Summary
The first Croatian-Glagolian primer of 1527
Facsimile reprint with transliteration and afterword by academician Josip Bratulić
The Croatian-Glagolian primer of 1527 is a lavish edition: it was printed on six sheets (11 printed pages). The entire book is richly illustrated with woodcuts: 20 woodcuts open new sections in the book, and on the ninth page there are pictures of the twelve apostles.
The content of the first Croatian Glagolitic initials is similar to the Latin initials of the time. After the pious invocation, the Glagolitic letters are lined up in the usual order. The language of Početnica is the traditional Old Slavonic language of the Croatian editorial board, except for the prayers on the last pages, which were prayed in a more popular language because the reason for them is different: they are prayers with a meal, that is, prayers of personal piety.
Our reprint of the first Croatian Glagolitic Pocetnica, in parallel with the transliteration of the text, unites two wishes and two efforts: that the reading of the Glagolitic script not only does not die out among our pupils and students, but that it spreads among the lovers of our written culture, i.e. among all those who hold this precious antiquity close to their hearts. This letter followed us throughout history, and became a witness of national ups and downs and doubts, it kept the scars of tragic moments, but the hours of rapture, when vistas of the future opened up...
From the foreword by academician Josip Bratulic
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