APOKRIFNA PASIJA IVANA APOSTOLA (PASSIO IOHANNIS APOSTOLI) U HRVATSKOGLAGOLJSKOM 1. NOVLJANSKOM BREVIJARU (1459)

Apocryphal and hagiographic works about the life and work of Christ’s youngest apostle, John, appeared very early on. The 2nd-century Greek Acts of John (Acta Iohannis) were the basis of many later adaptations and compilations in oriental languages and Latin, which, in turn, had a significant influence on the development and tradition of Johannine hagiography in Western Europe. Descriptions of the apostle’s life, martyrdom and death became part of the liturgical texts, including breviary lessons for his feast day. The temporal section of many Croatian Glagolitic breviaries from the 14th to the middle of the 16th century contain the text of the Passion of John the Apostle (Passio Iohannis apostoli), which is to be read on 27 December. The integral version of the Passion of John in the First Breviary of Novi Vinodolski (1459) contains six extensive readings, with textual parallels in Latin apocrypha about John the Apostle (Passio Iohannis BHL 4320, 4321; Virtutes Iohannis, BHL 4316). A textological analysis shows that the passion corresponds to Croatian Glagolitic breviaries of the southern, Zadar-Krbava group. The Passion of John the Apostle in the First Breviary of Novi Vinodolski holds a unique position among apocryphal apostolic texts of the Croatian Glagolitic tradition.