Manoscritti e libri a stampa nella tradizione rutena (XV-XVI sec.)

Manuscripts and antique books in the Ruthenian tradition in the 15th-16th centuries As an inheritor of the tradition of Kievan and Halician Rus’, Polish-Lithuanian Rus’ since the mid-14th century, over more than three hundred years, preserved and developed the heritage of its Orthodox ancestors. This variant of the Russian culture took actively part in a multicultural integration process in times when European culture was undergoing deep-going changes. The article shows this process focusing on two outstanding figures: Matvej Ioannovič Desjatyj (the Bible manuscript of Supraśl, 1502-1507) and Francisk Skorina (Prague edition of 23 Books of the Slavonic Bible – Bivlija ruska – 1517-1520, Vilnius’ edition of the Malaja podorožnaja knižka – The little traveller’s book, 1522, and the Apostolos, 1525). The article also unveils how the circle of the so-called Ostroh Academy approached the task of preparing a print-edition of the Slavonic Bible and investigates the viewpoint of those who were influenced by the Reformation ideas as well as the one of those who promoted the usage of prosta mova. The Orthodox written production in the Polish-Lithuanian State testifies to the high level of the Ruthenian culture and shows how Ruthenians were able to match their traditional spirituality, aiming at saving the others’ souls, with the Renaissance care for the concern about the readers’ common good.