Orthodox Book Day at Altai State University
Every year Tamara I. Zlobina, a senior lecturer at the Department of Russian as Foreign Language and Oriental Linguistics, finds unique early printed and facsimile editions and brings them to the university in order to show them to everyone, who is willing to learn new facts about the history of printing and book traditions of Ancient Russia.
This year Tamara I. Zlobina organized a lecture for foreign students of the Faculty of Mass Communication, Philology and Political Science. They showed genuine interest in this chapter of Russian history, especially that they got an opportunity not only to listen to the lecture, but also see and touch rare books that were printed over 100 years ago.
Incredibly beautiful bindings made of leather, pressboard or metal, straps, locks, paper with watermarks made an impression on Chinese students. They were examining these objects with great pleasure while listening to the lecturer.
Foreign students reviewed several such amazing ancient books as the Great Menaion Reader and the Book of Psalms, but, of course, the Apostle was in the focus of attention.
“Today we have come together to get acquainted with the first Russian printed publication, which is named the Apostle. I hold an edition, which was published in more recent times, in 1898. It is over 110 years old. It was used for the church service,” said Tamara I. Zlobina during her lecture.
Further, the foreign students learned how to distinguish an original ancient book from a fake one. The main differentiating feature of original books is unusual paper made of fabric according to the special technology. Moreover, students used their phones to examine the book pages with the light and see watermarks in the form of the coat of arms denoting a place, where the book was published.
After the lecture the students continued learning about Russian orthodox traditions. Thus, Altai State University invited the choir of Barnaul Religious Seminary. At the end of the event, students watched a movie about Ivan Fyodorov.
