Day of Slavic Writing and Culture was celebrated in Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve

May 24, 2016

Festive events marking this date were held in the Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve.

People’s Artist of Russia M.N. Vasilieva conducted the lesson about the history and development of Slavic writing in Russia for pupils of the Kirillov School. Young visitors of the museum learnt about ancient writing systems such as wedge writing and talking knots, determined differences of ligatured script, cursive writing, uncial, and half-uncial, spoke about ancient writing materials, held clay tablets of the Sumerians in their hands and saw wooden and parchment books.

The children tried to write words in copperplate style together with M.N. Vasilieva. The People’s Artist of Russia gave cards to all participants of the event in which they could read their names written in Old Russian uncial.

Besides, museum visitors had an opportunity to see the rich “Book Heritage” of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery on the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture. The tour of the exhibition presenting the collection of museum books was conducted by A.V. Smirnova, head of the Archive and Manuscript Section. She told the guests about the process of writing Russian books, showed some unique items of manuscripts and printed books that were an integral and the most important part of the life of Russian people in the 15th-20th centuries.

The visitors were especially interested in the methods of ink manufacture described in the manuscripts that were kept in Kirillov. People used various materials to make ink: honey, cabbage soup, oak bark, galls.

The festive program was concluded with the concert “Song Chronicle of Russia”. Ensembles and soloists of Kirillov appeared on the scene of the conference hall: the folk ensemble “Northern Frescoes”, the ensemble “Fantasy”, the choir and pupils of the Children’s Art School, Alina Lebedeva, Yana Baldina, Dima Penyugalov, Svetlana Zavarina and Elena Antonova.

They performed songs and poems about love and faith, peace and friendship, and their native region on the museum stage that evening.

At the end of the concert, all musicians together with the audience sang the life-affirming song “I Love You, Life!”

The participants of the concert accepted congratulations and presents from their Chinese friends – the members of the choir “International” from Guangzhou.

It is worth reminding that the museum hosted the First Russian and Chinese Festival of Russian Song in June 2015. The musicians of Kirillov and China continue communicating thanks to the Internet because their hearts are united with great love for Russia and its songs.

The concert was recorded and would be sent to the friends of the People’s Republic of China.

Dear friends, museum events marking the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture are not over!

On May 27, we invite you to take part in the master-class “Secrets of Slavic Writing” at 18:20.  

Venue: People’s House (3 Preobrazhensky Street)

It will be given by S.V. Bunin, employee of the Museum of Dionisy’s Frescoes

A ticket costs 20 rubles.