Kirillova kniga. [The Book of Saint Kyrill, Archbishop of Jerusalem.] Moscow: Printing House, 1644. 2° (297 x 191mm). Signature and pagination in Slavonic alphabetic numerals: 15+8+561 pages, p.355/6 double numbered. With the final blank leaf but without the front blank and two other blanks. Woodcut headpieces and initials, some printed in red. (Soiled and dampstained throughtout, a few tears occasionally affecting text.) 17th-century Russian red straight-grained calf, sides with gilt and blind borders, lower cover with brass centre- and cornerpieces, metal shoes and brass catches, edges gauffered and gilt (lacks clasps). Provenance: Aleksandr Polusharov Litovskii (inscription at foot of fifth leaf) -- Riga Orthodox Seminary (library stamp).
Kirillova kniga. [The Book of Saint Kyrill, Archbishop of Jerusalem.] Moscow: Printing House, 1644. 2° (297 x 191mm). Signature and pagination in Slavonic alphabetic numerals: 15+8+561 pages, p.355/6 double numbered. With the final blank leaf but without the front blank and two other blanks. Woodcut headpieces and initials, some printed in red. (Soiled and dampstained throughtout, a few tears occasionally affecting text.) 17th-century Russian red straight-grained calf, sides with gilt and blind borders, lower cover with brass centre- and cornerpieces, metal shoes and brass catches, edges gauffered and gilt (lacks clasps). Provenance: Aleksandr Polusharov Litovskii (inscription at foot of fifth leaf) -- Riga Orthodox Seminary (library stamp).

Details
Kirillova kniga. [The Book of Saint Kyrill, Archbishop of Jerusalem.] Moscow: Printing House, 1644. 2° (297 x 191mm). Signature and pagination in Slavonic alphabetic numerals: 15+8+561 pages, p.355/6 double numbered. With the final blank leaf but without the front blank and two other blanks. Woodcut headpieces and initials, some printed in red. (Soiled and dampstained throughtout, a few tears occasionally affecting text.) 17th-century Russian red straight-grained calf, sides with gilt and blind borders, lower cover with brass centre- and cornerpieces, metal shoes and brass catches, edges gauffered and gilt (lacks clasps). Provenance: Aleksandr Polusharov Litovskii (inscription at foot of fifth leaf) -- Riga Orthodox Seminary (library stamp).

FIRST EDITION OF THIS INFLUENTIAL ORTHODOX THEOLOGICAL COMPILATION, printed with the authority of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. Some of the texts are strongly anti-Catholic and anti-Protestant. This included the Homily on the anti-Christ by Kyrill, comparing the anti-Christ with the Pope of Rome. It was widely read in Moscow and orthodox Russia, and reprinted in the 18th century. RARE: WorldCat locates no copies in the UK, and only microfilm in the USA. Pozdeeva 352; Sopikov 569; Zernova 169.

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