AIMS AND SCOPE

Sacrum et Decorum. Materials and studies on the history of sacred art (ISSN: 1689-5010, e-ISSN: 2720-524X) is a peer-reviewed, bilingual (Polish-English) academic journal published in Poland by the Rzeszów University Press.

The aim of Sacrum et Decorum is to stimulate, guide and promote research into Christian sacred art produced in Poland and around the world from the early 19th century to the present day. We welcome a variety of research approaches (iconographic, biographical, ethical, etc.), including topics related to metaphysics in artistic creation and works exploring sacred art within a broad cultural context.

In our yearbook, we deal with broadly understood sacred art inspired by Christianity, referring to this religion, commissioned by the Church or intended for worship.

Our interests encompass all topics relating to art and artistic craftsmanship associated with the Christian faith across all its denominations and branches. 

We also accept studies on the protection of heritage and the conservation of Christian sacred art created in the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition to peer-reviewed scientific articles, we also publish reports, reviews and essays related to the subject matter of the journal.

We are defined by the following keywords: God, sacrum, Christianity, artist, 19th-21st century, Christian sacred art, religious art, metaphysics, sacred architecture, sacred painting, sacred sculpture, artistic craftsmanship, icon, stained glass, cultural heritage, monument protection, church, Orthodox church, congregation, Second Vatican Council, via pulchritudinis.

 

AUTHORS AND READERS

Sacrum et Decorum is aimed at both experienced researchers and PhD students and undergraduates in the fields of art history, museology, and the conservation of monuments and cultural heritage, as well as artists, theologians, clergy of various denominations, and anyone interested in Christian sacred art of the 19th–21st centuries in Poland and around the world.

We invite the following to collaborate with us: art historians * cultural anthropologists * conservators * cultural studies scholars * museum professionals * religious studies scholars * theologians * art theorists from Polish and international academic institutions, museums (including diocesan museums), church institutions and organisations researching Christian sacred art of the 19th–21st centuries in Poland and worldwide.

We also encourage artists inspired by Christianity, those seeking the Sacred in art, and those creating works commissioned by the Church, for sacred interiors or for personal contemplation, to publish in Sacrum et Decorum. We dedicate the ‘Miscellanea’ section to artists, where essays are published as a form of self-presentation of their work and reflection on art and the Christian faith.

 

CRITERIA

We accept original, unpublished articles, essays, reviews of important monographs on Christian sacred art of the 19th-21st centuries, and source materials that address topics relevant to the profile of our journal, written in Polish or English. Articles should contain between 20,000 and 60,000 characters with spaces, an abstract, keywords and a bibliography.

Articles can be submitted to four sections: ‘Studies’ (original scientific articles subject to double-blind peer review), ‘Materials’ (scientific articles reviewed in a double-blind mode, whose value lies primarily in presenting a new research problem), 'Miscellanea' (internally reviewed essays by artists inspired by the sacred or creating works for religious and sacred purposes), ‘In memoriam’ (internally peer-reviewed texts devoted to deceased artists and researchers of Christian sacred art). Sometimes there is also a separate section containing reports, reviews and source materials (internally peer-reviewed).

 

CALL FOR PAPERS

We accept submissions on an ongoing basis. Papers may be submitted via the OJS platform or by email to: sacrumetdecorum@ur.edu.pl

The publication process takes approximately 150 days from the date the manuscript is submitted to the Editorial Board.

 

LICENCE AND COPYRIGHT

Authors retain full copyright (excluding the copyright and economic rights of third parties relating to any photographic or museum materials), but undertake to cite the original publication when reusing the article. By submitting an article for publication, the author(s) agree(s) to its release under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

 

FREQUENCY AND FORM

Sacrum et Decorum is an annual publication. The electronic version is published in October each year. The journal has been in continuous operation since 2008. The original version of the periodical is the printed version (ISSN: 1689-5010). Since 2020, it has been published in electronic form (e-ISSN: 2720-524X) and in print (ISSN: 1689-5010). From 2026, selected articles prepared for online publication and for inclusion in future print issues will be made available in advance as ‘ahead of print’ versions. All articles and volumes are available in electronic form in their entirety and without delay in fully open access.  Volumes 1/2008 - 16/2023 were published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. From issue 17/2024 onwards, authors writing for Sacrum et Decorum publish their texts under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

 

NO FEES

We are committed to diversity, inclusivity, and equality in academic discourse, which is why we do not charge any fees for the submission, processing, editing or publication of articles.

 

FUNDING AND ORGANISATIONAL SUPPORT

Sacrum et Decorum is published by the Rzeszów University Press, funded and organisationally supported by the University of Rzeszów, Centre for Documentation of Contemporary Sacred Art. The journal does not publish advertisements or any other paid content.

In 2008, 2010 and 2012–2020, Sacrum et Decorum published articles promoting the city of Rzeszów, sponsored by Rzeszów City Council.

In 2009 and 2011, Sacrum et Decorum published promotional material paid for by ASSECO POLAND.

Since 2021, the journal has not published any advertisements or other paid content.

 

DIGITAL FILES

Long-term access to Sacrum et Decorum is ensured thanks to archiving in the University of Rzeszów Repository – a digital archive recording the scientific and teaching achievements of the academic community of the University of Rzeszów – and in the Jagiellonian Digital Library. All published articles will remain available in the above-mentioned institutions, even if the journal ceases publication.