Bible text tradition in Slavia Orthodoxa
Slavica Slovaca, vol. 58 (2), pp. 179-187, 2023
The Cyril and Methodius Legacy, the Development of the First Slavic Literary Language in the Bulg... more The Cyril and Methodius Legacy, the Development of the First Slavic Literary Language in the Bulgarian Empire, and the translation of the Bible. Slavica Slovaca, 58, 2023, No 2, pp. 179-187 (Bratislava).
With broad reference to various sources, the author presents the Cyril and Methodius Slavic Mission and its developments in the contest of the Christianisation of the Slavs and the complicated geopolitics of the Middle Age era. The essay focuses on different phases of the Slavic acculturation process starting with the first translations, including the entire Bible, and original works until to formation of a new cultural memory. The copious early Slavic written production, an overlooked page of European culture history, is considered through the paradigmatic example of Simeon's Miscellany, a collection of texts with the classical tradition of Patristic thought, which intended to offer a series of indispensable tools to understand the Bible and illustrate the traditional doctrine of the Christian East.
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Theologische Literaturzeitung, 2021
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Studi Slavistici, 2021
In memoria di di Hans Rothe (1928-2021)
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Palaeobulgarica 46/4, 2022
THE FIRST DESCRIPTION OF THE BIBLE AND ITS BOOKS IN THE FIRST BULGARIAN EMPIRE
The earliest evide... more THE FIRST DESCRIPTION OF THE BIBLE AND ITS BOOKS IN THE FIRST BULGARIAN EMPIRE
The earliest evidence of a description of the Bible is contained in Simeon’s Miscellany, translated in the First Bulgarian Empire on the initiative of Tsar Simeon. This description is based on the writings of John Damascene and Gregory of Nazianzus, who presented the canonical books in their works following an orderly structure, while testifying to the existence of different interpretations and forms in which the Bible circulated in the Christian East. The description can be found in the final part of Simeon’s Miscellany, which arranged as a series of tools for understanding the fundamental concepts of Trinitarian theology and the figurative language of the sacred scriptures, as well as for constructing the Christian chronotope.
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Le Monde de la Bible, 2022
Au IXe siècle, deux frères, Cyrille et Méthode, ont été chargés de créer un nouvel alphabet et de... more Au IXe siècle, deux frères, Cyrille et Méthode, ont été chargés de créer un nouvel alphabet et de traduire des textes liturgiques et religieux en slavon, une oeuvre qui a accéléré la christianisation des Slaves.
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Ostrožskaja Biblija i razvitie biblejskoj tradicii u slavjan: kollektivnaja monografija / Острожская Библия и развитие библейской традиции у славян: коллективная монография, 2022
On a forgotten copy of the Ostrog Bible in Italy
The paper will present information about a copy ... more On a forgotten copy of the Ostrog Bible in Italy
The paper will present information about a copy of the Ostrog Bible conserved in the University Library of Bologna. This hitherto unexamined copy, belonging to the hieromonk of the Derman monastery Lavrentij Korman at the time of Prince Wladysław Dominik Zasławski-Ostrogski and Archbishop Meletii Smotrytsky, contains interesting glosses in various languages. Also noteworthy is a manuscript note in prosta mova, which indicates the year 1642.
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Studi Slavistici, 2022
Blocco tematico: Leksika slavjanskoj Biblii i ee značenie dlja istorii slavjanskoj rukopisnoj tra... more Blocco tematico: Leksika slavjanskoj Biblii i ee značenie dlja istorii slavjanskoj rukopisnoj tradicii. Lexicon of the Slavic Bible and Its Meaning for the History of Slavic Manuscript Tradition, a cura di M. Garzaniti, T. Afanasyeva, A. Alberti, in “Studi Slavistici”, xix, 1 (2022), pp.169-318 10.36253/Studi_Slavis-13168
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Šĭstvujǫ nyně po slědu učitelju. Sbornik v čest na prof. d.f.n. Anna-Marija Totomanova, a cura di T. Slavova, G. Ganeva, M. Totomanova-Paneva, D. Atanasova, Sofija, 2021
Si riflette su quale sia stato l'orizzonte ermeneutico dei fratelli tessalonicesi e dei loro disc... more Si riflette su quale sia stato l'orizzonte ermeneutico dei fratelli tessalonicesi e dei loro discepoli attivi nel primo impero bulgaro e impegnati in una complessa opera di traduzione. Non si trattava soltanto di esporre una tecnica di traduzione o di insegnare dei metodi esegetici, offrendo degli strumenti esegetici fondamentali per la comprensione del messaggio cristiano che aveva raggiunto una forma assai complessa di elaborazione nel suo incontro con la cultura ellenistica e mediterranea. Era necessario soprattutto educare a una sensibilità per i significati più profondi presenti nelle sacre scritture in una concezione sapienziale, che dovremmo definire per certi aspetti mistica, che aveva caratterizzato soprattutto la tradizione dei primi secoli e che aveva avuto nei padri cappadoci e in primo luogo in Basilio di Cesarea un punto di riferimento sicuro.
