Translated by Christopher Culver
Robert Auty, in his Handbook of Old Church Slavonic: Part II, Texts and Glossary (London: The Athlone Press, 1960), writes:
The Codex Suprasliensis (Supr.), a Cyrillic manuscript of which 285 ff. are extant, was discovered in a monastery at Supraśl near Białystok by M.K. Bobrovskij in 1838–9. The finder sent the manuscript to Kopitar to be coped; ff. 1–118 were still in the latter’s possession at his death and were sent to Ljubljana where they are now preserved in the University Library. The remainder (with the exception of the first 16 ff. which are now in the Saltykov-Ščedrin Museum in Leningrad) found its way to Warsaw, where it was preserved until 1939 in the Biblioteka Zamoyskich. During the Second World War it disappeared and its present whereabouts are unknown. This longest of the preserved OCS manuscripts contains a menology for the month of March, comprising twenty-four lives of saints or other sacred legends, twenty-three homilies, and a prayer ... The first edition of Supr., made by Miklosich in 1851, has been superseded by that of S. Sever’janov, Супрасльская рукопись, St. Petersburg, 1904 (photographically reprinted in two volumes at Graz in 1956). A glossary to this manuscript was made by K.H. Meyer: Altkirchenslavisch-griechisches Wörterbuch des Codex Suprasliensis, Glückstadt and Hamburg, 1935; see also Alfons Marguliés, Der altkirchenslavische Codex Suprasliensis, Heidelberg, 1927.
Along with Suprasliensis, the other major East Bulgarian manuscript is Savviga Kniga. Auty says of the language of these manuscripts:
The characteristic feature of this group is the retention of ŭ (cf. Modern Bulgarian). ĭ is retained unvocalized in Savv. Kn., but Supr. shows a strong tendency to vocalize it as e. dz is absent from both manuscripts; and while Savv. Kn. still has a number of asigmatic aorists beside the more frequent secondary sigmatic ones (idochŭ), Supr. shows no examples of the former type; and neither manuscript has any example of the primary sigmatic aorist except the conventionalized rěchŭ.
The edition of the original presented here is that given by Auty, taken from Sever’janov’s edition, pp. 11915–1245. I typed the original with some haste; it is included here for interested readers, but should not yet be seen as a reliable text.
