Archivo: BorisIMichaelBaptism

Description: Skyllitzes Matritensis, fol. 68v, detail. Miniature: The baptism of the Bulgarian khan Boris. Text from the Chronicle of John Skylitzes: "... Boris, being counted worthy of baptism, took the name of the emperor of the Romans, Michael, when he received holy baptism at the hands of the bishop who had been sent to him for that purpose. Something else happened which led the ruler to the right religion and confirmed him in it. He had an insatiable appetite for hunting and he wanted to satisfy it, not only out on the chase but also when he was relaxing at home – by looking at pictures of hunting scenes. Having just built himself a new house, he now engaged a painter, a Roman monk named Mehtodios. He told this monk to fill the dwelling with pictures but (as though he were under the guidance of devine inspiration) he did non specify in so many words which and what kind of wild animals were to portrayed. He told the monk to depict whatever he liked, so long as his scenes were sufficiently impressive to inspire consternation and terror in the beholder. Now the monk knew of nothing that was more awe-inspiring than the second coming of Christ, so that is what he painted there. When the project was finished, the ruler looked upon the choir of the righteous with their crowns at this side, then upon the cohort of sinners being punished over there. When the artist had explained to him what the scene portrayed, he immediately renounced his own religion, received instruction in the holy mysteries (as we said) from a godly bishop and was baptised in the middle of the night. ..." (Translated by John Wortley, in: John Skylitzes: A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811-1057: Translation and Notes, p. 91) References: Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum. Editio Princeps. Rec. Ioannes Thurn, p. 91, in: Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5 Series Berolinensis, 1973 Tsamakda V.: The illustrated chronicle of Ioannes Skylitzes in Madrid, p. 113-114 Божилов Ив.: Българите във Византийската империя, p. 171-172 Grabar A., Manoussacas M.: L'illustration du manuscript de Skylitzes de Madrid, p. 52 Божков А.: Миниатюри от Мадридския ръкопис на Йоан Скилица, p. 200
Title: BorisIMichaelBaptism
Credit: en:Madrid Skylitzes
Author: from the Middle Ages, unknown
Usage Terms: Public domain
License: Public domain
Attribution Required?: No