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Slavonic texts and traditions in honour of Catherine Mary MacRobert. Kirilo-Metodievski Studii 31, a cura di S. Nikolova, R. Kleminson, V. Željazkova, M. Dimitrova, Sofija 2021, pp.19-34., 2021
The purpose of this paper is to present the central part of Simeon’s Miscellany containing the Qu... more The purpose of this paper is to present the central part of Simeon’s Miscellany containing the Questions on the Old and New Testaments, primarily the result of the reworking of the so-called Pseudo-Anastasius.
In the light of this analysis, it is evident that Simeon’s Miscellany offers a series of tools to illustrate Christian teaching from a Trinitarian perspective at the doctrinal and ethical level through the exegesis of biblical passages that are often difficult to interpret.
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Славянское и балканское языкознание. Вып. 21: Палеославистика: Лексикология и текстология. К 100-летию Р. М. Цейтлин. Международная коллективная монография / Институт славяноведения РАН; Отв. ред. В. С. Ефимова. Москва, 2021. С.20-25, 2021
Research by Ralya Mikhailovna Cejtlin about the Lexicon of the Gospel Manuscript Tradition
The s... more Research by Ralya Mikhailovna Cejtlin about the Lexicon of the Gospel Manuscript Tradition
The study briefly illustrates some features of the scholar's research on the lexicon of the Gospel manuscript tradition, emphasizing the role of the Greek text and the distinction between textual and lexical variants.
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Orientalia Christiana Periodica, 2020
Book review
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Rajko Nahtigal in 100 let slavistike na Univerzi v Ljubljani, a cura di P. Stankovska, A. Derganc, A. Šivic-Dular, 2019
R. Nahtigal, Proglas k svetemu еvangeliju (1943). A Proposal for the Textual Reconstruction
Thro... more R. Nahtigal, Proglas k svetemu еvangeliju (1943). A Proposal for the Textual Reconstruction
Throughout the 20th century, some important studies on the Prologue to the Gospels (Proglas) were conducted. The essay written by R. Nahtigal (1943) offers an edition of the short poem in accordance with the various branches of the Eastern Slavic and Serbian manuscript tradition, alongside an accurate reconstruction based on its verse structure, accompanied by a broad and comprehensive philological commentary. At the end, there is a glossary of the reconstructed text which is of particular value. Comparison with subsequent studies and textual analysis highlights the importance of Nahtigal's research around the reconstruction of the Prologue, which is considered to be the first poetic composition in Church Slavonic language.
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PALAEOBULGARICA, 2018
THE BULGARIAN GOSPEL OF RUSSIAN NATIONAL LIBRARY MS. F.П.I.122 (SECOND QUARTER OF THE 14-TH CENTU... more THE BULGARIAN GOSPEL OF RUSSIAN NATIONAL LIBRARY MS. F.П.I.122 (SECOND QUARTER OF THE 14-TH CENTURY) AND ITS IDENTIFICATION WITH THE EVANGELIUM BUCOVINENSE
The paper proposes and illustrates the identification of the manuscript RNB F.п.I.122 with the Evangelium Bucovinense, studied by V. Jagić, the traces of which were lost in the twenties of the last century. On the textual and lexical level the analysis of some variants in the text of the Gospel of John shows a series of coincidences with the Gospel of Tsar Ivan Aleksandеr, although in many cases interesting readings are observed that are more faithful to the ancient tradition witnessed by Codex Marianus. There is no doubt, however, that even in the Evangelium
Bucovinense there are middle Bulgarian variants . In general, the effort to update the older version is clear, taking into account the recent innovations in the Balkan area.
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СВ. КЛИМЕНТ ОХРИДСКИ В КУЛТУРАТА НА ЕВРОПА, СОФИЯ, 2018
SLAVONIC BIBLE AND LITURGY AT THE TIME OF CLEMENT OF OHRID
This paper presents some consideratio... more SLAVONIC BIBLE AND LITURGY AT THE TIME OF CLEMENT OF OHRID
This paper presents some considerations on the still open issues concerning the Slavonic translation of the holy scriptures and the liturgical language to better understand the action and work of Clement of Ohrid in the historical and cultural context of his time. In particular, the author points out that Cyrillo-Methodian and Clementine sources show a continuity between the period of his education under the guidance of the Thessalonian Brothers and the years of maturity, even taking into account changes occurring in the transition from Moravia to the Bulgarian empire.
