Francisk Skaryna is a well-known Belarusian pioneer printer and educator. Over a 40-year career, he tried his hand at medicine, philosophy, and horticulture. He also traveled a lot, came to Russia, talked with the Prussian Duke.
The life of Francysk Skaryna, whose photo is placed in our article, was very eventful. At a young age, he went to study science in Italy, where he became the first Eastern European graduate to receive the title of Doctor of Medicine. He was brought up in the Catholic faith, but he was engaged in the study of Orthodoxy. Skaryna became the first person who took up the translation of the Bible into the East Slavic language, understandable for his people. Until that time, all church books were written in Church Slavonic.
Bible translations into Slavic languages
The first translations of biblical books were made by Cyril and Methodius in the second half of the 9th century. They translated from the Byzantine Greek lists into Church Slavonic (Stra Slavonic), which they alsodeveloped using their native Bulgarian-Macedonian dialect as their basis. A century later, other Slavic translations were brought from Bulgaria to Russia. In fact, starting from the 11th century, the main South Slavic translations of biblical books became available to the Eastern Slavs.
Bible translations made in the 14th-15th century in the Czech Republic also influenced the translation activities of the Eastern Slavs. The Czech Bible was translated from Latin and was widely circulated throughout the 14th-15th centuries.
And at the beginning of the 16th century, Francis Skorina translated the Bible into Church Slavonic in the Belarusian version. It was the first Bible translation close to the vernacular.
Origin
Franciscus (Franciszek) Skaryna was born in Polotsk.
Comparison of university records (entered the University of Krakow in 1504, and in the act of the University of Padua, dated 1512, he is presented as a “young man”) suggests that he was born around 1490 (possibly in the second half of the 1480s). The biography of Francysk Skaryna is far from being fully known to researchers.
They believe that the origin of the surname Skaryna is connected with the ancient word "soon" (skin) or "skaryna" (peel).
The first reliable information about this family has been known since the end of the 15th century.
Father Francis, Lukyan Skorina, is mentioned in the list of Russian embassy claims of 1492 against Polotsk merchants. Francysk Skaryna had an older brother, Ivan. royal decreecalls him both a Vilnius tradesman and a Polochan. The name of the godfather of the Belarusian first printer is also unknown. In her publications, Skaryna uses the name "Franciscus" more than 100 times, occasionally - "Franciszek".
Below is a portrait of Francysk Skaryna, printed by himself in the Bible.
Life path
Skorina received his primary education in his parents' house, where he learned to read and write in Cyrillic using the Ps alter. The language of the then science (Latin) he learned, most likely, at the church of Polotsk or Vilna.
In 1504, an inquisitive and enterprising Polochan entered the University of Krakow, which at that time was famous in Europe for its faculty of liberal arts, where they studied grammar, rhetoric, dialectics (the Trivium cycle) and arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music (“quadrivium” cycle).
Studying at the university allowed Francysk Skaryna to understand what a broad outlook and practical knowledge the "seven liberal arts" bring to a person.
He saw it all in the Bible. He directed all his future translation and publishing activities to make the Bible accessible to the “people of the Commonwe alth.”
In 1506, Skaryna received his first bachelor's degree in philosophy.
Around 1508, Skaryna served as secretary to the Danish king.
To continue her studies at the most prestigious faculties of European universities (medical and theological), Skaryna also had to become a master of arts.
It is not known exactly whichuniversities, this happened: in Krakow or some other, but in 1512 he arrived in Italy at the famous University of Padua, already having a master's degree in liberal sciences. Skaryna chose this educational institution for his doctorate in medicine.
The poor but capable young man was allowed to take the exams. For two days, he took part in debates with eminent scientists, defending his own ideas.
In November 1512, in the bishop's palace, in the presence of famous scientists from the University of Padua and the highest officials of the Catholic Church, Skaryna was declared a doctor in medical sciences.
It was a significant event: the son of a merchant from Polotsk was able to prove that abilities and vocation matter more than aristocratic origin. His portrait, created already in the middle of the 20th century, is in the memorial hall among 40 portraits of famous European scientists who graduated from the University of Padua.
