Commemorative literary monuments in ancient Russia

Abstract

The article discusses the memorial practices of ancient Russia on a concrete example of description of the history of the origin, development and authorship of Synodikon with literary introductions associated with the names of prominent church hierarchs St Joseph Volotsky and Nil of Sora, who played a key role in the development of Russian spiritual culture. With the help of source study (istochnikovedenie) the author explores the claims and counterclaims about the dating of redactions of the literary introduction and concludes that the earliest version of the text is linked with the literary and liturgical works and activity of Iosif Volotskii, abbot of Volokolamsk Monastery and a leading church figure in the debate over church landholding in the fifteenth century.