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Studia Ceranea, 2016
Recent Researchеs in the Field of Slavic Gospel. Some Critical Reflections (1999–2016).
In the la... more Recent Researchеs in the Field of Slavic Gospel. Some Critical Reflections (1999–2016).
In the last fifteen years, research on the Slavic Gospel manuscript tradition has reached new and important achievements especially with the spread of computer technology and the digitization process. Taking into account progress in the study of the Greek manuscript tradition, the author explains some basic guidelines: the textual structure of the Gospel book, the Menologion pericopes, theGospel book ornamentation, the new editions. In the end, the main essays on individual manuscripts or particular issues are introduced. The Slavic Gospel, therefore, is still a key issue of Slavic studies in the field of Slavic paleography, textual criticism, and linguistic analysis.
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I testi cristiani nella storia e nella cultura. Prospettive di ricerca tra Russia e Italia. Atti del convegno di Perugia – Roma, 2-6 maggio 2006 e del seminario di San Pietroburgo, 22-24 settembre 2009, a cura di S. Boesch Gajano, E. G. Farrugia, S.J., M. Pliukhanova, 2013
L'eredità culturale e letteraria della Rus' e il rinnovamento degli studi della tradizione manosc... more L'eredità culturale e letteraria della Rus' e il rinnovamento degli studi della tradizione manoscritta biblica e liturgica nella Russia contemporanea, in I testi cristiani nella storia e nella cultura. Prospettive di ricerca tra Russia e Italia. Atti del convegno di Perugia – Roma, 2-6 maggio 2006 e del seminario di San Pietroburgo, 22-24 settembre 2009, a cura di S. Boesch Gajano, E. G. Farrugia, S.J., M. Pliukhanova, Roma 2013, pp.53-66
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Contributi italiani al XV Congresso Internazionale degli Slavisti (Minsk, 20 - 27 agosto 2013), 2013
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The Gospel Book and its liturgical function in the Byzantine-Slavic tradition, in Catalogue of Byzantine Manuscripts in their Liturgical Context. Subsidia 1. Challenges and perspectives, a cura di K. Spronk, G. Rouwhorst, S. Royé, Turnhout 2013, 2013
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With broad reference to various sources, the author presents the Cyril and Methodius Slavic Mission and its developments in the contest of the Christianisation of the Slavs and the complicated geopolitics of the Middle Age era. The essay focuses on different phases of the Slavic acculturation process starting with the first translations, including the entire Bible, and original works until to formation of a new cultural memory. The copious early Slavic written production, an overlooked page of European culture history, is considered through the paradigmatic example of Simeon's Miscellany, a collection of texts with the classical tradition of Patristic thought, which intended to offer a series of indispensable tools to understand the Bible and illustrate the traditional doctrine of the Christian East.
The earliest evidence of a description of the Bible is contained in Simeon’s Miscellany, translated in the First Bulgarian Empire on the initiative of Tsar Simeon. This description is based on the writings of John Damascene and Gregory of Nazianzus, who presented the canonical books in their works following an orderly structure, while testifying to the existence of different interpretations and forms in which the Bible circulated in the Christian East. The description can be found in the final part of Simeon’s Miscellany, which arranged as a series of tools for understanding the fundamental concepts of Trinitarian theology and the figurative language of the sacred scriptures, as well as for constructing the Christian chronotope.
The paper will present information about a copy of the Ostrog Bible conserved in the University Library of Bologna. This hitherto unexamined copy, belonging to the hieromonk of the Derman monastery Lavrentij Korman at the time of Prince Wladysław Dominik Zasławski-Ostrogski and Archbishop Meletii Smotrytsky, contains interesting glosses in various languages. Also noteworthy is a manuscript note in prosta mova, which indicates the year 1642.
In the light of this analysis, it is evident that Simeon’s Miscellany offers a series of tools to illustrate Christian teaching from a Trinitarian perspective at the doctrinal and ethical level through the exegesis of biblical passages that are often difficult to interpret.
The study briefly illustrates some features of the scholar's research on the lexicon of the Gospel manuscript tradition, emphasizing the role of the Greek text and the distinction between textual and lexical variants.
