Ewangeliczna przypowieść o robotnikach w winnicy w literaturach starosłowiańskich (IX–XIII w.)

Abstract

This paper deals with the role and function of the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard in Old Slavonic literatures dedicated to the Christianization of the Slavs. It is possible to find analogous symbols, motifs and concepts subordinated to the ideological Christianization-missionary complex in Bulgaria (works written by Kliment of Ohrid, Theophylact of Ohrid), Kievan Rus’ (works of Nestor, Hilarion) and Serbia (works of Teodosije the Hilandarian, Domentijan). The works, where we can find references to the Evangelical Parable, depicted the evangelical activities of Cyril and Methodius and their cultural resonance (in Bulgaria), the baptism of Vladimir (in Kievan Rus’) and missionary activity of Simeon and Sava (in Serbia). The Christianization of the Slavs was interpreted in eschatological categories, because it happened in the seventh millennium (according to the Byzantine era) and at the “eleventh hour” according to the Evangelical Parable. Along with the end of the seventh millennium the end of the world was anticipated. The Parable was applied to the Slavs, who became the workers of the eleventh hour, though they came late, they were in no way inferior to the other Christians. According to the prophetic words of this text “the last shall be first”, the Slavs seemed to be a new God-chosen nation. We can observe an evolution of the Christianization-missionary ideological complex on the basis of the Evangelical Parable from the universal level in the literature dedicated to Cyril and Methodius to the local level in Old-Serbian and Old-Russian literature, because the same ideas were used there to show affirmation of the concrete nation.