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Vukan’s Gospel was written around 1200 or, more precisely, in the years between 1196 and 1202, presumably – in a cell or cells near the Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael in Ras. Serval monks took part in the transcription, perhaps under the supervision of Simeon the Elder, who made a note at the end of the manuscript.
Based on the opinon of the majority of the scientific community today, it seems that the commissioner of the manuscriptwas the Grand Prince Stefan, later called the First – Crowned, son – in – law of the Grek ( Buyantine ) emperor Alexios, who would later be crowned the first Serbian king in 1217.
Stefan’s older brother, Vukan, conquered Ras in 1202. There is the possibility that Simeon the Elder then scraped and erased pieces of the parchment at the end of the manuscript where Stefan was mentioned and wrote Vukan’s name there.
Like Miroslav’s Gospel, Vukan’s Gospel is in fact an Evangeliary – a holy book that contains the texts of all four Evangelists. The beginnings of their Gospels are arranged according to the daily readings in the church. The readings start from Easter, with the first chapter of the Gospel according to John: Искони бе Слово и Слово бе от Бога и Бог бе Слово, that is, in today’s translation:
In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Accordingly, for the monks, the Evangeliaries symbolized the Body of Christ. Like Miroslav’s Gospel, Vukan’s Gospel has readings for all days of the week (complete aprakos).
Thus, the correct name of the manuscript would be Vukan’s Evangeliary or Evangeliary of Stefan Nemanjić, but the name Vukan’s Gospel has taken root in science, so this edition also appears under this name.
The phototype edition of Vukan’s Gospel is conceived as a venture that is constantly being perfected. We hope that it will make things easier for researchers of medieval Serbian Orthodox literature and art. Our wish for the future is to get studies of visual ornaments, a translation and pronunciation of the complete text, to deepen the existing knowledge of history…
This venture is open and anyone willing to join it will be welcomed with an open heart.
Welcome and God bless you.
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