Throughout the 20th century, some important studies on the Prologue to the Gospels (Proglas) were conducted. The essay written by R. Nahtigal (1943) offers an edition of the short poem in accordance with the various branches of the Eastern Slavic and Serbian manuscript tradition, alongside an accurate reconstruction based on its verse structure, accompanied by a broad and comprehensive philological commentary. At the end, there is a glossary of the reconstructed text which is of particular value. Comparison with subsequent studies and textual analysis highlights the importance of Nahtigal's research around the reconstruction of the Prologue, which is considered to be the first poetic composition in Church Slavonic language.
The paper proposes and illustrates the identification of the manuscript RNB F.п.I.122 with the Evangelium Bucovinense, studied by V. Jagić, the traces of which were lost in the twenties of the last century. On the textual and lexical level the analysis of some variants in the text of the Gospel of John shows a series of coincidences with the Gospel of Tsar Ivan Aleksandеr, although in many cases interesting readings are observed that are more faithful to the ancient tradition witnessed by Codex Marianus. There is no doubt, however, that even in the Evangelium
Bucovinense there are middle Bulgarian variants . In general, the effort to update the older version is clear, taking into account the recent innovations in the Balkan area.
This paper presents some considerations on the still open issues concerning the Slavonic translation of the holy scriptures and the liturgical language to better understand the action and work of Clement of Ohrid in the historical and cultural context of his time. In particular, the author points out that Cyrillo-Methodian and Clementine sources show a continuity between the period of his education under the guidance of the Thessalonian Brothers and the years of maturity, even taking into account changes occurring in the transition from Moravia to the Bulgarian empire.
In the last fifteen years, research on the Slavic Gospel manuscript tradition has reached new and important achievements especially with the spread of computer technology and the digitization process. Taking into account progress in the study of the Greek manuscript tradition, the author explains some basic guidelines: the textual structure of the Gospel book, the Menologion pericopes, theGospel book ornamentation, the new editions. In the end, the main essays on individual manuscripts or particular issues are introduced. The Slavic Gospel, therefore, is still a key issue of Slavic studies in the field of Slavic paleography, textual criticism, and linguistic analysis.
With broad reference to various sources, the author presents the Cyril and Methodius Slavic Mission and its developments in the contest of the Christianisation of the Slavs and the complicated geopolitics of the Middle Age era. The essay focuses on different phases of the Slavic acculturation process starting with the first translations, including the entire Bible, and original works until to formation of a new cultural memory. The copious early Slavic written production, an overlooked page of European culture history, is considered through the paradigmatic example of Simeon's Miscellany, a collection of texts with the classical tradition of Patristic thought, which intended to offer a series of indispensable tools to understand the Bible and illustrate the traditional doctrine of the Christian East.
The earliest evidence of a description of the Bible is contained in Simeon’s Miscellany, translated in the First Bulgarian Empire on the initiative of Tsar Simeon. This description is based on the writings of John Damascene and Gregory of Nazianzus, who presented the canonical books in their works following an orderly structure, while testifying to the existence of different interpretations and forms in which the Bible circulated in the Christian East. The description can be found in the final part of Simeon’s Miscellany, which arranged as a series of tools for understanding the fundamental concepts of Trinitarian theology and the figurative language of the sacred scriptures, as well as for constructing the Christian chronotope.
The paper will present information about a copy of the Ostrog Bible conserved in the University Library of Bologna. This hitherto unexamined copy, belonging to the hieromonk of the Derman monastery Lavrentij Korman at the time of Prince Wladysław Dominik Zasławski-Ostrogski and Archbishop Meletii Smotrytsky, contains interesting glosses in various languages. Also noteworthy is a manuscript note in prosta mova, which indicates the year 1642.
In the light of this analysis, it is evident that Simeon’s Miscellany offers a series of tools to illustrate Christian teaching from a Trinitarian perspective at the doctrinal and ethical level through the exegesis of biblical passages that are often difficult to interpret.
The study briefly illustrates some features of the scholar's research on the lexicon of the Gospel manuscript tradition, emphasizing the role of the Greek text and the distinction between textual and lexical variants.
Throughout the 20th century, some important studies on the Prologue to the Gospels (Proglas) were conducted. The essay written by R. Nahtigal (1943) offers an edition of the short poem in accordance with the various branches of the Eastern Slavic and Serbian manuscript tradition, alongside an accurate reconstruction based on its verse structure, accompanied by a broad and comprehensive philological commentary. At the end, there is a glossary of the reconstructed text which is of particular value. Comparison with subsequent studies and textual analysis highlights the importance of Nahtigal's research around the reconstruction of the Prologue, which is considered to be the first poetic composition in Church Slavonic language.