мѣсѧца марта въ а҃ї· житиѥ григора папы рѹмъска’го Блаженыи григории· поставьѥнъ быстъ патриархъ· ст҃ѣи бж҃ии цръкви римьстѣи· а прѣжде патриаршъства· цръноризъцъ бѣ въ манастыри· ст҃ааго апостола аньдреа· нарицаѥмааго клиоскаѵра· близъ ст҃ѹю мѫченикоѹ· їѡана и паѵла· бѣаше же игѹменъ того манастырѣ· мати же ѥго блаженая силвия· живѣаше близъ вратъ ст҃ааго паѵла апостола· на мѣстѣ нарицаѥмѣѣмъ кела нова· Тъ же блажены григории· ѥг’да сѣдѣаше въ хызинѣ своѥи· и писааше· приде къ н҄емѹ маломоштъ· молѧ и и глагол҄ѧ· помилѹи мѧ рабе б҃а вышьняго· яко старѣишина вѣхъ кораб’никомъ· и истопихомъ сѧ и погѹбихомъ много имѣниѥ· и своѥ и стѹжде· любоништии же и по истинѣ рабъ христосовъ· призъвавъ слѹгѫ своѥго глагола ѥмѹ· брате шедъ дажде семѹ ѕ҃ златицъ· братъ же шедъ сътвори якоже повелѣ ѥмѹ рабъ божии григоии· и дастъ маломошти ѕ҃ златицъ· и отиде· пакы ѹбо мало прѣмѹдивъ въ тъ жде день· приде тъ жде маломоштъ къ блаженѹѹмѹ григорѹ глагол҄ѧ помилѹи мѧ рабе б҃а вышьняаго яко много погѹбихъ· а мало ми ѥси далъ· Блаженыи же приз’вавъ слѹгѫ своѥго глагола ѥмѹ· иди брате даждъ ѥмѹ дрѹгѫѫ ѕ҃ златицъ· сътвори же братъ тако· вьзьмъ же ништии б҃и златицъ отиде· пакы же мало помѹдивъ третиѥ въ тъ жде дьнь приде къ блаженѹѹмѹ григорию глагол҄ѧ· помилѹи мѧ раве бога вышьня’го· даждъ ми дрѹгоѥ благословьѥниѥ яко много погѹбихъ· Блаженыи же призъвавъ слѹгѫ своѥго глагола ѥмѹ· иди даждъ ѥмѹ дрѹгѫѭ ѕ҃ златицъ· отъвѣштавъ же глагола· вѣрѫ ми ими чьстънъи отьце яко нѣстъ остала ни ѥдина златица въ ризьници· глагола к н҄емѹ блаженъи· не имаши ли иного никакоже съсѫда· ни ли ризъна даси ѥмѹ· онъ же отъвѣштавъ рече· иного съсѫда чьстъныи отьце не имамъ· развѣ сьребрънааго блюда· иже ѥ посълала госпожда великая съ кѹциѭ· глагола къ н҄емѹ рабъ бж҃ии григории· иди брате даждь ѥмѹ блюдъ тъ· братъ же сътвори якоже повелѣ ѥмѹ блаженый· и дастъ ништѹѹмѹ· ништии же въземъ в҃і златицъ и сьребрьныи блюдъ отиде· ѥгда же и поставишѧ патриарха ст҃ѣи црькви римьстѣи· по обычаю патриаршъскѹ· повелѣ сак҄еларѹ своѥмѹ въ ѥдинъ дьнь· ѥдноѭ привести в҃ї маломошти· на трепезѫ своѭ да обѣдѹѭтъ сь нимъ· сакеларии же сътвори якоже повеѣ ѥмѹ патриархъ· и призъва в҃і мѫжь ништъ· и ѥгда сѣдошѧ съ патриархомъ· на трепезѣ обрѣтошѧ сѧ г҃ї· призъвавъ же сакелара глагола ѥмѹ· не бѣхъ ли ти реклъ в҃ї позъвати· то како без моѥго повелѣния три на десѧте ѥси позъвалъ· сак҄еларь же слышавъ· и пристрашенъ бывъ· отъвѣштакъ рече к н҄емѹ· вѣрѹи ми чьстънъи владыко· дъва на десѧте ихъ ѥстъ· третияго на десѧте не видѣаше ник’тоже· развѣ патриархъ ѥдинъ· обѣдѹѭштемъ же имъ· видѣаше патриархъ третияго на десѧте сѣдѧшта на краи стола· и се лице ѥго образы измѣняше· овогда ѹбо видѣти и бѣаше сѣда· овогда же отрока· и ѥгда же въсташѧ съ трепезы· ины вьсѧ отъпѹсти блаженыи· а третияго на десѧте· видимааго тако чѹдъна· ѧ и за рѫкѫ· и вьбеды и вь клѣть своѭ глагола ѥмѹ· заклинаѭ тѧ о велицѣи силѣ вьседръжителя бога· повѣждь ми к’то ты ѥси; и что ѥстъ имѧ твоѥ· онъ же рече к немѹ· и ѥже въпрашаѥши имене моѥго· то и