Προσκυνητάριον τῶν ἱερών τόπων ὁποὺ ἑυρίσκονται εἰς τὴν Ἁγίαν Πόλιν Ἱερουσαλήμ — Venice 1679

Προσκυνητάριον τῶν ἱερών τόπων ὁποὺ ἑυρίσκονται εἰς τὴν Ἁγίαν Πόλιν Ἱερουσαλήμ, Ἐκδοθὲν παρὰ Ἀρσενίου Ἱερομονάχου, και Ἱεροκήρυκος Καλλούδη τοῦ Κρητός. Πρὸς τὸν Ἐκλαμπρότατον Πρίγγιπα και Ἀφθέντην Μολδοβλαχίας. — Ἐνετίησι. Παρὰ Νικολάῳ τῷ Γλυκεῖ, τῷ ἐξ Ἰωαννίνων. αχοθ. 

[Venice, Glykys, 1679].

8vo (151 x 103 mm). (7) leaves, 199 pp. 15 woodcuts, 3 of which are full-page. Modern boards. First edition, second issue. Very rare.

Papadopoulos, Ελλενικη Βιβλιογραφια, 2996.

Veloudis, Glikis, p. 94, no. 35 (refers to the copy of the Bibl. Marciana, but its online catalogue does not show a copy.).

Legrand II no. 548, refers to the copy of the Library of the Greek Parliament, signature ΣΒΕ 1679 ΠΡO. As ours this copy has also (7) leaves, 199 pp. Legrand gives 8 ff., 199 pp., without seeing the copy: „Communication de Gabriel Sophocle“. In our copy leaf ✠3 follows the title-page as in the Greek Parliament’s copy. 

The 1679 edition is a close reprint of the 1661 first edition (Venice, Andrea Giuliani). The collation of 1661 edition is also 7 leaves, 199 pp.; this and the fact that the two known copies of the 1679 edition (Library of the Greek Parliament, Staatsbibliothek Bamberg) have 7 leaves as preliminaries indicate that nothing is lacking in our copy of this pilgrim guide to Jersualem.

¶ „Proskynetaria were travel guides especially designed for the Orthodox Christian pilgrims. The included descriptions of the shrines to be encountered en route, sometimes accompanied by lists of the relics therein contained and other relevant information … Unlike their manuscript predecessors, printed proskynetaria were usually not produce on site, but in the distant centres of Greek diaspora, such as Venice and Vienna … While they lacked the colourful illustrations of their early Palestinian counterparts, printed proskynetaria usually contained lengthier descriptions of the sites, sometimes in, or accompanied by rhymed verse … They developed and fourished at a time of internal stability and increased mobility in the Ottoman empire. These centuries saw a revival of pilgrimage practices, but also saw  the struggle for survival of many Orthodox monastic foundations oppressed, as they were, by the increased taxations imposed by the Porte. Proskynetaria developed as a reflection of and a response to both phenomena. Regardless of their origins, geographical focus, and form, these works were popular pilgrim commodities and … they were preceived as useful and reliable sources of information … Thes proskynetaria all share a similar narrative pattern and style. The text usually opens with an invitation to its ‚blessed Christian‘ audience to ‚listen‘ to the voice of the narrator. This is followed by a parapgraph on the history and significance of Jerusalem, which is, in turn, followed by the descriptions of its various shrines, starting with the Holy Sepulchre and the miracle of the Holy Fire. The narratives then expands to the shrines outside of the walls of Jerusalem and ends up encompassing remote villages, monasteries and monuments scatteres across Palestine … Proskynetaria’s navigational function is reflected on their small format, which facilitated transportation, as well on their generally poor state of conservation. Proskynetaria told pilgrims what to look for and venerate … they could also function as powerful mnemonic devices … memorization would have been enabled by the proskynetarion’s serial narrative … As guides, pilgrimage proxies, and ‚relics‘ of holy places, proskynetaria played a part in the spiritual life of Orthodox faithful … “ (Veronica della Dora, Travelling objects and topographies of salvation. In: Icons of Space. Advances in Hierotopy. London 2021, pp. 281-304.)