The paper proposes and illustrates the identification of the manuscript RNB F.п.I.122 with the Evangelium Bucovinense, studied by V. Jagić, the traces of which were lost in the twenties of the last century. On the textual and lexical level the analysis of some variants in the text of the Gospel of John shows a series of coincidences with the Gospel of Tsar Ivan Aleksandеr, although in many cases interesting readings are observed that are more faithful to the ancient tradition witnessed by Codex Marianus. There is no doubt, however, that even in the Evangelium
Bucovinense there are middle Bulgarian variants . In general, the effort to update the older version is clear, taking into account the recent innovations in the Balkan area.
This paper presents some considerations on the still open issues concerning the Slavonic translation of the holy scriptures and the liturgical language to better understand the action and work of Clement of Ohrid in the historical and cultural context of his time. In particular, the author points out that Cyrillo-Methodian and Clementine sources show a continuity between the period of his education under the guidance of the Thessalonian Brothers and the years of maturity, even taking into account changes occurring in the transition from Moravia to the Bulgarian empire.
In the last fifteen years, research on the Slavic Gospel manuscript tradition has reached new and important achievements especially with the spread of computer technology and the digitization process. Taking into account progress in the study of the Greek manuscript tradition, the author explains some basic guidelines: the textual structure of the Gospel book, the Menologion pericopes, theGospel book ornamentation, the new editions. In the end, the main essays on individual manuscripts or particular issues are introduced. The Slavic Gospel, therefore, is still a key issue of Slavic studies in the field of Slavic paleography, textual criticism, and linguistic analysis.
This approach enabled him to compare the research results in various disciplines with scientific accuracy, critically examining a bibliography which even then had reached very large dimensions. The Czech scholar aimed to offer a comprehensive and detailed historical and geopolitical view in which to place the beginning of the process of acculturation of the Slavs and the first written Slavic culture. During his subsequent research, the Cyrillo-Methodian issue did not disappear from his attention and Dvorník frequently returned to study, to point out certain scenarios and offer new perspectives for research, which should be better valued. Although the results achieved in the Thirties have obviously needed updating in the light of new data, the general approach offered by Fr. Dvorník remains fully valid.
The long passage from the first Letter to the Corinthians, quoted in the Life of Constantine Cyril (in particular 1Cor.14, 19), deals with a fundamental theme of the Cyril-Methodian mission, “speaking in tongues” and teaching. The paper examines this theme, present in the Cyril-Methodian sources, in the light of the Byzantine exegetical tradition at the time of Constantine-Cyril and Methodius. In particular, it focuses on Question 65 of the Greek miscellany Soterios, created in Constantinople in those years and translated into Slavic at the time of the Tsar Simeon. The Question 65, brief but complex collection of biblical and patristic passages, is a true apology of the bible, which contains clear indications on the topic of “speaking in tongues” and teaching and can be considered a source of inspiration for the Thessalonican brothers’s activities.
AND THE SYMEONIC FLORILEGIUM
(Summary)
The purpose of this paper is to study the Cyrillo-Methodian mission from the perspective
of Constantinople, both from a historical, doctrinal and theological angle to understand ancient
Slavic written production. In particular, the author focused on historical circumstances and
time of composition of the Greek original of Symeonic Florilegium. In the seventies of the ninth century Photius or his associates may have completed and dedicated the Soterios to the empress Eudoxia Ingerina, planning to use it to train missionaries destined to work with
new peoples, from the Ros and the Protobulgarians to the Slavs.
compleanno e del trentennale della sua carriera, a riconoscimento dell’impegno
generosamente profuso nell’ambito della ricerca, della divulgazione scientifica e della
didattica. L’eterogeneità dei contributi offerti da colleghi, allievi e amici testimonia
l’erudizione e la poliedricità d’interessi del festeggiato. Le cinque sezioni di cui si compone il volume spaziano infatti dalla storia della cultura alla storia della civiltà letteraria slava ecclesiastica, dalla linguistica alle letterature slave, senza trascurare la storia della slavistica. Il volume è completato dalla bibliografia della produzione scientifica di Marcello Garzaniti.
"The knowledge of the Slavic world in Italy" is still confirmed today as a fundamental study. Published in the late fifties, the work, which has the subtitle "Historical-bibliographic assessment of a millennium", is the result of a demanding research work. The great attention to the sources and the presence of careful judgments on the critical literature still make it an indispensable starting point for research in this field.
the light of recent research
At the IV International Congress of Slavists which took place in Moscow (1958) D. S.
