The Lithuanian Postilla from 1573 - A Critical Edition

The first known Lithuanian sermon book is the manuscript of the Lithuanian evangelical postilla from 1573 which is also called the "Postilla of Wolfenbüttel": Ischguldimas evangeliu per wisus mettus (Exposition of the Gospels through all the year). The only copy is preserved in the Duke August Library in Wolfenbüttel.

This sermon book is one of the largest coherent Lithuanian sixteenth-century texts and one of the most precious documents of the Lithuanian language generally. The Postilla consists of 299 folio pages including 72 sermons for Sundays and religious holidays. It has two parts: 29 sermons for the cycle Advent-Easter, 41 sermon for the cycle Easter-Advent and 2 additional sermons. Sermons are translated from more than ten different Latin sermon books. In 31 cases, the names of the authors of the original texts are indicated.

The aim of this project is to prepare a critical edition including a diplomatic transcription, an extensive apparatus criticus and explanatory comments.