polish). Wrocław: Funna. pp. 205, 211. ISBN 83-912844-8-4.
  9. ^ Banaszkiewicz (2001, pp. 79–80, 91, 94)
  10. ^ Mielczarski (1967, pp. 127–128)
  11. ^ Mielczarski (1967, pp. 123, 25–129)
  12. ^ a b Mielczarski, Stanisław (1982). "Przyczyny śmierci św. Wojciecha" [Causes of Saint Adalbert's Death]. Studia Warmińskie (in Polish). XIX. Warmińskie Wydawnictwo Diecezjalne: 22–26.
  13. ^ Banaszkiewicz (2001, pp. 90–91)
  14. ^ a b Mielczarski (1967, p. 127)
  15. ^ Pobóg-Lenartowicz, Anna (2002). Święty Wojciech [Saint Adalbert] (in Polish). Kraków: WAM. p. 37. ISBN 83-7097-973-4.
  16. ^ Mierzyński, Antoni (1891). Co znaczy Sicco. Studyum archeologiczno-literackie [What Does Sicco Mean: Archaeological-Literary Study] (in Polish). Lviv: księgarnia Wł. Łozińskiego. pp. 9–12.
  17. ^ Okulicz-Kozaryn, Łucja (1983). Życie codzienne Prusów i Jaćwięgów w wiekach średnich (IX-XIII w.) [Daily Life of Prussians and Yotvingians in the Middle Ages (9th–13th Centuries)] (in Polish). Warsaw: Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy. p. 236. ISBN 83-06-00854-5.
  18. ^ Karwasińska, Jadwiga (1972). "Wojciech-Adalbert". In Gustaw, Romuald (ed.). Hagiografia polska. Słownik bio-bibliograficzny [Polish Hagiography: Bio-Bibliographical Dictionary] (in Polish). Vol. II. Poznań; Warsaw; Lublin: Księgarnia Św. Wojciecha. p. 584.
  19. ^ Śmigiel, Kazimierz (1990). Święty Wojciech: biskup-męczennik 956–997 [Saint Adalbert: Bishop-Martyr 956–997] (in Polish). Gniezno: Gaudentinum. p. 32.
  20. ^ Rospond, Stanisław (2003). Święty Wojciech [Saint Adalbert] (in Polish). Kraków: Wydawnictwo Instytutu Teologicznego Księży Misjonarzy. p. 9. ISBN 83-7216-358-8.
  21. ^ Lelewel, Joachim (1857). Drzwi kościelne płockie i gnieźnieńskie z lat 1133, 1155 [Płock and Gniezno Church Doors from 1133, 1155] (in Polish). Biblioteka Uniwersytecka w Poznaniu. Poznań: Nakładem księgarni J.K. Żupańskiego. pp. 48–49.
  22. ^ Hochleitner, Janusz (1997). Dzieje życia i kultu św. Wojciecha [History of the Life and Cult of Saint Adalbert] (in Polish). Elbląg: Nakł. autora. p. 44. ISBN 83-905644-3-2.
  23. ^ Kościelecka, Anna; Dzianisz, Paweł (1998). Żywot św. Wojciecha na Drzwiach Gnieźnieńskich obrazami spiżowymi w XII wieku opowiedziany [Life of Saint Adalbert Depicted in Bronze on the Gniezno Doors in the 12th Century] (in Polish). Poznań: Księgarnia Św. Wojciecha. ISBN 83-7015-425-5.
  24. ^ Karwasińska, Jadwiga (1956). "Drzwi gnieźnieńskie a rozwój legendy o św. Wojciechu" [Gniezno Doors and the Development of the Legend of Saint Adalbert]. In Walicki, Michał (ed.). Drzwi gnieźnieńskie [Gniezno Doors] (in Polish). Vol. 1. Warsaw: Zakład im. Ossolińskich. p. 25.

Bibliography

  • Banaszkiewicz, Jan (2001). "Dwie sceny z żywotów i z życia św. Wojciecha: misjonarz i wiec Prusów, martyrium biskupa" [Two Scenes from the Lives and Life of Saint Adalbert: The Missionary and the Prussian Assembly, Martyrdom of the Bishop]. In Iwańczuk, Wojciech; Kuczyński, Stefan K. (eds.). Ludzie, Kościół, wierzenia. Studia z dziejów kultury i społeczeństwa Europy Środkowej (średniowiecze – wczesna epoka nowożytna) [People, Church, Beliefs: Studies on the History of Culture and Society in Central Europe (Middle Ages – Early Modern Period)] (in Polish). Warsaw: DiG. ISBN 837181223X.
  • Mielczarski, Stanisław (1967). Misja pruska św. Wojciecha [Prussian Mission of Saint Adalbert] (in Polish). Gdańsk: Gdańskie Towarzystwo Naukowe.
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