The Slavonic Translation of Patriarch Photios’ Letter to the Bulgarian Prince Boris-Michael

Abstract

The article explores the Slavonic translation of Patriarch Photios’ letter to the Bulgarian prince Boris- Michael, which has been preserved only in Russian copies from the beginning of the 16th century until the beginning of the 20th century. Special attention is paid to the language of the Slavonic translation – its orthography, morphology and syntax, vocabulary and word formation. It is precisely on the basis of the language that the translation can be dated as there are no literary, historical, paleographical codicological and other evidence about it. The investigation of the language allows for the translation to be traced back to the literary production of the 14th century, more precisely, to the school of Euthymius of Turnovo. The reason behind the creation of the Slavonic translation of Photios’ treatise should be sought in its primary message – to sustain the foundations of the Christian faith and its embodiment in the running of the state.