Tröstens röst i kriget: Carolus Olai Pictorius skrifter för finska soldater i den svenska krigsmakten 1622

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines how consolation is expressed in the Finnish devotional writings of field chaplain Carolus Olai Pictorius during the Swedish campaign in Livonia in 1622. These texts were written for Finnish soldiers in the Swedish army, many of whom remained in Riga as part of the garrison after the city's capture. The study aims to analyse how language, theology, and pastoral care relate to the realities of military life. Two works by Pictorius are analysed within their historical context and compared with contemporary Swedish field sermons by Johannes Botvidi and Herman Samson, translated into Swedish by Jonas Rothovius. The comparison shows that consolation holds a different role in Pictorius’s writings compared to the sermons. Rather than appearing after admonitions or calls to repentance, consolation is integrated from the beginning and sets the tone for the texts. Through repetition, rhythm, and the soldiers’ native language, these writings create a pastoral expression suited to wartime and garrison life.