Composed between 1056 and 1057 by a cleric
known as Deacon Gregor, the Ostromir Gospel is
the oldest extant Russian manuscript and thus the
first text of Russian literature. Almost nothing is
known about Deacon Gregor’s life. From the text
itself it is clear that he possessed exceptional learning
and artistic skill. Though he belonged to no
specific religious order, as a clergyman and scribe
he would have obtained the education and skills
necessary for the work. It is believed Deacon Gregor
was active in Novgorod, but he must have been
born or spent considerable time in Kiev, as traces
of his native Russian dialect show in the language
of his work.
The Ostromir Gospel was commissioned by Ostromir,
the posadnik, or city governor, for the
Cathedral of St. Sophia in Novgorod. It follows the
model of the Aprokos Gospel used in Greek manuscripts
in that it is divided into two sections. The
first and largest section contains the gospel texts,
drawn from the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles in
the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Since
the gospel readings began at Easter and were normally
concluded by Pentecost, the Ostromir Gospel
recommends Scripture to read for the remaining
Saturday and Sunday services of the year. The second
section provides a calendar of readings and
notes which saints are to be commemorated on
which days. The text is richly decorated throughout,
with elaborate lettering and miniature portraits
of the apostles that show the influence of the
Old Byzantine style.
The Ostromir Gospel is invaluable to linguists
because it is written in Old Church Slavonic, a medieval
language in which very few manuscripts
survive. Christianity reached Slavic-speaking lands
between 865 and 883 through the missionary efforts
of Cyril and Methodius, and it continued to
spread as rulers converted and their subjects followed
suit. Under the reign of Jaroslav of Kiev,
called “the Wise” (1019–54), a considerable number
of churches and monasteries were built. The
services at these churches, such as masses and
other celebrations, were conducted in the native
language rather than the Greek used earlier in the
Orthodox Church. Thus the spread of Slavonic
rites fostered the need for Slavonic books.As a substantial
body of Christian literature already existed
in eastern Bulgaria, the Ostromir Gospel and its
companion works are thought to be translated
from manuscripts obtained from Balkan lands
through either plunder from war or peaceful trading
contacts. Throughout the medieval period,
Church Slavonic was used by the Russian Orthodox
Church for both ecclesiastical and literary purposes,
much the same way that Latin was used by
the Roman Catholic Church. The vernacular Slavic
dialects were used for everyday purposes.
Four other manuscripts in Old Church Slavonic
contain material from the Gospels, and three other
manuscripts contain parts of prayerbooks, hymns,
and saints’ lives.Until the secularization of Russian
society that took place under Soviet influence, the
Orthodox Church was not simply the official religion
but the most prominent cultural institution.
For this reason, the Ostromir Gospel, preserved in
the National Library of Russia, remains one of the
cultural treasures of the Russian people. The history
of Russian literature begins with this document.
A key artifact in the evolution of the Russian
language, it is a valuable resource that speaks to the
development of Christian religion and culture in
Eastern Europe, as well as a beautifully crafted
piece of art.
Works about the Ostromir Gospel
Goldblatt, Harvey and Riccardo Picchio. “Old Russian
Literature.” In A Handbook of Russian Literature,
edited by Victor Terras, 316–322.New Haven,
Conn.: Yale University Press, 1985.
Moser, Charles, ed. The Cambridge History of Russian
Literature. 2, 4. Cambridge,U.K.: Cambridge University
Press, 1992.