Scorina also had a Ph. D. in liberal sciences. Western European universities called the "seven free sciences".
Family
In the brief biography of Francysk Skaryna there is a mention that after 1525 the first printer married Margarita, the widow of a Vilna merchant, a member of the Vilna Council Yuri Advernik. During this time, he served as a doctor and secretary to the Bishop in Vilna.
The year 1529 was very difficult for Skaryna. In the summer, his brother Ivan died in Poznań. Francis went there to deal with matters related to the inheritance. She died suddenly the same year. Margarita. Skaryna's young son Simeon remained in her arms.
In February 1532, Francis was arrested on an unfounded and unsubstantiated accusation by his late brother's creditors and ended up in a prison in Poznań. Only at the request of the late Ivan's son (Roman's nephew) was he rehabilitated.
Francis Skaryna: interesting facts from life
It is assumed that in the late 1520s - early 1530s, the first printer visited Moscow, where he took his books, published in Russian. Researchers of Skaryna's life and creative path believe that in 1525 he traveled to the German city of Wittenberg (the center of the Reformation), where he met with the ideologist of German Protestants Martin Luther.
In 1530, Duke Albrecht invited him to Koenigsberg for book printing.
In the mid-1530s Skaryna moved to Prague. He was invited by the Czech king to the post of gardener in the open botanical garden in the royal castle Hradcany.
Researchers of the biography of Francysk Skaryna believe that at the Czech royal court, he most likely performed the duties of a qualified gardener. The title of doctor "in medicinal sciences", received by him in Padua, required a certain knowledge of botany.
From 1534 or 1535, Francis worked as a royal botanist in Prague.
Perhaps, due to insufficient knowledge, other interesting facts about Francis Skaryn remained unknown.
Book publishing and educational activities
In the period from 1512 to 1517. scientist appeared in Prague - the center of the Czechtypography.
To translate and publish the Bible, he needed not only to become familiar with Czech biblical studies, but also to know the Czech language thoroughly. In Prague, Francis orders printing equipment, after which he begins to translate the Bible and write commentaries on it.
Skarina's publishing activity combined the experience of European printing and the traditions of Belarusian art.
The first book of Francysk Skaryna - the Prague edition of one of the biblical books, the Ps alter (1517).
F. Skaryna translated the Bible into a language close to Belarusian and understandable to ordinary people (Church Slavonic in the Belarusian version).
With the support of philanthropists (they were Vilna burgomaster Yakub Babich, advisers Bogdan Onkav and Yuriy Advernik), he published 23 illustrated books of the Old Testament in Old Russian in 1517-1519 in Prague. In the sequence: Ps alter (6.08.1517), Book of Job (6.10.1517), Proverbs of Solomon (6.10.2517), Jesus Sirahab (5.12.1517), Ecclesiastes (2.01.1518), Song of Songs (9.01.1517), book Wisdom of God (1518-19-01), First Book of Kings (1518-10-08), Second Book of Kings (1518-10-08), Third Book of Kings (1518-10-08), Fourth Book of Kings (1518-10-08), Joshua of Nun (1518-20-12), Judith (02/9/1519), Judges (1519-15-12), Genesis (1519), Exit (1519), Leviticus (1519), Ruth (1519), Numbers (1519), Deuteronomy (1519), Esther (1519), Lamentations of Jeremiah (1519), Prophet Daniel (1519).
Each of the Bible books came out as a separate issue, with a title page, had its own preface and afterword. Whereinthe publisher adhered to the same principles for presenting the text (the same format, typing strip, font, artistic design). Thus, he provided for the possibility of bringing all publications under one cover.
The books contain 51 printed prints of engraving on paper from the plate (board) on which the drawing is applied.
Thrice in the books of Francysk Skaryna his own portrait was printed. No other Bible publisher has ever done this in Eastern Europe.
According to researchers, the title page of the Bible bears the seal (coat of arms) of Skaryna, Doctor of Medicine.
