BYZANTINE PROPHETICAL WRITINGS IN MANUSCRIPTS FROM THE ROMANIAN PRINCIPALITIES (XV-XVI C.)

Andrei PROHIN Universitatea de Stat din Moldova

Abstract

Among the works of Byzantine origin, known in the Romanian Principalities, a distinct place belongs to the prophetical writings which offered important knowledge for the medieval man (the image of the otherworld, the chastisements/awards reserved for the dead ones, the time span allotted to the mankind, the events that will precede the End of the world etc.). During the Middle Ages, the genre of prophetical literature, having biblical roots, was continued by means of visions and apocryphal apocalypses, pretending to fulfill the biblical prophecies. The aim of this paper is to make an inventory and typology of the prophetical writings of Byzantine origin that were included in the manuscripts from the Romanian Principalities, during the XV-XVIth centuries. Keywords: Byzantine writings, apocryphal prophets, eschatology, Slavic manuscripts, Romanian countries.