Bishop Šimun
Kožičić-Benja and
The Glagolitic Printshop in Rijeka 1530-1531
" Simo. Begn. Episcopi Modrusiensien. Oratio i Sexta Lateran. Concilii Sessione. Quinto Kalen. Maias habita. M. D. XIII". Official paper under title."S. Begnius. Epus. Modrusien. Bernardinu. Frangepanibus Modrusiae etc. Comiti: Salutem.", which he dedicated to Bernardin Frankapan (1453-1529). On the other side of this publication one reads: " Oratio per S.Begnium Epum Modrusien in Sexta Sessione Lateran. Synodi habita". In his speech Begna talks about the need to renovate the Catholic Church and about the hard times in Croatia caused by the Turkish conquests.
In 1516, at the same Council and in the presence of the pope Leo X and his cardinals, Benja held a speech: " Si. Begnii Epi modrusien. de Coruatie desolatioe Oro ad Leonem X Pont. max. Nouebris habita. M.D.XVI." The third page of this document notes: "Si. Begnii. Episciop Modrusiensis de Coruatiae desolatione Orato". In this speech that begins "... In animis vestris excidisse..." Benja recounts the history of the Frankapan family and its merits in the struggle against the Turks, he also gives a running commentary on the situation in Croatia and appeals for aid, which otherwise came in inadequately. During that whole time Benja was in the diplomatic service of the Hungarian king and he often resided in his native Zadar, since residence in the Modruš bishopric was very insecure. After the increase of Turkish threats he soon leaves Modruš, goes to Novi Vinodol, and thereafter in 1529 to "unyielding" Rijeka, out of harm's way under the shelter of the direct authority of the Habsburgs, on the territory of other bishopric (of Pula), in the proximity of the Frankapan estates (Trsat, Grobnik, Bakar, Kraljevica, Hreljin, Drivenik). Rijeka was at the time a city that had not experienced Turkish assaults, but did have a taste of conquests by the "Most Serene Republic of St. Marco" in 1508, and again in 1509 and 1511. It was then that the Habsburgs comprehended the full seriousness of the situation, realizing the importance of this port and city and finding their own long-term interests, thus they earnestly helped the city, putting it and its economy into order. In 1530 the city is given a remade and updated and mainly and basically confirmed old (Croatian) Town Statute of Rijeka and powerfull town captains among whom one of the most reputable, during Kozičić's stay in Rijeka (1529-1531), was Nikola Jurišić (Senj 1450 - Kőszeg 1545), prior to that post he was the captain of Senj and the Senj Captaincy, later to become a hero in the defense of Kőszeg in Hungary. Probably in 1529, after the death of Bernardin Frankapan, the feudal patron and protektor of the Modruš or Krbava bishoprics, Nikola Jurišić who was then the captain of Rijeka, a native of Senj and of the Glagolitic tradition, supported the refuged bishop Šimun Kozičić Benja of Modruš or Krbava who was also for a certain time the administrator of the bishopric of Senj and its activities: defending the Croatian national existence, the territory and European society founded on Christian universalism and togetherness. Rijeka in those times was an environment in which the Glagolitic script participated in public life without discrimination. Although the urban statute of 1530 was written in the Latin language, the universal script of globalized Europe, the Glagolitic was also the script of the city's public notaries (Guerin = Kvirin Tihić-Tranquilus), the city government, Rijeka's body of canons, as well as of the capitular schools in the Croatian (Chakavian) language intended for the town's children, but also for newcomers like Primož Trubar, the founder of Slovenian literature and promoter of reformation, who according to oral tradition attended the school in Rijeka from 1520-1521. It was here that the refugee-bishop continued his work which he probably already bega n in the region of Zadar together with the circle of Glagolitic priests in the Croatian translation of the Bible. We know that in 1530 Benja resided in Venice for the purpose of organizing activities in the printshop and publishing books, and in that same year on the 17th October he returned to Rijeka where, by the end of the year and with the help of the experienced handicraftsmen in the newly founded printshop, Dominic and Bartholomew of Brescia, he most probably from previously prepared texts printed six books in Croatian Old Slavonic and Croatian in Glagolitic script. He thereby made the city of Rijeka a Croatian cultural metropolis as well as one of the centers of early European printing industry.
