RELIGIOUS ELEMENTS IN THE CHARTERS OF KOSA？A FAMILY SENT TO DUBROVNIK

Sa？etak Author analyzes religious expressions within the Cyrillic charters of Kosa？a family members that were sent to Dubrovnik in the period between 1407 and 1487. Moreover, author compares these expressions and diplomatic formulas with the correspondent formulas from the Latin charters issued by the rulers and noblemen of Bosnia and Hum. Namely, the analyzed charters of the Kosa？a family contain the same biblical and theological topics as in the diplomatic formulas of the analyzed Latin charters. The only difference is within diplomatic formula of greeting (salutatio). The most obvious similarities are diplomatic formulas of devotio, which is in both cases part of the superscription (intitulatio), placed right after the invocation (invocatio), and expressed mostly with the words Dei gratia, i.e. ？Bo？jom milo？？u“ (with the grace of God). The arenga is not common formula in the analyzed charters neither Cyrillic nor Latin ones. Moreover, in both types of analyzed charters formula of subscription (subscriptio) sometimes is used instead the superscription. Scribes who wrote these charters mostly were not clerics, and the date of the charter in both cases is given at the end of the document. Still, these two types of analyzed charters differ greatly regarding the invocation. Namely, in the Cyrillic charters of the Kosa？a family the invocation formula is always present, while the analyzed Latin charters usually do not have this formula. The invocation is often inscribed with the simple sign of the cross, and the most common verbal invocation begins with appeal to three Divine Persons. Still, in the analyzed charters author could not trace examples of the invocation that begins with appeal to Jesus Christ. Moreover, it seems that scribes of the Kosa？a family charters gave significant attention to the formulas and expressions of the sanction (sanctio), and regarding these formulae the oaths of the Kosa？a family members are especially interesting. Namely, they often solemnly swear on Cross, Gospel, four evangelists, twelve apostles, 318 fathers of Nicea, as well as upon their own souls, and Blessed Virgin Mary. Besides that, Kosa？a’s charters often include, so called, spiritual sanctions related to condemnation to Hell, absence of the God’s grace on the Judgment day, fate of Judas Iscariot, absence of angels on the Judgment day, condemnation of the Church fathers, and condemnation of all the saints. Moreover, these charters of the Kosa？a family addressed to Dubrovnik do not contain date determined according to any specific feast day, while contemporary Latin