Gavril Stefanovic Venclovic
Encyclopedia
Gavrilo Stefanović Venclović ( ; fl.
1670–1749) was a Serbia
n priest
, writer, poet, orator, philosopher, and illuminator
. He was one of the first and most notable representatives of Serbian Baroque literature (although he worked in the first half of 18th century, as Baroque trends in Serbian literature emerged in the late 17th century). But Venclović's most unforgettable service to his nation was his initial contribution as a scholar to the development of the vernacular
-- what was to become, a century later, the Serbian literary language.
province, then Hungarian kingdom, now Serbia
. There is little information about his childhood. In 1690 he was a refugee from the Turkish army in Sentandrea
, Hungary where he become a disciple of Kiprijan Račanin, who started a school for young monks, similar to the one in the municipality of Rača
, near the river Drina
, in Serbia.
The first Rača School in Srem was in the Monastery of St. Lucas. Gavrilo had special skills as a poet and icon
painter
. Also, he wrote and collected songs, and wrote Hagiography
of Serbian saints. We know from archival records that Venclović attended a theological seminary from 1711 to 1715 and then went to Győr
, a city in northwest Hungary, where he become a parish priest
at the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas. In 1739, during religious persecutions, he came as a renowned speaker (slavni propovednik) to live among the Serbian Šajkaši
in Komárom
. He spoke his views frankly, but he disliked polemic; he found also more toleration than might have been expected. In 1735, according to his writings, he gives us a clue that he was then already old (v starosti). In politics he played a considerable part. Preaching to the Orthodox Šajkaši and the Slavonian Military Frontier troops in 1746 and encouraged by the very anti-Turkish inclinations that underlined his loyalty to the Habsburg
monarch
, he demanded loyalty to the ruling family, and total respect for the military code (as unseperable from dynastic patriotism). In this context Venclović appealed to the Šajkaši and soldiers alike to be devoted to the emperor, to refrain from abusing the weak, stealing, and betraying their comrades and fellow-men-at-arms. From 1747 we lose all trace of Venclović.
We know his scholarship was both brilliant and extensive; his sound sense and his singularly pure and devoted character gave him a great influence. He was remarkably free from the pedantry of the time, as is shown by his views about the use of the Serbian vernacular as a vehicle of culture. As a theologian his natural affinities were with the Russians, Ukrainians, Poles and other Slavs, with whom he shared the advantage of having grown up to the view of the Age of Enlightenment
, by the natural progress of his studies and religious life. Thus he never lost his sympathy with humanism and with the great Russian representatives, Lazar Baranovych
and Feofan Prokopovich
.
His character is difficult to evaluate, for he possessed the usual Serbian Orthodox virtues in modest form. He seldom spoke about himself, if one was to guess, such was the norm in those days. He was Kiprian Račanin's best and the most prolific student in the Rača School. Venclović was a mystic and a man of excellent ability who spoke several Slavic dialects and languages, including Russian and Polish, and translated from the two languages with ease. He showed signs of the spirit of reform, asserting that the gospels should be translated from Old Slavonic
into the vernacular (then known as Serbian Slavonic) so that the common people might understand. A century later Đuro Daničić and Vuk Karadžić translated the old Serbian Bible of Vencleviċ into the new reformed language as we know it today.
's Mech dukhovny (The Spiritual Sword), and from Polish he translated Istorija Barona Cezara, kardinala rimskago. The sway of Old Church Slavonic
as the medieval literary language of all the Eastern Orthodox Slavs lasted many centuries. In Russia it obtained until the time of Peter the Great (1672–1725), and among the Serbs until the time of Gavrilo Stefanović Venclović. He translated the bible from Old Slavonic to Old Serbian. Thus the Old Slavonic was relegated only to liturgical purposes. From then on, theology and church oratory and administration were carried on in Slavoserbian
, a mixture of Old Slavic (Old Church Slavonic) in its Russian form with a popular Serbian rendering, until Vuk Karadžić came along. He was the first reformer to shake off the remnants of this ancient speech and to institute a phonetic orthography
.
His most famous works are:
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1670–1749) was a Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, writer, poet, orator, philosopher, and illuminator
Illuminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a manuscript in which the text is supplemented by the addition of decoration, such as decorated initials, borders and miniature illustrations...
. He was one of the first and most notable representatives of Serbian Baroque literature (although he worked in the first half of 18th century, as Baroque trends in Serbian literature emerged in the late 17th century). But Venclović's most unforgettable service to his nation was his initial contribution as a scholar to the development of the vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
-- what was to become, a century later, the Serbian literary language.
Biography
Venclović was born in SremSrem
Śrem is a town on the Warta river in central Poland. It has been situated in the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999; from 1975 to 1998 it was part of the Poznań Voivodeship...
province, then Hungarian kingdom, now Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. There is little information about his childhood. In 1690 he was a refugee from the Turkish army in Sentandrea
Szentendre
Szentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums , galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest...
, Hungary where he become a disciple of Kiprijan Račanin, who started a school for young monks, similar to the one in the municipality of Rača
Raca
Raca or RACA can refer to:* Raca, a Biblical term of Aramaic origin used in Matthew 5:22. See Aramaic of Jesus or Expounding of the Law.* Rača, a town and municipality in Serbia* Rača , river in Serbia...
, near the river Drina
Drina
The Drina is a 346 kilometer long river, which forms most of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps which belongs to the Danube river watershed...
, in Serbia.
