Художня інтерпретація образу ченця в паломницькому творі В. Григоровича‑Барського Мандри по святих місцях Сходу з 1723–1747 рр

Abstract

This paper investigates specific features of literary interpreting the monk image in the pilgrim work A Journey to the Holy Places of the East 1723–1747 by the Ukrainian writer V. Hryhorovych‑Barskyi. The author of the paper has identified the peculiarities of modelling the image of a God consecrated person in the literary work. It was stated that in the Serbian and Bulgarian monasteries on Mount Athos, the monks had a special way of organizing their lives: they did handicrafts and went fishing, worked in the field, carried out the trade of manufactured church things. It should be noted that during the period from 1726 to 1744 most of the Eastern Slavic monasteries became noticeably impoverished. The reason of such poverty was not only huge Turkish taxes, but also conflicts and disputes among the monks. All this caused the decline of the majority of Sviatohorsk monasteries. It is determined that the writer presented the images of the monks very objectively, avoiding the exaggeration of their actions and behaviour. The author tried to explain the reasons why there were not many virtuous monks in the monasteries on Mount Athos, who temporarily found the shelter in a certain monastery and then they left it. Such cases, unfortunately, took place within the walls of holy monasteries. The life of the monks in Mount Athos monasteries was marked by daily work and care for their monastery. Predominantly, the monastery brotherhood showed hospitality and respect for the traveler, they provided him the shelter and helped with adjusting to the monastery life. However, there were such monasteries in which the monks were suspicious and indifferent to the traveler.