Thus the "printshop in Rijeka in the residential home of the honorable father M(on)signore Šimun Bishop of Modruš" published a series of six books that we know of today:
Psaltir ( Psalter - a Glagolitic
primer, an alphabet)
This work (14 cm, 8 leaves, paper) only bears Benja's colophon, without
naming the place and date of printing. It may be assumed that it was most
probably printed either as a trial print before 15th December 1530 prior
to the arrival of the printing works to Rijeka or in Rijeka upon commencement
or conclusion of the work of the printshop in 1531. The only preserved
copy is kept in Saint Petersburg (The Russian National Library). In 1976
"Kršćanska sadašnjost" published a facsimile edition.
Oficii rimski (The Roman Office). Rijeka, 1530.
godine
This is a prayer book for private devotions (15 cm, 119 leaves, red-black
print in a single column), and its full title reads:
The Roman Office
Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Examined and edited by the honorable
Monsignore Šimun, Bishop of
Modruš and with other supplements
as follow.
In the colophon we read:
Printed in Rijeka in the house of
residence of the abovementioned monsignore
Šimuna bishop of Modruš
with Dominic and Bartolomew of Brescia
during the rule of
His Illustrious Highness Ferdinand
King of the Romans, Hungarians and Czechs
In the year of Christian Salvation
č. f. j (= 1530)
Day d.i. (= 15) December month
God be praised
Only 5 copies have been preserved, and these are in: Zagreb (National
and University Library, Library Metropolitana), Saint Petersburg (Russian
National Library - 2 copies), and in Weimar (The Provincial Library).
Misal hruacki (Croatian Missal). Rijeka
1531.
This edition (21 cm, 256 leaves, black-red print in double columns) is
a masterpiece of Benja's printshop. It is decorated with numerous xylographic
initials in semi-Gothic and engravings in wood among which the Annunciation
and the Crucifixion are outstanding for their size and quality. The language
of the edition is Croatian Old Slavonic, substantially Croatianized, and
the title reads:
Croatian Missal is composed according to the Roman custom
and manner: with everything that Latin missals have Many unreadable places
have been repaired Many others retranslated and supplemented so as to
be brought in line with the way the Missal is spoken: in the praise of
God and for the enlightenment of the Croatian language Learn parts of
it by heart Ye who read so as to Understand the Word of God: Glory and
Honor to Him forever.
The following is written in the colophon:
So ends the Croatian Missal from word to word
Examined, corrected and rewritten by the reverend believer in Jesus Christ,
father Monsignore Šimun Kožičić of Zadar and Bishop of Modruš: printed
in Rijeka in the house of his own residence: Work was done thanks to masters
Dominic and Bartholomew printers of Brescia .During the reign of His Illustrious
Highness Ferdinand King of the Romans, Hungarians and Czechs on this Day
· i · · (= 28). Month of April: in the year of Our Lord č f j a. (= 1531.)
14 copies have been preserved and can be found
in: Zagreb (National and University Library, Library of Croatian Academy
of Art and Sciences, Library Metropolitana), Dubrovnik (Library of Science),
Punat on the island of Krk (Parochial Office), London (British Library),
Ljubljana (National and University Library), Moscow (National Historical
Museum), Odessa (Library of Science Gorki), Oxford (The Bodleiana Library),
Rome (Central National Library), Saint Petersburg (Russian National Library),
Vatican (Vatican Library) and Wroclaw (University Library).
Knižice krsta (Book of the Cross),
Rijeka 1531.
This is a small ritual manual (15 cm, from the colophon: 24 leaves, black-red
print). On the frontispiece one reads:
Book of the Cross: blessing of the ring Communion;
anointing of the sick; the last absolution; burial of the young and old:
according to the Roman custom: interpreted by the honorable father Monsignor
Šimun Bishop of Modruš : to the glory and honor of God Almighty
The colophon gives the data on the completion of printing:
Printed in Rijeka in the residential home of the Honorable father Šimun, Bishop of Modruš: During the administration of the respectful Master Mikula Jurišić Captain of Rijeka and vicinity. On the Day b · (=2.) month of May: the year of Our Lord č · f · j · a · (= 1531.) God be praised
Only 2 original copies are extant: Paris (National
Library Nazarine) and Saint Petersburg (Russian National Library). The
united publishers: Cankarjeva založba of Ljubljana and Staroslavenski
zavod "Svetozar Ritig" of Zagreb published a remake and translation
of the book in 1984.
Knižice od žitija rimskih arhierjeov i cesarov (Book on the Lives of Roman Popes and Emperors), Rijeka 1531 . This is the first historiographical work written and printed in Croatian Old Slavonic and its full title reads:
by ŠIMUN KOŽIČIĆ OF ZADAR Bishop of Modruš about the lives of Roman Popes and Emperors: since Peter and Julius: To the present-day Clement the Seventh and Charles the Fifth: In the year of our Lord č · f · j · a · (=1531.)