Lichačëv presented a report on the Second South Slavic influence in Rus’ where he explained
his idea of “Eastern European pre-Renaissance”. Lichačëv’s thesis received some
critical comments by the young R. Picchio who at the time was developing the idea of
“Orthodox Slavic revival (rinascita)”. The paper aims to revisit this debate taking account
of subsequent developments in their research and in the light of the most recent studies.
of “pre-renaissance” and “Slavic revival”, the article presents an analysis of the traditional periodization of
Russian literature. Likhachev and Picchio agree in distinguishing a “Middle age” literature, which lasts until
the end of the seventeenth century, from a later literature of “Modern” age, as we see in their publications here
especially examined: the “Literature library of Ancient Rus” (Biblioteka literatury Drevney Rusi), edited by D.S.
Likhachev, L.A. Dmitriyev, A.A. Alekseyev, N.V. Ponyrko (1997–2006) and the “History of Russian literary
civilization”, directed by M. Colucci and R. Picchio (1997). On the basis of their comments on reconstruction
of the literary canon the author focuses on some aspects of literary development in the first decades of the 16th
century, that in Western history mark the passage from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern period, with
particular reference to his researches on Maksim the Greek, as well as on the idea of Rome in Moscow. In the
conclusion it is proposed that for Russian literary civilization, as for the rest of the European continent, we
can identify a caesura that divides the medieval period from the modern era. In this perspective it is possible to
better understand the literary production of the Muscovy and the first Russian empire not only in relation to the claim of the Rus heritage or to the Balkan and Byzantine world, but more generally in the wide European
cultural and literary panorama.
The Narration of the Battle with Mamai (Skazanie o Mamaevom poboišče), dedicated to the famous Russian military victory over the Tatars on the Kulikovo Field (1380), is generally considered the central work of the Kulikovo cycle. The anonymous author develops a consistent reinterpretation of the historical event in a liturgical and commemorative key by constantly adopting forms of prayer and of hagiographic narrative. The analysis of the numerous biblical quotations that weave the plot introduces the deeper meaning of Narration: the final incorporation of the Hellenistic-Christian chronotope in the Slavic "Orthodox Christianity" in which Moscow and "Russian land" have become central.The medieval origins of the idea of "Holy Russia". The commemoration of the Battle of Kulikovo (1380) in the Narration of the Battle with Mamai
The Narration of the Battle with Mamai (Skazanie o Mamaevom poboišče), dedicated to the famous Russian military victory over the Tatars on the Kulikovo Field (1380), is generally considered the central work of the Kulikovo cycle. The anonymous author develops a consistent reinterpretation of the historical event in a liturgical and commemorative key by constantly adopting forms of prayer and of hagiographic narrative. The analysis of the numerous biblical quotations that weave the plot introduces the deeper meaning of Narration: the final incorporation of the Hellenistic-Christian chronotope in the Slavic "Orthodox Christianity" in which Moscow and "Russian land" have become central.
The author proposes an analysis of Maximus the Greek's First anti-Latin letter to F. I. Karpov, highlighting the innovative aspect of the argument in terms of both content and form. More specifically, the paper addresses the critique of Aristotelian rationalism that Maximus the Greek had encountered in Italy, especially through his close contacts with Giovanni Francesco Pico della Mirandola, and several other issues subject of lively debate in the West. The second aspect calls into play several quotations including one from John Chrysostom commenting on the vision of the prophet Isaiah (Is. 6: 1), and the use of a specific lexicon. These elements clearly distinguish this letter from coeval Russian public controversy. Analysing the letter in question in a broader context reveals how, in Moscow, Maximus the Greek was able to exploit his Italian cultural formation to address the most topical debates of his time and return to the sources of Holy Scripture and the Eastern tradition.
A re-reading on the key of biblical prophetism
In order to understand the various works in which Maximus the Greek defended his positions and refuted the accusations made against him, it is important to consider the documentation concerning the trials against the Athonite monk. This documentation, albeit partially, has come down to us, especially through the so-called "Siberian Codex" from the end of the 16th century, edited by N.N. Pokrovsky (1971). The interpretation of the documentation is complicated by the fact that the testimonies reflect a late phase in the reception of the deeds around the middle of the 16th century when the events of the two trials appear to be fused together and reworked for specific purposes in the milieu of Metropolitan Macarius. In any case, the trial documentation reflects the complex situation in which Maximus the Greek found himself in Moscow. In a difficult political context, athonite monk sought to direct the religious and secular figures who gathered around him towards the renewal of Christian life in the light of a spiritual understanding of Sacred Scripture and a return to the ideal models of early monasticism. In some respects, these tendencies reflect his experience in the West and the adoption of action inspired by biblical prophetism reminiscent of Girolamo Savonarola and his behaviour during the trial.
