Review article
THE GLAGOLITIC SCRIPT IN THE DIOCESE OF GOSPIĆ AND SENJ
Franje Puškarić
; Diocese Gospić - Senj, Gospić, Croatia
Abstract
The name “glagoljica” (Glagolitic script) appears in Croatia in the 14th century. This alphabet was used in the production of many liturgical books,literary-artistic text, legal documents as well as in the personal correspondence. The theories of the genesis of the Glagolitic script are manifold (egzogenous, egzogenous-endogenous, endogenous). Noteworthy is the theory that the Glagolitic script is the autochthonous Croatian script. Among the types of the Glagolitic script we can distinguish the round, the angular, the italic, while some authors mention the triangular type too. The cradle of the Glagolitic script in Croatia is the island of Krk, and the part of the Croatian Coastal region which in the past belonged to the diocese of Krk and Rab (Senj, Gacka, Modruš and Bužani in Lika). From the island of Krk, the Glagolitic script and the old Slavonic language came to Senj and spread towards the hinterland, i.e. towards the diocese of Krbava or Modruš, which today mostly belongs to the diocese of Gospić and Senj. The key moment in the history of Glagolitic script in this region is the letter of pope Innocent the 4th, to the bishop Filip of Senj, in the year 1248, by which he is allowed to use the Glagolitic script in his diocese. The first printing house firmly attested by the historical sources was in the city of Senj. In the 17th century, the church books are Russified (amalgamated to the Eastern Slavic traditions and language), while in the 18th century, the popular language (šćavet) is introduced into the liturgy. The contest between the Russified redaction of the liturgical books and the šćavet was ended by the end of the 19th century, by the decree of the bishop Juraj Posilović, which imposed the return of Croatian redaction of the old Slavic language into the liturgical use. Among the inscriptions on the stone monuments the most important is the table of Senj from the beginning of the 12th century. Beside the stone monuments, a great number of Glagolitic inscriptions can be found in the manuscripts and the printed books. Many books and articles were written on this theme, many experts dealt with this question, discussed and presented the results of their researches, and in this article, we intend to briefly present what was written up until now.
Keywords
Glagolitic script; old Slavic language; the Diocese of Gospić and Senj; Glagolitic monuments; Glagolitic manuscripts; Glagolitic printed books
Hrčak ID:
205883
URI
Publication date:
23.3.2018.
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