то чѹдъно ѥстъ· обаче азъ ѥсмъ ѹбогыи· пришедыи к тебѣ ѥгда бѣ въ манастыри ст҃ааго аньдреа апостола· нарицаѥмааго клиоскаръ· ѥгда сѣдѣаше въ хызинѣ и писааше· ѥмѹже да дъва на десѧте златицъ· и съребръныи блюдъ иже ти бѣ посълала съ кѹциѭ блаженая сиавиа мати твоя· и да ѹвѣси яко отъ дьне того отънелиже пода ми съ длъготръпѣниѥмъ· и простомъ срьдьцемъ· нарече тѧ г҃ъ патриархѹ быти· свѧтѣи црькви своѥи· за нѫже и крьвь своѭ пролия· и быти ти прѣимьникѹ· и намѣстьникѹ връховьняго апостола петра· глагола же к н҄емѹ блаженыи григории· како вѣси ты яко тъгда нарече г҃ь быти мьнѣ патриархѹ· онъ же отъвѣштавъ рече· не ѥльма ли агг҄елъ г҃а вьседръжителя ѥсмъ азъ· то того ради вѣдѣ· и тогда бо господь мѧ бѣ посълалъ к тебѣ· искѹсити ѹсрьдиѥ твоѥ· аште ѹбо чловѣколюбьнѣ· а не чловѣкомъ твориши видѣти милость своѭ· Блаженыи же то слышавъ ѹбоя сѧ· не ѹбо бѣаше дотолѣ бидѣлъ агг҄ела· акы къ чловѣкѹ бо бесѣдова и вьзира на нь· рече же агг҄елъ къ блаженѹѹмѹ· не бои сѧ· се посълалъ мѧ ѥстъ г҃ь да бѫдѫ съ тобоѭ въ житии семъ· блаженыи же слышавъ то отъ агг҄ела паде ницъ на земи· и поклони сѧ господѹ гл҃ѧ· аште малааго того ради даана и ничесоже сѫшта· толико множьство штедротъ показа о мьнѣ прѣмилостивыи г҃ь· якоже агг҄ела своѥго посълати къ мьнѣ· быти ѥмѹ съ мноѭ въинѫ· какоѧ ѹбо славы съподобѧтъ сѧ прѣбываѭштии въ заповѣдехъ ѥго· и дѣлаѭште правдѫ· без лъжѧ бо ѥстъ рекыи· яко милость хвалитъ сѧ на сѫдѣ· и милѹѧи ништа въ заѥмъ даѥтъ богѹ· тъ же самъ агг҄ельскыи господь· строѧи чловѣчьскоѥ съпасениѥ· глагол҄етъ къ о деснѫѭ стоѧштиими· грѧдѣтъ благословьѥнии отьца моѥго· приимѣте ѹготованоѥ вамъ цѣсарьство· отъ начѧла мирѹ· ал’ченъ бо бѣхъ и дасте ми ясте· жѧдънъ бѣхъ и напоисте мѧ· страненъ бѣхъ и наведосте мѧ· болѣхъ и присѣтисте мене· нагъ бѣхъ и облѣкосте мѧ· въ темьници и придосте къ мьнѣ· ѥльма ѹбо сътвористе ѥдномѹ отъ братиѧ сеѧ моѧ хѹдыѧ· то мьнѣ сътвористе· бѫди же вьсѣмъ намъ почитаѭштиимъ же и послѹшаѭштиимъ· ѹслышати блаженыи тъ гласъ· и вѣчьныихъ благынь· ѧже ѹготова богъ любѧштиимъ и· да ны съприимникы сътворитъ х҃с б҃гъ· прѣчистыѧ ради матере ѥго ст҃ыѧ богородицѧ· яко томѹ подобаатъ слава честь и покланяниѥ· ныня и присно и вь вѣкы вѣкомъ· амин ⁘
March 11: The life of Gregory, Pope of Rome.
Blessed Gregory, he was appointed patriarch of the holy Church of God in Rome. Before the patriarchate, he was a monk in the Monastery of the St Andrew the Apostle, called Cloeoscaure (Gr. Κλοιοσκαύρη) near the Church of the Holy Martyrs John and Paul, for he was the abbot of this monastery. His mother was the blessed Silvia. She lived near the gates of St Paul the Apostle, in the place called Cella Nova (Gr. Κελλανόβα).