Keywords: Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, Maximus the Greek, SlavonicBible.
The relationship between imperium and sacerdotium was a fundamental issue in Russia between the 15th and 16th centuries, when the autocephaly of the Russian Church was established and the great principality of Moscow became an empire. Among the most significant reflections on the relationship between imperial power and the priestly function are two works that have marked the cultural history of Russia in very different ways: the Letter of the monk Filofei of the Eleazar Monastery of Pskov to the d'jak M.G. Misyur-Munekhin, considered the manifesto of the Moscow-Third Rome doctrine, and the Discourse on Instabilities and Disorders, one of the most important writings of Maximus the Greek.
In his short treatise, in the form of an epistle, Filofei sets out to illustrate the upheavals of the cosmic and world order by articulating a complex reflection that can be reconstructed based on quotations from Holy Scripture and, more generally, from the ‘holy books’ at historical and theological level. In the Russian monk's argument, Rome's universal mission is not based on the ‘unshakeability’ of power, but rather on doctrinal orthodoxy, guaranteed by fidelity to ecclesiastical canons. The Moscow ruler has now become 'the sole emperor of Christians' and his role is to 'hold the reins of the divine holy thrones of the holy universal apostolic church, which in place of the Roman and Constantinopolitan churches, is in the city of Moscow, saved by God'.
In his Discourse, Maximus the Greek, taking his cue from the songs of Girolamo Savonarola, develops a complex argument that, in the wake of Holy Scripture and tradition, seeks to interpret the crisis of the present times by illustrating the exercise of power and the role of the ecclesiastical magisterium. His reflection, however, does not develop at historical and sacramental theological level, as philosophy does, but rather in the exegetical and moral sphere. The careful choice of passages, especially from the Old Testament, above all from the Book of Wisdom, serves to develop a radical critique of the moral behaviour of the rulers of his time. From this perspective, the function of the priest does not appear to be primarily sacred, but rather prophetic, which prompts Maximus to expound a severe criticism of the rulers. The form of the dialogue, the cogent argumentation, and above all the implicit references to themes and concepts present in modern Western thought, illustrate the development of an original reflection urging the renewal of Eastern Christian thought.
Despite their different approaches, both writers come together in the image of the widow in the desert, recalling the apocalyptic and eschatological dimension. Their different interpretations of the relationship between imperium and sacerdotium, moreover, do not appear to contradict each other, but are easy to integrate, complementing each other and illustrating enduring constants in the cultural history of Russia and, at the same time, a drive for renewal within the Eastern tradition.
The study goes beyond the theme of the presence of the Dominicans in Russia, which dates back to the 13th century. From the time of St. Hyacinth of Poland (Jacek Odrowąż), in the territory of Russia, the friars started concrete foundation projects, the results of which –success or failure as they may be– depending on various factors and not least, in the order of importance, the will of the secular authorities. One needs to look at the short duration of the first community in Rus’, in Kiev, founded in 1228-1229, which ended with the expulsion of the friars by Prince Vladimir IV Rurikovič in 1233. And again during the period of the last two hundred years or so, there is the invitation of Tsar Alexander I (1801-1825) to the Dominicans to establish in St. Petersburg, the only Dominican foundation in present-day Russia.
Already during the preparation of the Conference, it was clear that it would be impossible to present an overall history of the relations between the Dominican Order and Russia. The contributions in this volume dealt with only a few topics chronologically framed between the 15th and 21st centuries, to which many others could be related. However, the editors are convinced that this work, as a whole, gives an idea of the important role played by Russia in the Dominican history and may also be a starting point for further stimulating research.
The collection of the articles is introduced by an analysis of the sources present in the General Archives of the Order in Rome. Then, stories of friars and sisters of the Third Order from various European nations are presented from different angles and perspectives: particular attention is given to the cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow. And so, in the exchanges of men and ideas, their coming and going, the reader becomes aware of the theological reflections and other observations expressed by the Dominicans on Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church. He or she learns about ecumenical attempts as well as commitments aimed at strengthening the Roman Catholic identity. A paper on the relations between the Holy See and Russia, from Benedict XV to Paul VI, provides an adequate complement to the presentation of the difficult situation during the period of the Soviet Union. The testimony of Bro. Evgenij Heinrichs on the rebirth of the Order after the Communist persecution constitutes, in a certain sense, a bridge between the past and the present.
