Gorički zbornik

The Gorički zbornik (Serbian Cyrillic: Горички зборник) or the Gorica's Almanac or Gorica Miscellany or the Manuscript of Gorica is a Serbian medieval manuscript collection written by Jelena Balšić and monk Nikon of Jerusalem in period between 1441 and 1442 in the church Jelena built on the island Gorica on Skadar Lake.[3] Its name is derived from the name of the church.[4]

Gorički zbornik
Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts as legacy of Svetozar Tomić[1]
A page from Gorički zbornik
Also known as
  • Gorica's Almanac
  • Manuscript of Gorica
  • Gorica Miscellany
Date1441 — 1442
Place of originGorica island on Skadar Lake, Serbian Despotate
Language(s)Serbo-slavic language
Author(s)Jelena Balšić, Nikon of Jerusalem
MaterialPaper
Size273 pages of 21 cm x 14 cm
ConditionWooden covers coated with leather, some pages are cropped and inexpertly "restored", badly damaged and even missing[2]
DiscoveredIn 1902 by Svetozar Tomić who bought it in Skopje (modern-day North Macedonia, then Ottoman Empire)

Contents

The first part of Gorički zbornik contains a correspondence between Jelena Balšić and her spiritual adviser Nikon of Jeruzalem. Jelena wrote three epistles to Nikon who replied to her presenting a position of the church regarding different theological issues. Only one of three epistles, known as Otpisanije bogoljubno (Serbian: Отписаније богољубно), is preserved today.[5] The correspondence between Jelena and her spiritual adviser has its origin in a common practice in Byzantium. Scholars praised this epistle although its part was the same as hagiography of John of Rila written by Evtimiy of Tarnovo. Similarity of the medieval texts written on the Balkans corresponds with Byzantine practice and genre principle which was based on the universal and common forms, not on the individual ones.[6]

In the second part of Gorički zbornik Nikon writes to Jelena about her ancestors using Serbian genealogies and annals as well as hagiography of Saint Simeon written by Stefan the First-Crowned and the hagiography of Saint Sava written by Teodosije.[7]

The next part is the monastic constitution, composed on Jelena's order, to be used in the church she built on the Gorica island. A 'Tale of Jerusalem Churches and Places in the Desert' (Serbian: Повест о јерусалимских црквама и местима у пустињи) is the next part of the zbornik followed by the preaching of the faith, begging for forgiveness if there are mistakes in the manuscripts and greetings. The last part of the zbornik is Jelena's letter where she confirms that she received work of her spiritual adviser Nikon as gift which she donate to the church at Gorica.[8]

One of the reasons why the Gorički zbornik is very important in the literature of medieval Zeta is that it is a testimony of presence and establishment of the Byzantine hesychasm on the territory which was under direct pressure of Latin Venetian policy.[9]

Covers

Jelena wrote her will on 25 November 1442 which shows that she had her own library and that in 1441 based on her instructions her chancellor Doberko ordered a book covers made of silver and decorated with image of Jesus from a goldsmith from Kotor named Andrija.[10] It may be assumed that this covers were made for Gorički zbornik although it was later discovered within wooden/leather covers.

Nikon of Jerusalem

Nikon changed his name to Nikandar of Jerusalem after he undertook greater monastic duties.[11] Besides Gorički zbornik Nikon wrote another manuscript collection known as Šestodnev in 1439/1440 which is preserved in Savina Monastery.[4]

References
  1. Bogdanović 1970, p. 3
    Gorički zbornik je rukopis koji se čuva u depozitu Arhiva Srpske akademije nauka i umetnosti u Beogradu, kao zaostavština Svetozara Tomića
  2. Bogdanović 1970, p. 3
    Pisan je na papiru, ima svega 273 lista veličine 21 x 14 sm, ali su listovi obrezivani, neuko "restaurirani" i u priličnoj mjeri i ranije i tada oštećeni, a nekih (preko navedenog broja) više i nema.
  3. Stvaranje. Stvaranja. 1979. Најзначајнији књижевни споменик тога доба јесте Горички зборник 1441/42 који је за Јелену Балшић саставио њен исповједник Никон Јерусалимац
  4. Tomin 2000, p. 2
  5. Tomin 2000, p. 2
    Једина у целини сачувана Јеленина посланица у науци је позната под називом Отписаније богољубно.)
  6. Tomin 2000, p. 6
  7. Spremić 2004, pp. 73–108
    Даље пише о Јелени и њеним прецима, као примеру светости, користећи грађу српских родослова и летописа, житије Светог Симеона од Стефана Првовенчаног и Житије Светог Саве од Теодосија)
  8. Spremić 2004, pp. 73–108
    После тога долази устав за монахе, написан по налогу Јелене, за њену задужбину Свете Богородице Горичке, а онда Повест о јерусалимских црквама и местима у пустињи, намењен такође књегињи. Следи исповедање вере, молба за опроштај ако се при писању грешило и поздрав. Крај чини писмо "смерне Јелене", у коме потврђује да је примила дело свог духовника Никона, као "богонадахнути" дар, који прилаже "храму пресвете Владичици нашој Богородици" у Горици.
  9. Bogdanović 1970, p. 6
    ... svjedoči o prisustvu i učvršćenju vizantijskog ishaizma...
  10. Tomin 2000, p. 10
    Једина у целини сачувана Јеленина посланица у науци је позната под називом Отписаније богољубно.)
  11. Bešić 1970, p. 190
    старац ЈерусалимацНикандар, по свој прилици сам писац Горичког зборника Никон,који је промијенио име када је узео теже монашке обавезе.

Sources
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