Stephen of Perm (Russian: Стефан Пермский, also spelled Stephan, Komi: Перымса Степан; 1340–1396)[2] was a fourteenth-century painter and missionary credited with the conversion of the Komi to Christianity and the establishment of the Bishopric of Perm'. Stephen also created the Old Permic script, which makes him the founding-father of Permian written tradition. "The Enlightener of Perm" or the "Apostle of the Permians", as he is sometimes called, is commemorated by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches on April 26.
Stephen was probably from the town of Ustiug.[3] According to a church tradition, his mother was a Komi woman and his father was a Russian man. Stephen took his monastic vows in Rostov, where he learned Greek and learned his trade as a copyist.[4] In 1376, he voyaged to lands along the Vychegda and Vym rivers, and it was then that he engaged in the conversion of the Zyriane (Komi peoples).[4] Rather than imposing the Latin or Church Slavonic on the indigenous pagan populace, as all the contemporary missionaries did, Stephen learnt their language and traditions and worked out a distinct writing system for their use, creating the second oldest writing system for a Uralic language. Although his destruction of pagan idols (e.g., holy birches) earned him the wrath of some Permians, Pimen, the Metropolitan of All Rus', created him as the first bishop of Perm'.[4]
The effect of the new bishopric and the conversion of the Vychegda Perm threatened the control that Novgorod had been enjoying over the region's tribute.[4] In 1385, the Archbishop of Novgorod Aleksei (r. 1359–1388) sent a Novgorodian army to oust the new establishment, but the new bishopric, with the help of the city of Ustiug, was able to defeat it.[4] In 1386, Stephan visited Novgorod, and the city and its archbishop formally acknowledged the new situation.[4] Subsequently, the region's tribute became the luxury of Moscow. These events had immense repercussions for the future of northern Russia, and formed but one part of a larger trend which saw more and more of the Finnic North and its precious pelts passing from the control of Novgorod to Moscow.[4]
The historian Serge A. Zenkovsky wrote that St. Stephen of Perm, along with Epiphanius the Wise, St. Sergius of Radonezh, and the great painter Andrei Rublev signified "the Russian spiritual and cultural revival of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century."[5] Indeed, Stephen's life encapsulates both the political and religious expansion of "Muscovite" Russia. Stephen's life was in fact commemorated in the writings of the aforementioned Epiphanius, who famously wrote the Panegyric to Saint Stephen of Perm, a text that praises Stephen for his evangelical activities, and styles him the "creator of Permian letters".[6]
Ferguson, Charles. 1971. St. Stefan of Perm and applied linguistics. (Originally published in 1967, in To Honor Roman Jakobson, ed. by Morris Halle, pp. 643–653. The Hague: Mouton. Also reprinted in 1968 Language Problems of Developing Nations, ed. by Joshua Fishman, Charles Ferguson, and J. Das Gupta, pp. 27–35. New York Wiley and Sons.) Language Structure and Language Use: Essays by Charles Ferguson, ed. by Answar S. Dil, pp. 197–218. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
Martin, Janet, Medieval Russia, 980-1584, (Cambridge, 1995), pp. 225–6
Zenkovsky, Serge A. (ed.), Medieval Russia's Epics, Chronicles, and Tales, Revised Edition, (New York, 1974), pp. 259–62
External links
Medieval "Life" of Saint Stephen (in Russian)
A chapter from "The Saints of Ancient Rus", by Georgy Fedotov (in Russian)
Life of Saint Stephen, with illustrations (in Russian)
December 30, 2022
