The National Library of Belarus as part of celebrations to the Day of Written Language prepared a guest exhibition-presentation “The glorious land of glorious ancestors” held in Bychov from 31 August to 1 September.
On the first Sunday of September the Republic of Belarus traditionally celebrates the holiday of written language. Cultural and educational actions are held all over the country. This year Bykhov, the Belarusian town with a rich historical heritage, was chosen as a center of celebrations. On the occasion of the holiday the National Library of Belarus prepared a show-exhibition “The glorious land of glorious ancestors” devoted to ancient written monuments of Belarus – chronicles, old Belarusian history book and the celebrated town of Bykhov.
The book exposition includes over 50 editions: encyclopedias and academic editions, books with autographs of researchers of the Barkolabovo Chronicle, and also rare and valuable books from the library of the Bykhov Convent.
The first exhibition section Witnesses of distant epochs presents modern editions of the eminent Povest Vremennykh Let written by Nestor, the monk of Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The chronicle text which survived numerous editions is fixed in hand-written lists. Among them there are the oldest manuscripts Lavrentjevskaya (1377), Ipatjevskaya (15th century) and richly illustrated Radzivillovskaya (15th century).
Belarusian-Lithuanian chronicles marked a new stage in the history of Belarusian hand-written annals: Chronicle of Great Dukes of Lithuania, Chronicles of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Chronicle of Bykhovets, Mogilev Chronicle etc.
Events happened in the epoch of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and described by Belarusian chroniclers “created” the pages of modern editions about our historical heritage. The second exhibition section Grandeur of Bykhov lands is about this epoch in the fate of Bykhov, and also about outstanding historical figures whose life and activity were devoted to national and people’s interests.
The Borkolabovo Chronicle is one of the most prominent Belarusian hand-written chronicles of the 17th century. This year it became the symbol of the holiday of Belarusian written language and the center of the exposition. Its originality is the fact that this is the last work of Belarusian chronicles written in the Belarusian language.
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