The individual contributions, in Italian, French, English, and Russian, are all accompanied at the end by an abstract in English and Russian. The volume can be ordered from Angelicum University Press (editoria@pust.it).
the essay aims to reconstruct his relations with Savonarola and the
Dominican Order, particularly with the convent of S. Marco. There
the young humanist, who later became monk on the mountain
Athos, received his education as Dominican novice. Even during his
mission in Russia (from 1518), where he suffered a long detention
and a forced stay until his death, the memory of Savonarola and his
work as a reformer remained alive helping to shape his activity as
writer and polemist.
Michael Trivolis / Maximus the Greek (c. 1470-1555/1556). The process of modernisation and the end of Middle age in Russia.
In Russia the figure of the Athonite monk Maximus was generally interpreted in relation to traditional Orthodox values and, in particular, to his anti-Renaissance position. This study aims to read his biography in the light both of the culture of humanism and the Christian renewal movements taking place between fifteenth and sixteenth century in Europe, and to highlight his role as educator in Russia. The ecclesiastic hierarchy tried to come to terms with Maximus’s authoritative personality, making the most of his work to counter the influence of the Western world, both Catholic and Protestant. At the same time they kept him under strict control, while he was still alive, and intervened harshly against anything that might undermine the framework of the church and the monastic tradition, in which the seeds sown by the Athonite monk still continued to germinate.
ков, международная дипломатическая обстановка в момент прибытия в
Москву Максима Грека (1518). В особенности делается попытка пролить
свет на отношения Максима с греческой диаспорой как на западе, так и в
России, а также на роль папской дипломатии, в частности доминиканского
ордена, которая стремилась к созданию антитурецкой коалиции с участием
Москвы.
Ключевые слова: Максим Грек, история России, папская дипломатия, осман-
ский вопрос.
The arrival in Moscow of Maxim the Greek (1518) and the international diplomatic juncture
Abstract: On the basis of the available sources, the essay reconstructs the
international diplomatic juncture in Moscow at the arrival of Maxim the Greek
(1518) highlighting his relations with the Greek Diaspora both in the West and
in Russia and the role of papal diplomacy, above all of the Dominican order that
worked for the establishment of an anti-Turkish league that also included Moscow.
Keywords: Maxim the Greek, Russian history, papal diplomacy, Ottoman
question.
In the popular series, Žizn’ zamečatel’nych ljudej (Lives of Famous People) was published the biography of Sophia Palaiologina, a figure who has left a deep mark on Russian history and culture. The volume, edited by T. Matasova (2016), tells the story of the descendant of the Byzantine imperial family, married in 1472 to the great prince of Moscow Ivan iii. The fascinating reconstruction of the cultural, social and political context opens up new perspectives for research.
Keywords Slavonic pilgrimage literature-Slavonic apocryphal literature-Slavonic Holy Scriptures-Palestine liturgical tradition
2007 by a team of scholars under the leadership of G. M. Prokhorov, allows us to compare the oldest manuscript of the “first redaction” (RNB Q.XVII.88) with the evidence of the Velikie Minei Četii (RNB Sof. № 1322). The latter version transforms the pilgrimage tale into a devotional text, which fits better with Metropolitan Makarij’s project of collecting the Slavia Orthodoxa cultural heritage.
The article traces the history of the founding of the Kiev-Pechersk monastery, which is analyzed in order to understand the processes of formation of monastic and urban space in Russia. If the space is defined by a monastic appeal to Mount Athos and the Palestinian desert, the city space appeal to Constantinople and the cult of the Virgin model as a protector of the city.
Keywords: history of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, the idea of space in Kievan Rus’, Rus’ relationships with Constantinople and Palestine.
Conferenze Trilaterali "Cristiani orientali e Repubblica delle Lettere fra XVI e XVIII sec.: Corrispondenze, viaggi, controversie"
Ateliers trilatéraux "Chrétiens orientaux et République des Lettres aux 16e-18e siècles: correspondances, voyages, controverses"
Trilaterale Forschungskonferenzen "Östliche Christen und die Gelehrtenrepublik zwischen dem 16. und dem 18. Jahrhundert: Briefwechsel, Reisen, Kontroversen"
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate, in the light of the religious and cultural history of the Eastern Slavic world, the roots and developments of the process of creating a national church in Ukraine, endowed with its own autonomy, as has already happened in other countries of the Orthodox tradition. The focus is not on the purely canonical aspects of the issue, but on the concepts of "ethnicity" (or "nation") and "territory", which belong to the cultural-historical and anthropological sphere, identifying some aspects that characterise the processes of the creation of autocephalous churches in the Eastern Slavic world.