Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature

1607-6192 2713-2226

IWL RAS

https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2025-24-275-300

Research Article

Articles

LIVES OF SAINTS AS A SOURCE OF DIDACTIC DISCOURCES IN THE PRIVATE CHRONICLE BY DEMETRIUS OF ROSTOV

Volkov

Aleksandr V.

old-rus@imli.ru

2025

24 275 300

2026

Acknowledgements: The article was completed with the support of the Russian Science Foundation (project No. 22-18-00174, https://rscf.ru/project/ 22-18-00174/), Pushkin House of RAS The article examines the lives of saints as a source of didactic discources in the Private Chronicle (Keleynyi Letopisets) by Demetrius of Rostov. Private Chronicle, the last major work by saint Demetrius, the Metropolitan of Rostov, is a commented account of biblical history. Like all literary heritage of Demetrius of Rostov, Private Chronicle has spiritual and moral orientation. Every episode of the Holy Scripture retold in the Private Chronicle becomes the reason for lengthy didactic discourses. A large part of these discourses consists of references to lives of the saints. Examples from the lives of saints fit to the scheme which these didactic discourses are based on: at first the author gives examples from the Old Testament, then from the New Testament, then from lives of saints and at last from writings by the Church Fathers. Fragments from lives of saints included to the Private Chronicle literally coincide with The Book of Lives of Sanits (“Chet’i Minei”) by Demetrius himself, published in 1689– 1709. Boundaries of these quotation aren’t marked. At times the author simply mentions a saint’s name or briefly retells some episodes from a vita. In all cases he provides precise references to “The Book of Lives of Saints”, indicating a sheet number. On several occasions lives of saints serve as sources of quotations from works by sainted church writers (John Chrysostom, Isidore of Pelusium). In such cases not only “The Book of Lives of Saints,” but also the Moscow old- printed Prologue of 1685 is used.

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