Τα σημειώματα των εκκλησιαστικών βιβλίων Καστοριάς

Abstract

In many churches of Kastoria are saved until today old printed ecclesiastic books, the remains of a rich heritage of manuscripts and printed books, which were to be found there until the end of the last century, and which unfortunately diminish in number every year. In most of these books, in various parts, there are notes, written usually by the priests of the parish, wheie the book belonged at the time, but also written by other persons related to the church. These notes, which cover chronologically the last four centuries, present with a simple and spontaneous language historical evidence (ecclestiastic, demographic, social, educational etc.) useful to the study of the history of Kastoria and the hellenism in general.
In this work, the above mentioned notes are recorded methodically,
according to parish, church and book. At the same time there are noted the catalogues of the parishioners and some sheets of manuscript codices which were found, as well as the incisions and notes in ink, the ones that was possible to be read on the walls of the churches, and the inscriptions on portable utensils (chalices, candelabri etc., except the icons). Furthermore, taking the opportunity from relevant notes, it is considered the problem of the localization of the cathedral of Kastoria, before its present site, and the time of its transfer. There are also indicated unknown names of monasteries and churches of the town and is explained the way in which its parishes have taken their final names.