“THE SERMON OF THE COUNCIL OF HOLY FATHERS 318, WHO CAME TO NICEA AGAINST ARIUS THE HERETIC” IN THE OLD RUSSIAN LITERARY

The article is devoted to the “The Sermon of the Council of Holy Fathers 318, who came to Nicea against Arius the heretic”, which is popular in Russian literary criticism, but little known to researchers. It is traditionally considered a source for the “The Sermon of Memory of the Fathers of the Council of Nicea” by Cyril of Turov, and is examined in passing when studying the works of the Old Russian writer. In Russian written language, “The Sermon of the Council...” had two versions: a primary one and an extended one. The manuscripts are divided into two types: primary and the better-known secondary. Both were created in 15th century for calendar collection. An extended edition of “The Sermon of the Council...” appeared under the infl uence of the Sermon of Cyril of Turov. In the 17th century, a Russian scribe combined both texts in another new work. Usually only one of the two anti-Arian works is included in the manuscripts. The following tendency is traced: the Word of Cyril of Tours is included in the Solemnities, together with other rhetorical works of the writer. An extended version of “The Sermon of the Council...” is found mainly in Chrysostom collection, where there are no works by the Old Russian writer at all, or no “The Sermon of Memory of the Fathers of the Council of Nicea”.