So, blessed Gregory was sitting in his cell, and he was
writing. A poor man came to him, begging and saying, Have
mercy on me, a slave of God the Most High. For I was a
captain with my sailors, and we were ship-wrecked, and we
lost many goods, both our own and those of others.
A
friend to the poor and truly a slave of Christ, he called
his assistant saying to him, Brother, give this man six
gold coins.
And the brother did so, because Gregory, the
slave of God ordered him, and he gave the poor man six gold
coins, and he went away.
Now, the next day the poor man lingered still and again
went to blessed Gregory saying, Have mercy on me a slave
of God the Most-High because I have lost much, but you have
given me little.
The blessed man called his servant
saying to him, Go, brother, and give this man another six
gold coins.
The brother did so. So the poor man took
twelve gold coins and went away.
The next day, the man lingered again for the third time,
and he went to blessed Gregory saying, Have mercy on me, a
slave of God the Most-High, give me more blessings because I
have lost a lot.
The blessed man called his servant
saying to him, Go and give this man another six gold
coins.
He answered saying, Believe me, venerable
father, we have nothing left in the treasury, not even one
gold coin.
The blessed man said to him, Don’t you
have something else, a vessel, or a garment to give to
him?
He answered saying, We have no other vessel,
venerable father, except for a silver plate, which the great
lady sent with the boiled wheat.
Gregory, the slave of
God, said to him, Go, brother, and give him the
plate.
The brother did as the blessed man commanded, and
he gave it to the poor man, who left having taken twelve
gold coins and the silver plate.
When he was appointed patriarch of the holy Church in
Rome, one day according to patriarchal tradition he ordered
his treasurer to bring twelve poor men to his table to dine
with him. The treasurer did as the patriarch ordered and he
invited twelve men. When they were seated with the
patriarch, there turned out to be thirteen. He called the
treasurer and said to him, Didn’t I tell you to invite
twelve men? Why then have you invited thirteen without my
command?
Hearing this the treasurer grew very afraid, and he
answered saying, Believe me, your eminence, I brought
twelve men.
He didn’t see any thirteenth among those
dining, except for the one patriarch. The patriarch saw a
thirteenth person dining at the end of the table, and the
appearance of his face had changed, for before he had seemed
a grey-bearded man, and now he was a youth. And when they
rose from the table, the blessed man sent them away, but as
for the thirteenth, who seemed strange to him, he took him
by the hand, and he led him to his chamber, saying to him,
I adjure you by the great power of God Almighty, tell me,
who are you, and what is your name?
He said to him, You ask me what my name is, so even
that is unknown to you. I am the poor man who came to you
when you were at the monastery of St Andrew the Apostle
called Cloeoscaure, when you were sitting in your cell and
writing. You gave me twelve gold coins and the silver plate
which was sent to you with boiled wheat from your blessed
mother Silvia. Know that because of that day when you
provided for me with your long-suffering and humble heart,
the Lord has called you to be patriarch of his Holy Church,
for which he shed his blood, and to be a successor and
representative of Peter, the greatest apostle.
Blessed Gregory said to him, How do you know that the
Lord called me then to be patriarch?
He answered, Is
it not because I am an angel of God Almighty? That is why I
know. For at that time the Lord sent me to you to test your
zeal and if you were generous. But it was not a man that you
showed mercy to.
Hearing this the blessed man grew afraid, for until then
he had not seen that it was an angel, but had spoken to him
as if to a man, and he cried out at him. The angel said to
him, Do not be afraid. Look, the Lord has sent me to be
with you for the rest of your life.
Hearing this, the blessed man fell to the ground
prostrating himself to the Lord saying, If on account of
so little, nothing really, the supremely merciful Lord has
shown such an abundance of mercy upon me — for he has
sent me his angel to be with me always — then what
glory comes to one who keeps within his commandments and
acts justly!
