The Role of Locality in the Formation of History. Pécs and the Paulines

Abstract

Pécs is a place of special importance in the history of the Order of Saint Paul: the friary erected on Mount Jakab, the first recorded monastery of the order, is located in close vicinity to the city, and today Pécs is the Hungarian seat of the order. During their history, the Paul-ine Order had to leave the city several times, and thus, due to the lack of continuity of people, their relationship with Pécs was influenced by their memories related to the city. The place itself, as well as the forms of the use of space that had created a tradition and a community linked the order to Pécs, “homecoming” was the motivation behind the subsequent attempts to clutch. Showing the relationship between the monastic community and the city, the study reveals a unique segment of the history of the Pauline Order, and in the meantime, using a local focus, it also casts a new light on the connections of historical past.