LITERATURE

If the attempt to trace the ancient beginning of Bitola literary fund, we have to look for the deep historical roots as early as the time when Slavic literacy emerged, the Clement University and all those who later passed through it. When Slavic came to this region it did not take them long to realize that only by gaining of their own literature they can save themselves from assimilation. Simultaneously with the spread of Christianity, Slavic literature was born and started developing. The first works in Macedonian were mainly translations made by the Thesalonikki holy brothers Cyril and Methodius and their disciples for religious needs, that is, for spreading of Christianity. Their students, out of whom Clement of Ohrid was the most renowned author, wrote the first original literary works. The fact that his clerical and educational engagement reached these areas also, gives us the right to say that those spiritual flows came here as well. Some marks, primarily the language characteristics of later written monuments, which originated from Bitola region, support this assumption.

Among the first literary types written in Old Slavic are: hagiographies, biographies, apocrypha, middle-age novels and stories, letters of wisdom and praise etc. They were mostly fiction. Poetry was relatively less developed during this period, but still present: prayers, hymns, psalms, and other religious songs.

More concrete involvement of Bitola written heritage in the above mentioned processes could be traced in middle-age monastery literary centers, present in most of these regions. Basically, they bear the language marks of Ohrid literary school. Many monks, priests, abbots and other church dignitaries were involved in creation work. Prespa and Bitola region, especially from the end of 10th century, during the time of Samuil kingdom, and later as well, was an important crossroads through which various literary and spiritual tendencies, mostly from Sacred Wood, and other regions as well. Thematic preoccupations were different: from the basic needs in performing religious services, to more serious preoccupations in the field of history, philosophy, ethics, legal-literary issues, ethnos etc. Liturgical texts were characteristic for this region, which contain extracts of religious, but sacral literature as well. Out of liturgical books widely spread were: cannons, triodes, minei, octoichs etc. it is known, that especially during the Byzantine rule on this region (12th-13th century), then the period of Serbian state and Dushan’s kingdom (14th century), there was an immense activity in Bitola and its surroundings. Certain decline was evident during Ottoman rule (15th – 20th century), when many churches and monasteries were transformed into Islamic religious buildings thus diminishing the possibility of any wider literary activity.

But these was something more permanent in our long existence, hidden in the time layers of unforgetfullness, which, with all its dramatic meaning, remained to witness of one rich literary funs created in Bitola region. The fact that most of that valuable literary heritage was violently taken away in other countries, confirms its great value. We will focus only on part of the pearls of human spirit created by our people. They were written, kept as evidence of one time, regardless to where they are now or who wrote them. The name of Bitola is linked to many of them.

BITOLA PLATE. The oldest traces of Slavic literacy in our city can be found on Bitola plate. The difference from the other monuments the will be presented, this one was written on a marble plate, found in 1956 in Zhitni Pazar, during the construction of living blocks, in the remnants of Sungur Chaush-beg Mosque (Old Mosque). It is considered to originate from the end of 10th century or the beginning of the 11th century. According to professor Vladimir Moshin, Bitola plates dates from year 1017. As an epitaph it mainly speaks of the language almost one thousand years ago, as part of Old Slavic language used here in that time. It was written in a nice constitutional letter of an epigraph type, with paleographic marks of the letters, very similar to those on Samoil’s plate. At the same time these characteristics are very close to other renown scripts, such as: Suprasal collection, Hilendar Leaves, Slav Book, Enin Apostle etc. It is kept in the Bitola Museum today.

It should be pointed out that at one time Bitola Plate attracted the attention of scientific circles. This monument written in Cyrillic, is in fact a marble block which served as a step of the stairs in Old Mosque, which was previously used as a Christian temple, that is, a church. Its primary usage was to serve as an honorary monument, connected to the reconstruction of Bitola fortress by the tsar Jovan Vladislav.

BITOLA LEAVES. The script was found in Bitola and that is how it got its name. Actually, it is a fragment from as octoich, on two parchment leaves, whose location is unknown today. Its archaic letter is similar to Dobromir Cospel (13th century). The prototype was a Glagolic Macedonian writing. This written monument (210x45mm) is one of the oldest of middle age written heritage. The writing is constitutional and very neatly written. It is considered that Bitola Leaves originate from the end of 11th or 12th century.

BITOLA (KICHEVO) TRIODE. According to the information on it, the script was written by Georgi Gramatic from the Vapa village-Debar, slap village-Kichevo. It was written on a parchment in the second half of 12th century with constitutional letter, 100 l (275x195mm). The text is Cyrillic with embedded Glagolic expressions on 56 places. Together with the Byzantine hymn-graph are original three-songbook of Constantin Preslavski. It is interesting that it has many phonetic signs. All these and other literary marks speak that it bears the language characteristics of Ohrid Literary School. Bitola triode is located in the writing department of Bulgarian Academy of Science in Sofia, No. 38. What is especially important about triode texts is the fact that they contain original verses of our famous middle-age writers (Clement of Ohrid, Naum of Ohrid etc.). They are the most reliable proofs that the Glagolic tradition of Cyril and Methodius was present in these regions for a long time. Although Cyrillic mode was increasingly used, Glagolic writing was still practice here, even a few centuries after Clement.

SPECIAL FLOWERY TRIODE. Yet another valuable middle-age script from Bitola. It belongs to those written works of middle-age period of Ohrid Literary School. Written on a neat constitution with present old forms of graphic and certain remnants of phonetic notation. It possesses a striking archaic lexicography. It originates from the first third of 13th century and is located in HAZU Archive in Zagreb, No. 107. It contains 196 l. (190x267mm).