This book (22 cm, 120 leaves, single column, of a single color, black) is a translation and compilation of various histories of the life of emperors and popes (Platina: Liber de vita Christi et omnium pontificum) but also with the inclusion of original texts by Kožičić along with plenty of information especially on Muhammad, Islam and the Turkish Empire as a topical, new and very agressive world power, whose impacts were at that time felt throughout Europe, including Bishop Kozičić. This is at the same time the first history of the Ottoman Empire in Croatia. The work is dedicated to Thomas Niger, the Bishop of Trogir and ends with the following colophon:
Printed in Rijeka in the residential home of monsignor
Šimun, Bishop of Modruš: during the reign of His Illustrious Highness
Ferdinand, King of the Romans, Hungarians, Czechs and others.At the time
of the administration of the respected Master Mikula Juruišić, Captain
of Rijeka on the day of · i · d · (=25.) May: in the year of Our Lord
· č · f · j · a · (=1531.)
Only 7 original copies have been preserved and are extant in: Zagreb (Library of Croatian Academy of Art and Sciences), Zadar (Capitular Archive), Vienna (Austrian National Library), London (British Library), Odessa (Library of Science Gorki), Vatican (Vatican Library) and Wroclaw (The University Library).
Od bitija redovničkoga knjižice (Booklets on the
Essence of Monastic Life), Rijeka 1531.
For a long time this publication was unknown. Its full title reads:
Šimun Kožičić of Zadar Bishop of Modruš, a book about the Character of Monastic Order
This is a manual (15 cm, 11 leaves on paper, single-colored - black - print) that discusses how a priest should be, what virtues and obstacles, in other words what conditions he needs to fulfill in order to be able to be ordained for priesthood. It is most probably a compilation of regulations and traditions of the Holy Fathers, which was certainly translated by Kožičić himself. At the same time, it is the last edition of the Rijeka Printshop. From the colophon we learn that it is:
Printed in Rijeka in the residential home Of the
honorable father Monsignor Šimun, Bishop of Modruš: during the administration
of the respected Master Mikula Jurišić Captain of Rijeka and vicinity.
On the day · i · ž · (=27.) month of May: In the year of Our Lord · č
· f · j · a · (=1531.) God be praised
Only one original copy has been preserved and is in Saint Petersburg (The Russian National Library).
In 1532, according to certain documents, Kozičić was residing in his native Zadar, where he died in 1536. godine. He was buried in the Franciscan church of Saint Jerome on the island of Ugljan, where his brother Ivan Donat erected a tombstone with an epitaph that still stands today. As regards the destiny of the "Benja" printshop there are no extant documents, and if there were, they were probably taken away to Italy by the printer masters Dominic and Bartholomew of Brescia.
Thanks to his publishing and printing activities, Kožičić turned the city of Rijeka into a spiritual metropolis of the Croatian 16th century Glagolitic, presented the city of Rijeka as a developed cultural environment: a center of early European printing and publishing. Kozičić, besides liturgical books printed the first world history in the Croatian language, especially the first history of the Ottoman Empire, an empire that we for centuries have a significant impact on the development of Croatian and European history and forming of the Croatian national identity. The books printed in Kožičić's printing house and scattered throughout Europe are to be found in the best-known and leading European libraries where they are kept among the greatest values of European heritage and are proof of their globally high cultural level. A small number has been preserved in Croatia, and Rijeka, unfortunately, does not possess a single original copy. This however does not minimize the significance of this city in which the stream of Europe's civilized, cultural and economic strivings permeated the texture of the clear and clean cultural singularity of the Croatian people, which have by guarding that singularity throughout history preserved their identity: first and foremost by means of the written and printed book. Thereby it also enriches the European community to which it permanently belongs spiritually and culturally, aware that it thereby belongs to the great community of the world: the ecumenical richness of diversity and values that are the foundation of the future of all nations and of the entire world.
Šimun Kožičić Benja, a learned Latinist, reputable prelate of the Catholic church, a man of European culture and globalized ecumenism was at the same time a member of the Glagolitic Croatian microcosm which he carried within his soul together with his maternal Latin culture, the Venetian tradition of the Contarini family. His character and achievements are a lasting constant sublimate of the Croatian spiritual and cultural being of the past and present: the cultivation of singularity, permeation, and the interconnecting of different cultures, civilizational influences and living in togetherness as a basic prerequisite for a better and happier future.
Juraj Lokmer
(Translated by S. Drenovac)
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