The translation made by the first printer is canonically accurate in conveying the letter and spirit of the biblical text, not allowing liberties and additions by the interpreter. The text preserves the state of the language corresponding to the Hebrew and Greek originals.
The books of Francysk Skaryna laid the foundation for standardization of the Belarusian literary language, became the first translation of the Bible into East Slavonic.
Belarusian educator knew well the works of famous clergymen in those days, for example, St. Basil the Great - Bishop of Caesarea. He knew the works of John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian, to whom he refers. Its publications are Orthodox in content and are designed to meet the spiritual needs of the Orthodox population of Belarus.
Skarina tried to make his comments on the Bible simple and understandable. They contain information about historical, everyday, theological, linguistic circumstances and realities. ATIn the theological context, the main place in the prefaces and afterwords written by him was occupied by exagesis - an explanation of the content of the books of the Old Testament as a foreshadowing and prophecy of New Testament events, the victory of Christianity in the world and the hope of eternal spiritual salvation.
The photo below shows a coin of Francysk Skaryna. It was released in 1990 to mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of the glorious Belarusian first printer.
The first Belarusian book
About 1520, Francis founded a printing house in Vilnius. Perhaps, he was forced to move the printing house to Vilna by the desire to be closer to his people, for the enlightenment of which he worked (in those years, the Belarusian lands were part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania). Skaryna was given the premises for the printing house in his own house by the head of the Vilnius magistrate, "senior burgomaster" Jakub Babich.
The first Vilnius edition - "Small travel book". Skaryna gave this name to a collection of church books published by him in Vilnius in 1522.
In total, the “Small Road Book” includes: Ps alter, Book of Hours, Akathist to the Holy Sepulcher, Canon of the Life-giving Sepulcher, Akathist to Archangel Michael, Canon to Archangel Michael, Akathist to John the Baptist, Canon to John the Baptist, Akathist to the Mother of God, Canon to the Mother of God, Akathist Saints Peter and Paul, Canon to Saints Peter and Paul, Akathist to Saint Nicholas, Canon to Saint Nicholas, Akathist to the Cross of the Lord, Canon to the Cross of the Lord, Akathist to Jesus, Canon to Jesus, Shastidnovets, Canon of the Repentant, Canon on Saturday at Matins, "Councilors", and also generalafterword "Written speeches in this Small travel book".
This was a new type of collection in East Slavic book writing, addressed to both clergy and secular people - merchants, officials, artisans, soldiers, who, due to their activities, spent a lot of time on the road. These people needed spiritual support, useful information, and, if necessary, the words of prayers.
The Ps alter (1522) and The Apostle (1525) published by Skaryna constitute a separate group of books not translated, but adapted from other Church Slavonic sources, closer to folk speech.
Edition of the Apostle
In 1525, Skaryna published in Vilnius one of the most common books in Cyrillic - "The Apostle". This was his first exactly dated and last edition, the release of which was a logical and natural continuation of the business of publishing biblical books, begun in Prague. Like the Small Road Book, the Apostle of 1525 was intended for a wide range of readers. In many prefaces to the book, and in total the educator wrote 22 prefaces and 17 afterwords to the "Apostle", the content of sections, individual messages is described, "dark" expressions are explained. The whole text is preceded by a general preface by Skaryna “By deed of the world, the apostle of the books is premoved.” It praises the Christian faith, draws attention to the moral and ethical norms of social human life.
Worldview
The views of the enlightener say that he was not only an enlightener, but also a patriot.
He contributedthe spread of writing and knowledge, which can be seen in the following lines:
"Every person needs to read, because reading is a mirror of our life, medicine for the soul."
Francis Skaryna is considered the founder of a new understanding of patriotism, which is seen as love and respect for one's Motherland. From patriotic statements, the following words of his attract attention:
“From birth, the beasts that walk in the desert know their pits, the birds Flying through the air know their nests; the fish swimming in the sea and in the rivers can smell their own vira; bees and the like to harrow their hives, the same is true of people, and where the essence according to Bose was born and nurtured, to that place Great mercy is given.”
