To 200th anniversary of Greek revolution of 1821: Sophronios Kalligas about Othoman occupation of Athos in 1821-1830

• Main Author: Chernukhin Yevhen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine 2021-01-01
• Series: Рукописна та книжкова спадщина України
• Subjects: sophronios kalligas, athos, kassandra, andrey muraviov, greek revolution of 1821, greek manuscripts.
• Online Access: http://nbuv.gov.ua/j-pdf/rks_2021_27_20.pdf

The aim of the article. Investigation, publication and translation of the text about the events in Macedonia during the Greek revolution of 1821, as they are described by the St. Paul monastery abbot Sophronios Kalligas in the manuscript from the depositories of the Institute of Manuscript in the V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine. Methodology comprises a complex of scientific methods used, when dealing with historical documents, and a number of special archaeographic, codicological and palaeographic methods as well. Scientific novelty. For the first time the original Greek text of the manuscript, its translation in Ukrainian, historical comments and a number of illustrations are presented. Conclusions. The manuscript of Sophronios Kalligas was granted to Russian historian Andrey Muraviov in 1849 during his visit to Athos. The major part of the manuscript is devoted to the description of Athos monasteries and hermitages, and thus it may be considered to be the precursor of the Sophronios Kalligas' work “Athonias, or the short history of the Saint Mount Athos”, published in 1863. Although there are almost no text coincidences in both works, and the main stream differs greatly, as far as the structure and the style are concerned. There are several additional texts, one of them concludes the description of the events that took place in Macedonia in the late 1821 and resulted in demolition of the Greek population of the Kassandra peninsula and the later occupation of Athos by the Othoman troops lead by Mehmed Emin Pasha (Ebu Lubut Pasha). Obviously, the description of battles and invasion of the Othomans to Athos could not be included to published version of “Athonias” for a number of political and censorship reasons. On the contrary, in the Kyiv version of the manuscript Sophronios Kalligas, based on the Athos traditions, truly expresses his own view on the events of 1821, gives some characteristic features of Ebu Lubut Pasha, explains the reasons for a long presence of Othomans on the Saint Mount, describes their attitude towards the monks and Greek population.