St. Petersburg, June 21, 2024
Photo: Facebook
A Gospel published in the 16th century, which belonged to the famous Simeon of Polotsk, was recently discovered in St. Petersburg.
Nikolai Nikolaev, head of the rare books department of the Russian National Library wrote earlier this week:
The restorers called: “We were restoring a book, a Gospel in Arabic and Latin from the Medici Press, Rome, 1591. And we found many Greek manuscript leaves in the binding. On the last page, there are some Slavic and Latin inscriptions. Would you like to take a look?”
I went over and looked: The Latin text mentioned that the book belonged to a hieromonk of the Basilian Order, Simeon Pyatrovsky Sitnyatovich, which means—Simeon of Polotsk. In his own handwriting.
This is sensational. After thorough study, it will make a significant impact.
Simeon of Polotsk. Photo: Sputnik
Simeon of Polotsk (1629-1680) was a Belarusian and Russian Church and public figure, poet, thinker, and preacher. He was the organizer of the printing house in the Kremlin. He wrote his works in various languages, including Old Belarusian, Russian, Church Slavonic, Polish, and Latin. He was teacher to the Tsar’s children, including the future Tsars Feodor Alexeyevich and Peter I.
He also played an important role in the Great Moscow Synod of 1666, drafting the conciliar decision that deposed Patriarch Nikon and anathematized the Old Believers.
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