Russian holidays as dating elements in chronicles (based on the materials of Novgorod chronicles)

Up till now, scientists have been arguing about the time and circumstancesof Russian Saints' canonization and about the status of Russian religious holidays (whether they have local or national veneration).Another contribution to the solution of this problem may be a research of the use of Russian holidays and commemorations in chroniclesas dating elements. It is widely accepted that Russian chronicle-makers used "mesyatseslov" (book of saints with the church calendar)as a calendar to date historical events. Chronicles give a practical example of using mesyatseslov, which was constantly enriched with thelists of Russian Saints and religious holidays during the 11-20th centuries. Due to the chronicles you can learn what Saints were most hallowed in Rus in different periods of time, when they became so widely known that their names weret used as dating elements. The aim ofthe presented research is revealing and analysing Russian commemorations used by chronicle-makers as dating elements. The material ofthe research is Novgorod chronicles having the most ancient and the most complete tradition. Novgorod chronicles use the following commemorations:Orthodox Prince St. Gleb - September, 5; the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God - October, 1; St. George's Day - November,26; the Death of St. Peter the Metropolitan of Moscow and all Rus - December, 21; the Translation of the Relics of Sts. Boris and Gleb- May, 2/July, 24; the Translation of the Venerable Relics of Our Holy Father, Nicholas, Wonderworker, from Myra to Bari - May,9; GrandPrince St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apls July,15; the Feast of the Most Merciful and the Most Holy Mother of God - August,1. During theresearch it was found out that the smallest number of Russian commemorations was preserved in the oldest chronicle list - the Sinodalni listof Novgorod first chronicle. There are only three commemorations there. The biggest number of references to Russian religious holidaysand Saints are found in the Komissionni list of Novgorod first chronicle - 10 references. In Sofia first chronicle Russian commemorationsact as dates seven times, in Novgorod fourth one - six. The most frequently used Russian holidays are the commemorations of the Boris andGleb period (years 6740, 6759, 6767, 6855/56). They appear three times in Novgorod first chronicle, twice - in Sofia first chronicle andonce in Novgorod fourth one. The mesyatseslov reference of the Sinodalni list of 1196/97 "on the George's Day, autumn, Prince Yaroslav",i.e. with the use of the name Yaroslav, confirms our hypothesis of using the church calendar (Prologues) while writing Novgorod chronicles.The use of the commemoration in honour of the Translation of the Relics of St. Nicolas ( May,9) as a dating element in the Komissionni listat the beginning of the 13th century (year 6712) in describing Tsargrad capturing shows us an example of an earlier use of this commemorationin comparison with mesyatseslovs and church calendars (Prologues). That means that some prayer books of the earlier period wherethis commemoration was mentioned were not preserved. The use of two Studite commemorations in the article in 6748/49 (The 630 Fathersof the Chalcedon Council and Grand Prince St. Vladimir, who christened Russia) proves our earlier hypothesis of prayer books use of theStudite Rule of the 12th century namely in Novgorod chronicles . In the article the author comes to a conclusion that it was by the end of the12th century when Russian Saints and holidays not only enlarged the lists of the Saints but also became firmly established and were used asdating elements in chronicles.

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