THE PHILOSOPHICAL DOCTRINE OF FRANCISK SKORINA, THE FATHER OF THE RENAISSANCE IN BELARUS

Abstract

The famous first Belarusian book printer Francisk Skorina occupies an outstanding place among East Slavic enlighteners of the Renaissance. The article notes that he was brightly and widely talented. Along with book printing which became his main vocation, he achieved significant success in medicine, botany, astronomy, and painting. He spoke several languages and met with Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Luther. Between 1517 and 1519, he printed 23 illustrated books of the Bible in the Belarusians’ native language and “The Small Traveller’s Book” and “The Apostolos” later on. The mutual convergence between religious and transcendental and secular ideals and values is brought to the fore in Skorina’s works. His anthropocentric convictions were based on his confidence that any simple person, a commoner, who is neither wealthy nor noble, can exalt himself spiritually and morally through his own effort. His ethical doctrine urges us to be focused on real socially beneficial activity and service to the people and Fatherland. Skorina’s works organically unite truth, good and justice. All this ought to constitute the life credo of a person, be reinforced by, and reflected in, his good deeds and his striving for civil and social understanding. The leitmotif of Skorina’s multifaceted humanistic work was the understanding of his people as an integral community united by origin, native land, historical destiny, language, culture, Christian traditions, and common state borders and laws.