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150 Kostas P. Kyrris 18

Medieval Bulgarian translation exercised, like that of Gregory the Sinaite, a profound influence on Bulgarian hagiography, in particular on the many Lives and Encomia of Saints by the Patriarch Euthymios in Timovo, among them some Bulgarians, and on the hagiography of Gregory Camblak.

The whole School of Timovo followed the Hesychastic ideology and the artistic conceptions of Callistos’ hagiography: historism, self-projection of the author, appreciation of Naturę with an almost poetic flavour, intros-pection, critical study of sources, love of the homeland, etc. (D. B. Gones, To Syggraphikon Ergon tou Oikoumenikou Patriarchou Callisłou A’ 1980, pp. 27—120; D. Balfour, Saint Gregory the Sinaite ..., 1981/3, pp. 61—91; Dujcev, as supra, pp. 221—222).

28.    Most interesting for their depiction of eremitic life in the 14.c. on Mount Athos are the two Lives of St. Maximos the Kausokalybes, one by the hieromonk Niphon and the second by Theophanes tou Peritheoriou abbot of Vatopedi, and the Life of Niphon by an anonymous. We are back to the morał climate of the Lausaic History and the like. Monstrous appearances, supematural events, routine daily life incidents, in fact collections of short stories in a naive style, are some traits of the first. In par. 26 one Gregory appears as the disciple of St. Gregory Palamas discussing with St. Maximos about the miracles of Palamas in the presence of two archontes kosmikoi. The Holy man was visited by such people of high standing, kings and popu-lacy (AnBoll, 54, 1936, pp. 42—65). In the second, the most impressive part is the discussion between St. Gregory the Sinaite and Maximos abour allo-iosis and ecstasis, eros theios kai harpage noos pros ton Kyrion, EKTHAMVOS THEORIA, piane, metlie, and other hesychastic concepts, which is followed by a vivid account of the multi-national circle of disciples of the Sinaite at Paroria trying to learn from him praxin kai theorian. Worth noting is also the part on the visit of the kings (John) Cantacuzenus and (John) Palaio-logos to Maximos and the symbolic pieces of advice with biscuit, onion and garlic that he gives them (ibid., pp. 65—109).

29.    Thę supra-national character of hagiography that marks the two Yitae written by the Patriarch Callistos (supra, par. 27) appears again in the Martyrion, Akolouthia kai Parakletikos Kanon eis ton Hagion Ioannen ton Neon en Leukopolei (q, -J- 1330) by Meletios Syrigos, ed. by D. Gones, 1984. The Martyrion is an adaptation-translation of an original written in Medieval Bulgarian by Gregory Camblak (1364—1420) of Timovo, a disciple of Euthymios who served the Ecumenic Patriarchate iir Serbia and Moldavia, throu-ghout the Balkans and in Russia. He wrote much hagiography about saints and personalities without national prejudice (Euthymios, St. Demetrios, Kyprianos, Camblak, St. Stephen of Decani, etc.). John, a merchant of Trebizond, was martyred at Leukopolis or Belyigrad at Dnister in 1330 be-cause he refused to be converted to the religion of the govemor, a Persian in the Bulgarian original, a Mosiem in Syrigos’ adaptation which was madę in 1649 by another personality of the Patriarchate, a preacher and teacher and activist. The change of the govemor’s religion had already been madę in two Romanian and one Greek translation preceding that of Syrigos (1534, 1643, 1639—1645?) who must have been influenced by them, at least the Greek one. Syrigos’ text presents martyrdom as a duty: the Christians are urged to imitate John, whose beheading by the machinations of the three enemies of Orthodoxy, the Latin, the Turk and the Jew did not result into their