And it is to us, today's residents, that his words are addressed, so that people
"… they did not rage for any kind of hard work and government work for the Commonwe alth and for the Fatherland."
His words contain the wisdom of the life of many generations:
“The law born in that we observe more often: repair to others everything that you yourself like to eat from everyone else, and don’t repair that to others, which you yourself don’t want to have from others … This law is born to the One series of each person "".
Activity Meaning
Francisk Skaryna was the first to publish a book of psalms in the Belarusian language, that is, the first to use the Cyrillic alphabet. This happened in 1517. Within two years, he had translated most of the Bible. In different countries there are monuments, streets and universities that bear his name. Skaryna is one of the outstanding people of the era.
He's ingreatly contributed to the formation and development of the Belarusian language and writing. He was a highly spiritual person for whom God and man are inseparable.
His achievements are of great importance for culture and history. Reformers such as John Wycliffe translated the Bible during the Middle Ages and were persecuted. Skaryna was one of the first Renaissance humanists to take on this task again. Indeed, his Bible preceded Luther's translation by several years.
According to public acknowledgment, this was not yet an ideal result. The Belarusian language was just developing, therefore, elements of the Church Slavonic language, as well as borrowings from Czech, were preserved in the text. In fact, the enlightener created the foundations of the modern Belarusian language. Recall that he was only the second scientist to print in Cyrillic. His graceful prefaces are among the first examples of Belarusian poetry.
For the first printer, the Bible had to be written in an accessible language so that it could be understood not only by learned people, but also by the common man. The books he published were intended for the laity. Many of his ideas were similar to those of Martin Luther. Like the Protestant reformers, the Belarusian educator understood the importance of new technologies in spreading his ideas. He headed the first printing house in Vilna, and his projects were of great importance outside of Belarus.
Skarina was also an excellent engraver: bright woodcuts depicting biblical figures in traditional Belarusian costume helped illiterate people understand religiousideas.
During his lifetime, Francysk Skaryna was not widely known throughout the world, since there has never been an Orthodox reformation in world history. After his death, the situation changed little. He did not destroy his familiar world as decisively as Luther did. In fact, Skaryna himself would probably not have been able to understand the idea of reformation. Despite his innovative use of language and art, he had no desire to completely destroy the structure of the Church.
However, he remained popular among compatriots. He was noticed by the nationalists of the 19th century, who wanted to emphasize the importance of the "first Belarusian intellectual". Skaryna's work in Vilna gave grounds to demand that the city gain independence from Poland.
In the photo below - a monument to Francysk Skaryna in Minsk. Monuments to the Belarusian printing pioneer are also located in Polotsk, Lida, Kaliningrad, Prague.
Recent years
The last years of his life, Francysk Skaryna was engaged in medical practice. In the 1520s, he was a doctor and secretary to Bishop Jan of Vilna, and already in 1529, during an epidemic, he was invited to Koenigsberg by the Prussian Duke Albrecht of Hohenzollern.
In the mid-1530s, at the Czech court, he took part in the diplomatic mission of Sigismund I.
The first printer died no later than January 29, 1552. This is evidenced by the charter of King Ferdinand II, given to the son of Francysk Skaryna Simeon, which allowed the latter to use all the preserved heritage of his father: property, books, debtobligations. However, the exact date of death and the place of burial have not yet been established.
Below in the photo is the Order of Francysk Skaryna. It is awarded to citizens for educational, research, humanitarian, charitable activities for the benefit of the Belarusian people. Award approved 13.04. 1995.
The great enlightener and modernity
Currently, the highest awards of Belarus are named after Skaryna: an order and a medal. Educational institutions and streets, libraries and public associations are also named after him.
Today the book heritage of Francysk Skaryna includes 520 books, many of which are in Russia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany. About 50 countries have editions of the Belarusian first printer. There are 28 copies in Belarus.
In 2017, which was dedicated to the 500th anniversary of Belarusian book printing, a unique monument, the Small Travel Book, was returned to the country.
