Descripti on of a priest through the centuries

The paper deals with K. Ullmann’s interpretation of St Gregory the Theologian’s (c. 330–390) conception of priesthood, presented in his monograph (1825). A fragment of this work underwent significant transformation when translated into Russian (1869). The article seeks to establish what meanings were conveyed unaltered, and what was considerably changed during the process of communication between the Greek and the German authors, and from the latter to the Russian translator. A comparison of these three texts is made using the methodology of Quentin Skinner. After examining the categorical apparatus of the 4th and 19th century texts with regard to their content, their outward connection (quotations and common themes) proves to be illusory, so that we can say that the hermeneutic of those who studied St Gregory’s texts was not entirely correct. With regard to the illocutionary act (i. e., the intention of the authors in a communicative situation) of these texts, we see an astonishing unanimity: they all aim not to inform the reader of the standards of priestly ministry, but to change the inner attitude of the reader towards it. Paradoxically, rather than interpret St Gregory the Theologian’s texts, 19th century authors reproduce his intention, which turned out to be important even for the functionalizing thought of modernity

Archaeology · Art · Historiography · Historical and Architectural Studies · Historical Studies on Spain · History · Libraries, Manuscripts, and Books