Movies-findings of the Presidential Library show wall inscriptions of the temples of Veliky Novgorod, letting deeper study of the nation’s history

A premiere of a documentary movie, directed by Tatyana Dyakonova and co-authored by corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, PhD in Philology Alexei Gippius, entitled “Wall inscriptions of St. George’s Cathedral of Yuriev Monastery” took place in the Presidential Library within the framework of the Day of Russian Cinema. Director General of the Novgorod State National Park and Museum Natalia Grigoriyeva has participated in the meeting.

“Our project with the Presidential Library lasts from 2012, — museum director said, anticipating the preview, — and I hope it will continue, because the theme of books production and writing culture in the Novgorod area is of great historical significance and can change our vision of the past. Many inscriptions demonstrate the high literacy of the Novgorod residents, acting as a chronicle source and allowing a deeper study of the national history.”

The movie “Wall inscriptions of St. George's Cathedral of Yuriev Monastery” — the second part of the 4-series documentary cycle about the murals in the temples of Veliky Novgorod — tells about the monastery located in a few kilometers from Veliky Novgorod. The majestic St. George's Cathedral - a monument of ancient Russian architecture of the 12th century — stands within its walls. Carried out inside this cathedral archaeological excavations have given a rich material for historians and philologists to study the Old Russian language and writing.

The main movie character — Alexei Gippius — tells about the inscriptions and drawings found on the walls of the staircase tower of the cathedral and about the annalistic texts: “We are near one of the most notable writing, — a researcher comments a graffiti scrawled on the plaster of the cathedral. — This is a four-line inscription made in the handwriting on the XII century. The first line produces a rather mysterious impression: “To ti tivoye.” Further the text becomes clearer: “Putilo, deacons, curved.” Putilo — curved deacon. And here is the entire phrase: “The deacon is curved, but can write, even being curved.” “But can write” — this is an exclamation phrase! The meaning of it is: Putilo — the deacon, who is blind in one eye, but, nevertheless, he knows how to write. And he admires the very fact of his ability to write. This is a breakthrough, not everyone can do this, but Putilo has gotten the best of reading and writing!”

Chronicle texts on the walls of St. George's Cathedral of the Yuriev (St. George's) Monastery have no parallels with the main Novgorod chronicle, since that chronicle was the lordly, i.e., episcopal. The Yuriev’s writing contains some additions to the text of the official Novgorod episcopal chronicle, made, apparently, precisely in the Yuriev (St. George's) Monastery, and gives us completely new information about the events of those years.

There is a restoration studio in the frame, where fragments of fresco plaster, found during excavations in 2014 in St. George's Cathedral of Yuriev (St. George's) Monastery, are collected. Only single letters remained on many small fragments of plaster. But the owing to perseverance of scientists and restorers over time makes the incredible, and a reading of ancient records becomes possible.

In her speech the film director of the Presidential Library Tatyana Dyakonova said about the special love for Novgorod and its ancient Russian treasures: “It's amazing when you come across not even with the history — with very thinking of our distant ancestors. How have they been thinking, what they assumed to be their place in the universe — we tried to find the answers to these questions in the filmmaking process.”

It stands to mention that within the framework of cooperation agreement concluded in 2012 between the Presidential Library and the Novgorod State National Park and Museum, the first released movie was the “Novgorod: 1150 years in the history of Russian statehood,” which was shown on the “Kultura” TV Channel. Then the cycles of the films about “Russian icon” in 4 parts, “Golden ambry” in 2 parts were produced. Highly appreciated not only by spectators, but also by specialists, the cycle of movies about “Saved frescoes”: “The Assumption Church of the Mother of God in Volotovo Field” in 2 parts, “Church of the Savior on Nereditsa” in 2 parts, “Church of the Savior on Kovalev.”

As a result of the work of the group of filmmakers of the Presidential Library and the specialists of the Novgorod State National Park and Museum, 16 films have been prepared, telling about the history of the Novgorod land and the unique exhibits of the Novgorod State Unified National Park and Museum. These also include the newly created four films from the “Wall inscriptions” series (Wall inscriptions of St. Sophia Cathedral of Veliky Novgorod,” Wall inscriptions of St. George's Cathedral of Yuriev Monastery,” “Wall inscriptions of the Church of Our Savior on Nereditsa,” “Wall inscriptions and graffiti drawings in the temples of Veliky Novgorod”). In the plans of the group of filmmakers of the Presidential Library is a work on the movie about “Nativity of the Virgin of the Anthony Monastery.”

All the films created jointly by the Novgorod State National Park and Museum and the Presidential Library were shown on local Novgorod television. They were highly appreciated by scientific reviewers and, which is even more valuable, are used in curriculum of Novgorod restoration center.