Even though
Aleksander Brückner claimed that the text was originally housed at the Holy Cross Monastery, this hypothesis has been criticized by some scholars. According to historian Władysław Semkowicz, the codex, already strengthened with strips of parchment, was delivered to a Benedictine monastery at
Leżajsk, around 1459. The Leżajsk monastery, however, was not the location where the sermons were written. Language analysis carried out by Polish experts proved that the text was probably written in a monastery in
Miechów, which was famous for its sermons and library, and which cooperated with the Leżajsk monastery. On the other hand, if sermons were written in the 13th century, then their Miechów origins are dubious. At that time, the monks of this monastery were of Czech and German origin, who either did not speak Polish, or spoke it poorly and were unable to write down the complicated text. Some time in the 15th century, the sermons were cut into strips, which were used to strengthen the binding of a Latin language
codex. Most likely, other parts of the sermons were used in bindings of other books. This practice was common at the time, as parchment was both durable and expensive, so publications regarded as unnecessary or unimportant were frequently used to strengthen other, more precious books.
Aleksander Brückner discovered the sermons on March 25, 1890, at the Imperial Public Library in
St. Petersburg,
Russian Empire. He was studying an ancient Latin codex, which had belonged to the
Warsaw University library, and was confiscated by the Russians after the
November Uprising (1831). In the binding of the book, Brückner to his surprise found eighteen long strips. After putting them together, it turned out that they contained one whole, and five incomplete sermons. They were brought back to Poland in 1925. During World War II, the Holy Cross Sermons were taken to Canada for safekeeping. They are now preserved at the
National Library in
Warsaw (#8001), and their photocopy may be seen at The Digital National Library Polona (See electronic version of the Holy Cross Sermons). From May 2024, the manuscript is presented at a
permanent exhibition in the Palace of the Commonwealth. == Description ==