Catalog number: FPL07NE

Philatelic Commemorative Sheet - Nitra Evangelistary

Philatelic Commemorative Sheet Slovakia 2007 - Nitra Evangelistary

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Philatelic Commemorative Sheet Slovakia 2007 - Nitra Evangelistary
Author: Doc. akad. mal. Martin Činovský ArtD., Pavol Choma
Issue number: 025 PaL 407/07
Date of issue: 22.09.2007

Specification:
© Slovak Post, a.s., 2007 The Nitra Evangelistary was considered the oldest preserved book made in Slovakia, before the year 1083. It is a liturgical book containing excerpts from the Gospels, read during Sundays and holidays of the church year. Of the original 54 parchment folios measuring 285x195 mm, 50 have been preserved. The folios are bound and inserted into thick wooden boards, covered with dark red velvet. In the 14th to 15th century, a deep silver-gilt relief was attached to the front board, which is also depicted on the presented postage stamp. The relief depicts the crucifixion of Christ with figures of the Virgin Mary and St. John standing on pedestals. The cross in the lower part is followed by a (now) empty reliquary in the shape of a double-armed cross, which is older, probably of Byzantine origin. The edges of the relief are decorated with ornamentation, in the corners are four-leaf clovers with enamel and filigree decoration. The decoration further includes symbols of the evangelist Matthew (man), Mark (lion), and Luke (bull), the symbol of John (eagle) has not been preserved. The origin of the evangelistary's template probably comes from northern France (Lorraine). Its creation in the Benedictine convent in Hronský Svätý Beňadik was placed before the year 1083, as its list of saints lacks Saints Stephen, Imrich, and Gerard, who were canonized precisely in the year 1083. The evangelistary was supposed to have reached Nitra during the bishopric of Juraj Selepčéni (1648 to 1666) and was used on ceremonial occasions. According to the results of the latest research by Jaroslav Nemeš, the creation of the evangelistary is assumed to be in the thirties of the 12th century in the Benedictine convent in Burtscheid (now a district of Aachen). In the 14th century, it allegedly came into the possession of the Cistercian monastery in Pilis by purchase and reached Nitra most likely during the bishopric of František Forgáč (1596 to 1607). Prof. PhDr. Richard Marsina, DrSc.

source: pofis.sk