The first Rača School in Srem was in the Monastery of St. Lucas. Gavrilo had special skills as a poet and icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. Also, he wrote and collected songs, and wrote Hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
of Serbian saints. We know from archival records that Venclović attended a theological seminary from 1711 to 1715 and then went to Győr
Gyor
-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...
, a city in northwest Hungary, where he become a parish priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
at the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas. In 1739, during religious persecutions, he came as a renowned speaker (slavni propovednik) to live among the Serbian Šajkaši
Šajkaši
Šajkaši were the river troops guarding the Danube and Sava, and especially, the Port of Belgrade, against the Ottoman Empire from the 16th to the 19th century. At the time, the rivers were borders of the Kingdom of Hungary and Habsburg Empire with the Ottoman Empire. They had special military...
in Komárom
Komárom
Komárom is a city in Hungary on the right bank of the Danube in Komárom-Esztergom county.The city of Komárom was formerly a separate suburban village called...
. He spoke his views frankly, but he disliked polemic; he found also more toleration than might have been expected. In 1735, according to his writings, he gives us a clue that he was then already old (v starosti). In politics he played a considerable part. Preaching to the Orthodox Šajkaši and the Slavonian Military Frontier troops in 1746 and encouraged by the very anti-Turkish inclinations that underlined his loyalty to the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
, he demanded loyalty to the ruling family, and total respect for the military code (as unseperable from dynastic patriotism). In this context Venclović appealed to the Šajkaši and soldiers alike to be devoted to the emperor, to refrain from abusing the weak, stealing, and betraying their comrades and fellow-men-at-arms. From 1747 we lose all trace of Venclović.
We know his scholarship was both brilliant and extensive; his sound sense and his singularly pure and devoted character gave him a great influence. He was remarkably free from the pedantry of the time, as is shown by his views about the use of the Serbian vernacular as a vehicle of culture. As a theologian his natural affinities were with the Russians, Ukrainians, Poles and other Slavs, with whom he shared the advantage of having grown up to the view of the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
, by the natural progress of his studies and religious life. Thus he never lost his sympathy with humanism and with the great Russian representatives, Lazar Baranovych
Lazar Baranovych
Lazar Baranovych ; 1620 - 1693, Ukraine) - was a Russian Orthodox archbishop, temporary Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and All-Rus' , , ....
and Feofan Prokopovich
Feofan Prokopovich
thumb|Theophan ProkopovichFeofan/Theophan Prokopovich was an archbishop and statesman in the Russian Empire, of Ukrainian descent. He elaborated and implemented Peter the Great's reform of the Russian Orthodox Church...
.
His character is difficult to evaluate, for he possessed the usual Serbian Orthodox virtues in modest form. He seldom spoke about himself, if one was to guess, such was the norm in those days. He was Kiprian Račanin's best and the most prolific student in the Rača School. Venclović was a mystic and a man of excellent ability who spoke several Slavic dialects and languages, including Russian and Polish, and translated from the two languages with ease. He showed signs of the spirit of reform, asserting that the gospels should be translated from Old Slavonic
Old Slavonic
Old Slavonic may refer to:*Old Church Slavonic language*Common Slavonic language...
into the vernacular (then known as Serbian Slavonic) so that the common people might understand. A century later Đuro Daničić and Vuk Karadžić translated the old Serbian Bible of Vencleviċ into the new reformed language as we know it today.
Literary Work
Gavrilo Stefanović Venclović's opus is interesting and multifarious. Orations, biographies, church songs, poems, illuminations and illustrations of church books, histories of European peoples and kings, etc. He was familiar with the works of contemporary Russian and Polish theologians of his day. From Russian he translated archbishop Lazar BaranovychLazar Baranovych
Lazar Baranovych ; 1620 - 1693, Ukraine) - was a Russian Orthodox archbishop, temporary Metropolitan of Kiev, Galicia and All-Rus' , , ....
's Mech dukhovny (The Spiritual Sword), and from Polish he translated Istorija Barona Cezara, kardinala rimskago. The sway of Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavic was the first literary Slavic language, first developed by the 9th century Byzantine Greek missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius who were credited with standardizing the language and using it for translating the Bible and other Ancient Greek...
as the medieval literary language of all the Eastern Orthodox Slavs lasted many centuries. In Russia it obtained until the time of Peter the Great (1672–1725), and among the Serbs until the time of Gavrilo Stefanović Venclović. He translated the bible from Old Slavonic to Old Serbian. Thus the Old Slavonic was relegated only to liturgical purposes. From then on, theology and church oratory and administration were carried on in Slavoserbian
Slavoserbian
The Slavonic-Serbian language is a form of the Serbian language which was used, exclusively as a written language , at the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, predominantly by Serbian writers in Vojvodina and other parts of the Habsburg Monarchy...
, a mixture of Old Slavic (Old Church Slavonic) in its Russian form with a popular Serbian rendering, until Vuk Karadžić came along. He was the first reformer to shake off the remnants of this ancient speech and to institute a phonetic orthography
Orthography
The orthography of a language specifies a standardized way of using a specific writing system to write the language. Where more than one writing system is used for a language, for example Kurdish, Uyghur, Serbian or Inuktitut, there can be more than one orthography...
.
His most famous works are:
- Slova izbrana
- Udvorenje arhanđela Gavrila Devici Mariji
- SajkasiŠajkašiŠajkaši were the river troops guarding the Danube and Sava, and especially, the Port of Belgrade, against the Ottoman Empire from the 16th to the 19th century. At the time, the rivers were borders of the Kingdom of Hungary and Habsburg Empire with the Ottoman Empire. They had special military...
orations - The Spiritual Sword
- Prayers Against Bloody Waters