ST. JEROME’S BIOGRAPHY OF APOSTLE JAMES THE LESS IN CROATIAN GLAGOLITIC BREVIARIES

Sa？etak The paper analyses the Biography of Apostle James the Less, which appears as the reading for 1st May in the sanctorale of eighteen Croatian Glagolitic breviaries from the period between the 14th and mid-16th century. By way of comparison to their Latin originals, it has been established that the Glagolitic texts are translations of the biography of Apostle James the Less from De viris illustribus (392) by St. Jerome (BHL 4087; PL 23, 639-643.). Breviary lessons differ in terms of the length of James’s biography text, whereas the integral text by Jerome, describing the apostle’s saintly character, James’s passion and his close relationship with Jesus, is to be found in the Croatian Glagolitic translation in eight breviaries: Vat6 Ber1 Hum Mosc N1 N2 Dab Ber2. A comparison of the breviaries reveals textological differences between the northern and southern group of breviaries. There are also differences among breviary translations within the same, so called southern or Zadar-Krbava group. Some misinterpretations are found in the Croatian Glagolitic translation and ambiguities arising in the translation are explained. It should be pointed out that the Croatian Glagolitic Biography of Apostle James the Less is an early Croatian translation of a passage from De viris illustribus, one of the most notable works by St. Jerome. The paper includes a Latin transliteration of St. James’s biography from the Sixth Vatican breviary from the mid-14th century, with a critical apparatus and variations from all other breviaries