Books of the Lives of Saints (Cheti-Minea. In Church Slavonic)

Fundamental work of St. Demetrius of Rostov "Lives of the Saints" ("Cheti-Minea") is an extensive collection of hagiographic texts, organized by months and days of the church calendar, covering the lives of Orthodox saints, martyrs, reverends, prelates and other saints of God. The Months of the Hours and Menaions became generally accepted in the Russian Orthodox Church, and now forms the bulk of our church calendars. Work on the composition lasted more than 20 years (1684-1705). In 12 volumes (for each month of the year), the author systematized and processed materials from Greek, Latin, Polish and Church Slavonic sources: the Bollandist collection “Acta sanctorum”, “De probatis sanctorum historiis” by Lawrence Surius, the life of St. Simeon Metaphrast, the work of Peter Skarga “Żywoty świętych”, the Assumption list of the Great Menaion-Fours, the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon, etc. The work contains 765 articles, not counting memories (short, often one-phrase notes about persons and events that are not the subject of larger articles): lives of saints, Words for major holidays (22 in total), synaxari for the Lord's, Mother of God and other holidays, individual historical discussions, 2 articles are devoted to calendar issues (March). According to the time and place of the asceticism of the saints, the lives are divided into four groups: the life and exploits of the Old Testament (24 lives), general Christian (571 lives), Russian (65 lives), Yugoslav (4 lives). Each life includes biographical information, descriptions of miracles and feats of faith, moral teachings (themes of faith, repentance, piety, the fight against sin, love for one's neighbor, the desire for holiness, anticipation of the Last Judgment). For each article, the saint used several sources, trying to collect as much information as possible, which he combined into one whole and added his own transcriptions. The collection also contains elements of scientific reference apparatus: links to sources, indications of similar plots in the lives and miracles of various saints, references that turn into research. The language of Chetya-Minei is multifaceted. It combines elements of the Church Slavonic language with the features of the era. As noted by literary historian M.N. Speransky, “pure” Church Slavonic speech was inaccessible to southern Russian writers, and the text is filled with elements of living folk speech. The influence of sources is manifested in borrowings: Latin words and expressions, obsolete forms of Slavic words, Greekisms (Greek words left without translation). The saint uses vivid images and metaphors taken from the Holy Scriptures, nature or everyday life. For example, a martyr is compared to a warrior winning a battle, or a farmer reaping a harvest. The Lives are replete with dialogues between the martyrs and their persecutors, between the saints and God. This brings the story to life and helps the reader “hear” the characters. Saint Demetrius aims not only to tell, but also to convince the reader of the truth of the faith and the need to imitate the saints. Thus, the speeches of the martyrs become theological treatises in miniature. In them, the saints prove the meaninglessness of idolatry, the truth of monotheism and the divinity of Christ. The author shows the inner world of the heroes: their struggle with fear, doubts, prayerful readiness and ultimate determination. The description of this internal struggle makes the saints relatable and understandable, and their victory worthy of emulation. "Lives of the Saints" by St. Demetrius of Rostov had a huge influence on the spiritual, cultural and literary life of the Russian people. They were the main source for daily reading in churches, monasteries and homes, shaping the religious consciousness of the people. In Synodal Russia they were used in schools and seminaries, forming a national identity based on Christian ideals. The publication presents an edition of the “Book of Lives of Saints” in Church Slavonic (Kievo-Pechersk Lavra, 1764). Book 1. September, October, November Book 2. December, January, February Book 3. March, April, May Book 4. June, July, August