stephen, perm, russian, Стефан, Пермский, also, spelled, stephan, komi, Перымса, Степан, 1340, 1396, fourteenth, century, painter, missionary, credited, with, conversion, komi, christianity, establishment, bishopric, perm, stephen, also, created, permic, scrip. Stephen of Perm Russian Stefan Permskij also spelled Stephan Komi Perymsa Stepan 1340 1396 2 was a fourteenth century painter and missionary credited with the conversion of the Komi to Christianity and the establishment of the Bishopric of Perm Stephen also created the Old Permic script which makes him the founding father of Permian written tradition The Enlightener of Perm or the Apostle of the Permians as he is sometimes called is commemorated by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches on April 26 SaintStephen of PermSaint Stephen on his way to Moscow The Enlightener of Perm Bishop of PermBorn26 April 1340Veliky Ustyug RussiaDied26 April 1396Moscow RussiaVenerated inEastern Orthodox ChurchRoman Catholic Church 1 Canonized26 April 1754FeastApril 26 Contents 1 Life 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksLife Edit Zyrian Trinity by Stephen of Perm Stephen was probably from the town of Ustiug 3 According to a church tradition his mother was a Komi woman and his father was a Russian man Stephen took his monastic vows in Rostov where he learned Greek and learned his trade as a copyist 4 In 1376 he voyaged to lands along the Vychegda and Vym rivers and it was then that he engaged in the conversion of the Zyriane Komi peoples 4 Rather than imposing the Latin or Church Slavonic on the indigenous pagan populace as all the contemporary missionaries did Stephen learnt their language and traditions and worked out a distinct writing system for their use creating the second oldest writing system for a Uralic language Although his destruction of pagan idols e g holy birches earned him the wrath of some Permians Pimen the Metropolitan of All Rus created him as the first bishop of Perm 4 The effect of the new bishopric and the conversion of the Vychegda Perm threatened the control that Novgorod had been enjoying over the region s tribute 4 In 1385 the Archbishop of Novgorod Aleksei r 1359 1388 sent a Novgorodian army to oust the new establishment but the new bishopric with the help of the city of Ustiug was able to defeat it 4 In 1386 Stephan visited Novgorod and the city and its archbishop formally acknowledged the new situation 4 Subsequently the region s tribute became the luxury of Moscow These events had immense repercussions for the future of northern Russia and formed but one part of a larger trend which saw more and more of the Finnic North and its precious pelts passing from the control of Novgorod to Moscow 4 The historian Serge A Zenkovsky wrote that St Stephen of Perm along with Epiphanius the Wise St Sergius of Radonezh and the great painter Andrei Rublev signified the Russian spiritual and cultural revival of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century 5 Indeed Stephen s life encapsulates both the political and religious expansion of Muscovite Russia Stephen s life was in fact commemorated in the writings of the aforementioned Epiphanius who famously wrote the Panegyric to Saint Stephen of Perm a text that praises Stephen for his evangelical activities and styles him the creator of Permian letters 6 Notes Edit Martyrologium Romanum 2004 Janet Martin Medieval Russia 980 1584 Cambridge 1995 p 225 op cit p 226 a b c d e f g loc cit Serge A Zenkovsky Medieval Russia s Epics Chronicles and Tales Revised Edition New York 1974 p 259 op cit p 261References EditFerguson Charles 1971 St Stefan of Perm and applied linguistics Originally published in 1967 in To Honor Roman Jakobson ed by Morris Halle pp 643 653 The Hague Mouton Also reprinted in 1968 Language Problems of Developing Nations ed by Joshua Fishman Charles Ferguson and J Das Gupta pp 27 35 New York Wiley and Sons Language Structure and Language Use Essays by Charles Ferguson ed by Answar S Dil pp 197 218 Stanford Stanford University Press Martin Janet Medieval Russia 980 1584 Cambridge 1995 pp 225 6 Zenkovsky Serge A ed Medieval Russia s Epics Chronicles and Tales Revised Edition New York 1974 pp 259 62External links EditMedieval Life of Saint Stephen in Russian A chapter from The Saints of Ancient Rus by Georgy Fedotov in Russian Life of Saint Stephen with illustrations in Russian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stephen of Perm amp oldid 1106484131, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