Bologna Psalter. Although written in village Ravne- Ohrid, Slavic put this script in the Bitola written heritage, due to the fact that it is considered that this Psalter had been used in Bitola. It originates from the first half of the 13th century (1230-1242). The monument has 264 parchment leaves (270x200mm). It has been kept in Bologna since the beginning of the 18th century.

BITOLA COLLECTION OCTOICH. Written with a nice constitutional Cyrillic letter, by embedding Glagolic letters among Cyrillic ones. It originates from the second half of the 13th century. It contains 203 parchment leaves (150x220mm). It is located in HAZU Archive in Zagreb, with catalogue mark III a 45-46.

Another important literary monument originating from Bitola is kept in HAZU Archive. It is “Sluzbenik”, notified under number III a 29. It dates from the 14th century, Serbian editor office, written on 11 parchment leaves.

A SPECIAL TRIODE FROM BITOLA. It originates from the first half of the 13th century. Its lingual marks point to the fact that it belongs to the Kratovo Literary School. This Triode was in Bitola for some time and was later taken to Bulgaria. It is written by two writers of small constitutional letter. It is known that Teodor Gramatik wrote the first part. Today it is located in the National Library “Ivan Vazov” in Plovdiv, under library mark 57/68. It contains 153 parchment leaves (300x200mm).

Long is the list of old valuable scripts which had bee taken from Bitola and its surroundings: The Slepche Triode and Slepche Apostle are in Sanct Petersburg; The Four-book Gospel, Minej for November, The Flowery Triode, The Minej for Marc and April as well as another 20 valuable scripts are in the University Library in Belgrade.

Many important antiquities are located in the National Library “St. Cyril and Methodius” in Sofia: Psalter where the village Obednik is mentioned. The Festival Minej which talks about village Srpci, whereas the Minej for September mentions the village Capari, Chasoslav from village Krklino and others.

Practically, in all the bigger libraries, museums, archives in Balkan and European centers whole or parts of these old scripts of Bitola region are located.

Only a small part of these scripts are kept in our country. The Bitola Museum houses: The Four-book Gospel from the second half of the 19th century, with 58 parchment leaves. Then, one Liturgical collection from 17th century which has 173l. (the leaves from 96-103 are from the 16th century). Certain number of scripts that refer to Bitola are kept in the National and University Library “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Skopje as well as other institutions and individuals.

Out of all that has been said it can be concluded that Bitola and its surroundings represented one of the most important spiritual regions with highly developed middle-age written activity. It was especially active after the epochal mission of the holy brothers St. Cyril and Methodius till the end of the 14th century, when this region feel under Ottoman rule. However, despite the hard conditions for spiritual development of the people, including literary activity, during the Ottoman rule, it never ceased to be created. Among the thick stone walls and the dark premises of Christian temples, under the weak light of the candles and the stuffy fire of pines, rich Bitola written heritage was born. It was ca process that continued for ten centuries.

The real development of literary creativity of our city, seen in the sense of contemporary word of art, started from the half of the last century. It is a time when romanticist ideas in Macedonian literature appeared, time full of turbulent historical events directed towards national affirmation and the wish for creating of our own culture. That time authors were at the same time passionate fighters and active participants in national movement, thus becoming spiritual leaders of their people. Bitola, as one of the most important cultural centers in that time, could not avoid be avoided by these events. Despite the immense political and religious propaganda, the strife for opening Macedonian schools, creating of our own language, collecting and publishing of folklore was strongly evident, thus marking the beginning of the creation process of artistic literature

During this period most of the renown Macedonian literati, textbook writers, collectors of folklore, linguists, writers were active: Jordan Hagi Konstantinov-Ginot, Dimitar Miladinov, Kuzman Shapkarev, later: Krste Petkov Misirkov, Vojdan Chernodrinski and others. The expectations that the first half of the 20th century would bring better conditions for the free literary word did not come true. However, between the two world wars in Bitola it never ceased to exist. Despite the restrictions from the authorities, literary associations in the Gymnasium, Trade Academy, Clerical College were especially active. Right before the beginning of the war, the first more serious literary steps had been made here by the famous Macedonian writers: Mite Bogoevski, Radoslav Petkovski, Vlado Malevski, Ivan Tochko, Vasil Iljoski i dr.

After the second world war when Macedonian state was founded Bitola had the richest literature life ever, Macedonian literature language and many other cultural and educational institutions, cultural and artistic associations, literary associations, clubs and associations which were nourished literary work. This was especially developed after the 60s of this century. Since then numerous forms of social organizing of Bitola’s authors and literature fans still have been active in the town: literary association “Stale Popov”, writers’ club, the magazine “Razvitok”, dispute about social attitudes and literature at Domot na kulturata, the festival Days of Children’s Songs “Vancho Nikoleski”, lot of literary groups etc. Today Bitola’s literary circle has many famous authors, as well as young talented authors, which permanently contribute to enrich the literary life in Bitola and wider in our country. We will mention some of them without pretensions of thoroughness and creating valorization: Konstantin Popovski, Lazo Karovski, Vladimir Kostov, Done Popovski, Cane Zdravkovski, Nikola Kochovski, Radovan P. Cvetkovski, Pande Manojlov, Jovan Bocevski, Svetozar Tasevski, Ljubomir Gruevski, Gorgi Prshov, Kire Nedelkovski, Ilija Merkovski, Todor Jovshevski, Zoran Pejkovski etc.

In this context we are talking about fifty active authors whose number is constantly increasing. They created a wider and various genre opus, in which they put Macedonian word with their unique recognizable quality, and elevated it to the artistic level which can be compared to literary environments which have longer literary tradition then ours.