He spoke without falsehood, for mercy glorifies the Judge
and having pity on a poor man gives an offering to God. The
angelic Lord himself, having prepared the salvation of the
human race, will say to those standing at his right
hand. Come to the blessings of my Father, receive the
kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world,
for I was hungry and you gave me to eat, thirsty and you
gave me to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, ill
and you visited me, I was naked and you clothed me, in
prison and you came to me. Just as you have done to the most
wretched of your brothers, so you have done to me.
Let
all of us honourable and obedient men hear that blessed
voice. And of the eternal blessings, which God has prepared
for those who love him, let Christ our God make us
communicants, by his most pure mother the holy Theotokos,
for unto him is due glory, honour, and worship, now and ever
and unto ages of ages. Amen.
прѣбышѧ же въ тѫ ноштъ веселѧште сѧ· о наказании господьн҄и· ѹтрѹ же бывъшѹ· въ тъ дьнь повелѣ извести ѧ ис темницѧ· и привести· и ставъше прѣдъ пакостьникы рѣшѧ· ѥже хоштете творите· яви же сѧ дияволъ о деснѫѭ дръжѧ мечь· о лѣвѫѭ же змии· глаголааше же къ ѹхѹ агриколаѵ· мои ѥси подвизаи сѧ· повелѣ же воѥвода· съвзавъше за въѭ вести вьсѧ вь кѹпѣ къ ѥзерѹ· ѥстъ бо вь себастиї езера имы водѫ многѫ· въ то же вѣрмѧ ѥг’да с҃тыѧ мѫчаахѫ· бѣаше стѹдень велика· въведъше же ѧ нагы поставишѧ по срѣдѣ езера· бѣаше же и въздѹхъ стѹденъ· и часъ бридъкъ· къ веречѹ бо бѣаше дьни· приставишѧ же имъ стражѧ воины· и капикларя· въс краи же бѣаше ѥзера бан҄ѣ· раждежена· да аште к’то хоштетъ пристѫпити и їзбѣгнѫти· прибѣжитъ къ бан҄и· въ часъ же пръвыи ношти· съкѣлштаахъ сѧ отъ стѹдени с҃тии· и тѣло имъ распадааше сѧ· ѥдинъ же отъ числа м҃ отъпадъ прибѣже къ бан҄и· и прикоснѫвъ сѧ къ топлотѣ· абиѥ растаа сѧ· и тако отъдастъ д҃шѫ своѭ· с҃тиї же отъпадъше рѣшѧ· яко изъ ѥдинѣхъ ѹстъ гласомъ велиѥмъ· ѥда вь рѣкахъ прогнѣваѥши сѧ г҃и· ли вь рѣкахъ ярость твоя· или въ мори ѹстръмьѥниѥ твоѥ· иже бо отълѫчивъ сѧ отъ насъ акы вода разлия сѧ· и разидошѧ сѧ вьсѧ кости ѥго· мы же не отъстѫпимъ отъ тебе доньждеже оживиши насъ·
During that night they rejoiced that they suffered for
the sake of the Lord. When morning came, it was ordered that
they should be brought out of the prison that day. They were
brought out, and they stood before the tyrant saying, Do
what you will.
At Agricola’s right hand a demon holding a sword
appeared, and at his left hand a serpent saying into his
ear, You are mine, so act!
The voievod then ordered
all of them to be bound by the neck and led out into a
lake.
In Sebaste there is a lake of many waters, and at the time that the saints were martyred there was great cold. They were led out naked and made to stand in the middle of the lake. The air was cold, and the day was turning towards the freezing time of evening.
Soldiers were sent to watch over them, and two kapiklari. All around the lake there were baths were heated so that whoever wished to give up and run over could go into the baths.
At the first hour of the night the saints were huddled together because of the cold and their bodies were losing strength. One of them ran off and fled into a bath. He had hardly touched the warm water when he melted away and gave up his spirit.
The saints bowed down and said as if with one great
voice, Have you shown your anger upon the waters, Lord,
or your fury, or your wrath upon the seas? The man who left
us has flowed away like water and all his bones have been
strewn apart. We shall not leave you as long as you let us
live.