Domsa Károlyné, Fekete Gézáné, Kovács Mária (szerk.): Gondolatok a könyvtárban / Thoughts in the Library (A MTAK közleményei 30. Budapest, 1992)

KÖNYVTÁR ÉS HAGYOMÁNY – LIBRARY AND TRADITION

G. Strempel and Studies of the monkpriest German. No book seems to have been printed in 1712. All these scholars might rely on local Georgian sources and come close to reality since in the afterword of the Missal, Mihail Sjitefanovici speaks about other books printed in Georgia but mentions no book of his having been printed in 1712. He could not do that since Mihail Stefanovici leaves Georgia during the spring of 1712 for Moscow, having recommendation letters from Hrisant Notara. Then, he left Moscow to specialize in graphic arts in Holland, being swallowed by space and time, leaving no trace. Antim writes in a letter dated April 6th, 1713, addressed to Hrisant, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, about the printing press to be installed in Constantinople: "... Since one year, our apprentice, Mihail, left Iviria, and has been very slow on his way to the capital [i.e. Moscow, a.n.]. Still, thank God and Thy holy prayers, that he arrived in good health. From there he went on to Holland to improve his science; we hardly know how long he will remain in those places...". From the same printing press he had put together and entrusted later on - as it seems - to his apprentices, a lot of books would come out (among which the 1st edition of the famous The Valliant in Tiger's Skin by Shota Rustaveli). All continued until 1722 when the Turks seem to have forbidden any more books to be printed in Georgia. In a few words this is the story of the beginnings of Georgian printing art and of the contributions of Romanian masters to the progress of culture in Georgia. At that time, Wallachia was able to support such activities and generously did so. 102 Thoughts in the library "