Biography
The biography of the Eastern Slavic enlightener and scientist Francis Skorne is associated with creativity, medicine, philosophy and linguistics. One of the greatest representatives of Belarus of the end of the XV - the beginning of the XVI centuries left behind the monument of literature in the form of the Bible translated from the Church Slavonic language. Currently, the personality of the Humanist of the past epoch is revered by many Slavic peoples. His name is named universities and streets, as well as the Order and the medal given for the merits in the field of science, art and social activities.Childhood and youth
Francis Lukich Skorgin was born around 1470 in the city of Polotsk, who in ancient times was within the borders of the Grand Lithuanian principality.
Mention of parents who are named Lukian and Margarita are preserved in the book of complaints of the Polish king Casimir IV of the Yagillon in connection with the theft at the Velikuksky resident of the amount of 42 rubles. And although the profession and the social status of the Father and Mother remained unknown, scientists suggested that they had enough money to teach the Son in the monastery school of Bernardines.
At the beginning of the 1500s, the young man, who mastered the diploma and Latin, entered the highest educational institution in Krakow. Having studied 7 free arts, among which were philosophy, right, medicine and theology, Francis received a bachelor's degree, and then filed a request for a doctoral degree in Italian University in Padua.
Knowledge of dialectics and rhetoric helped Skorne convince scientists of aristocrats to listen to a poor young man from the far princess. On November 9, 1512 before a high-ranking audience scientist, he with honor stood 2 exam and became a doctor of medical sciences.
And although Francis has never studied at the main educational center of the Venetian Republic, in the middle of the 20th century, his portrait of the work of a local artist appeared on the walls of the gallery of the famous graduates.
Subsequently, the medical knowledge of Skorgin applied to the service of illegitimate disproduction of the Polish king Sigismund I who studied in Italy in the 1520s, and a little later in the secretariat of the Lithuanian bishop in Wilna.
Books
What happened in the fate of Skorne in 1512-1517, still remains a mystery, but by the time the following information, he left medicine and became interested in typography.
Settling in Prague, Francis organized a typography and started the transfer of books from the church language to East Slavic. Having tried technologies at Psalmire, considered the first Belarusian printed edition, the native Polotsk presented the descendants of the 23 books of the Bible translations and made a huge contribution to world culture.
The researchers argued for a long time about the language of Skorne religious publications, because church Slavic turnover was preserved in them with staplerus words and expressions. As a result, they concluded that the books of the printer were a classic editorial board, simplified, deciphered and adapted to reality.
Works that came from Skorne machines were a unique achievement of that time. Supplemented by copyrighted prefaces and comments, they acquired a secular character and made Holy Scripture to readers of any level. In addition, the printer made focus on educational importance, which before that appeared in the works of European humanist philosophers of the past years.
For the design of Books, Scarin independently made engravings, monograms and other decorative elements. As a result, the original editions became not only monuments of literature, but also works of fine art.
In the early 1520s, the situation in Prague ceased to be favorable, and Francis quit the printing house and returned to his native land. Resumeing production in Belarus, he released a collection of religious and secular stories for educational reading, known as the "Small Greeting Book". In this edition, the printer made a writer and an educator who acquainted the audience with the most important concepts of natural and civil peace, telling about the calendar, astronomy, folk holidays and other curious things.
In the spring of 1525 on the machines located in Wilna workshop, Skorgin released the last creation of the Apostle, and then went to travel in Europe.
Researchers are still not sure of the route taken and cannot document some interesting facts and significant events. In particular, there is no unanimous opinion on the visit to Germany and meetings with the founder of Protestantism Martin Luther, the goals of the educational mission in Moscow remain as controversial.
It is known that from these countries of the East Slavic Protection expelled for heretical views, and his works published on the means of Catholics were publicly burned.
After that, Skorin was almost not engaged in typography and worked in Prague at the court of King Ferdinand I gardener or doctor.
Philosophy and Religion
In the prefaces and comments to the religious editions, Skorgin showed itself as a philosopher who adhered to the educational position of Western European humanist scientists. He matched for the formation of the people and called for the development of the diplomas and letters skills.
As a patriot of the Lithuanian Principality, Francis sincerely loved his homeland and believed that his views were obliged to share every decent person. Biblical texts contributed to the spread of the press point of view, taking care of the education of the personality, the organization of society and the establishment of a safe peaceful life on Earth.
There are no direct indications of the religion and religious affiliation of the village of Polotsk. The archives have preserved the paper, according to which Francis could belong to any of the existing denominations, was repeatedly called a Czech apostate and heretic.
Happing with works written in Catholic canons, Skorgin could be a follower of the Western European Christian Church, who considered himself the only carrier of truth on earth.
In favor of this, the translations of the "Proverbs about Tsar Solomon" and "songs", which were criticized and burned with Orthodox Moscow priests in the middle of the 1530s.
In addition, the relative of the printers John Chrysans, according to historical documents, was a zealous Catholic and an approximate Polotsky Archbishop. This gives the right to assume that all children of the genus Skorgin brought up in one faith and baptized on rites, which has long been established by Roman pontiffs.
However, there is an opinion that Francis completely could confess to Orthodoxy. This is said about this publication of 1522-1525, in which the characteristic features of the mentioned wing of the Christian teaching showed: East Slavic Saints Boris, Larion, Gleb and others, as well as the canonical 151st Psalms of the Slavic-Russian Holy Scripture.
In addition, scientists found that after the exam in Padua Skorina received a diploma in the University building, and not in the temple, like other Catholics graduates.
The third and most likely religion attributed to Skorne is considered to be Protestantism. In favor of this, relationships with reformers and the founder of Lutheranism, as well as the service of Königsberg Duke Albrecht Brandenburg Ansbakh, is also described.
Personal life
The archives have almost no papers relating to the personal life and family of Francis Skorne. From the short note it is clear that in the mid-1520s, the enlightener's wife became a merchant widow named Margarita.
In addition, information included in the hands of biographers, regarding the elder brother Ivan Skorne, who left the printed debt and claims of creditors after death.
This happened in 1529, when Francis lost his spouse and brought up a small son of Simeon alone. The consequences were catastrophic, since the unfortunate husband and father on the orders of the Lithuanian ruler were put in prison and only the concerns of the nephew Roman Skorne managed to achieve pardon, freedom and complete integrity from property and litigation.
Death
As most of the facts from the Life of Francis Skaryna, the exact date and cause of death are not known.
Scientists suggest that this happened in Prague in approximately 1551, since it was at this time the direct descendant of the printer arrived in this city for the entry into the rights of the inheritance by paternal property.
In memory of the achievements of Lekary, Printedry, a philosopher and enlightener in the capital of Belarus, Minsk installed a monument, renamed a dozen central streets, filmed a feature film with Oleg Yankovsky and released a coin in dignity of 1 ruble.
Memory
- Gymnasium named after Francis Skorne in Radoshkovichi
- Central Avenue named after Francis Skorne in Polotsk
- Tract named after Francis Skorina in Minsk
- Small planet №3283 "Francis Scarina"
- Feature film "I, Francis Cumorin ..."
- Monuments Francis Skorne in Polotsk, Minsk, Lida, Kaliningrad, Prague
- Coin USSR Dignity 1 Ruble in honor of the 500th anniversary of Francis Skorne
- Gomel State University named after Francis Skorne