The Library of the Eparchy of Slavonia ( sr-Cyrl, Библиотека Епархије славонске, ), also known as the Pakrac's Library ( sr-Cyrl, Пакрачка библиотека, ) and abbreviated as PEP, is a cultural and historical institution of the

Eparchy of Slavonia Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Slavonia ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна епархија славонска, ) is an eparchy (diocese) of the Serbian Orthodox Church encompassing areas of western and central Slavonia, Croatia. Since ...

with a history of approximately 250 years. It is recognized as one of the most significant

Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...

libraries alongside those at the

Hilandar Monastery The Hilandar Monastery (, , , ) is one of the twenty Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos in Greece and the only Serbs, Serbian Serbian Orthodox Church, Orthodox monastery there. It was founded in 1198 by two Ser ...

and the Patriarchate of Belgrade. The library contains over 20,000 volumes. It is notable for its collection of early printed South Slavic books, making it the second-largest collection of its kind in the world. The oldest item in the library is a 1497 edition of

Vergil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: the ''Eclogues'' ...

’s works in Latin, acquired with support from the

Government of Republika Srpska Government of Republika Srpska ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, separator=" / ", Влада Републике Српске, Vlada Republika Srpske) is the executive authority of Republika Srpska, along with the President of Republika Srpska. The Prime Minister is ...

History

The library was established by orthodox bishop

Kiril Živković Kiril Živković also spelled Kiril Zhivkovich (, sr-cyr, Кирил Живковић; 1730 – 1807) was a writer and Orthodox bishop. Biography Živković was a Bulgarian-born writer and Serbian Orthodox bishop. According to himself, he was ...

and is today one of the oldest Serb cultural institutions in Croatia. During the

Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence) and (rarely) "War in Krajina" ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рат у Крајини, Rat u Krajini) are used. was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croats, Croat forces loyal to the Governmen ...

in 1990s in

SAO Western Slavonia The Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Western Slavonia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Srpska autonomna oblast Zapadna Slavonija, Српска аутономна област Западна Славонија) was a Serbian self-proclaimed Serb Autonomous Region ( ...

the library was at risk of destruction by Croatian forces. The library was relocated twice in that period, with significant portions of its collection saved by Croatian officer Ivan Hiti from

Varaždin Varaždin ( or ; , also known by #Name, alternative names) is a city in Northern Croatia, north-east of Zagreb. The total population is 46,946, with 38,839 in the city settlement itself (2011). The city is best known for its baroque buildings, ...

. He transported the collection to the

National and University Library in Zagreb National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK) (, NSK; formerly , NSB) is the national library of Croatia and central library of the University of Zagreb. The Library was established in 1607. Its primary mission is the development and preservat ...

. For this act, Hiti was awarded the Order of Saint Constantine by the Serbian Patriarch in 2013. The library's collection, which includes many books and manuscripts, is now protected by the state due to its historical significance. After the end of the war library is undergoing a transformation to become a specialized academic institution and research centre. Unlike a traditional lending library, it will primarily serve as a repository for research, focusing on providing access to its collections for scholarly study. In 2023 the

University of Banja Luka The University of Banja Luka (, , , ) is the second-oldest university in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A public university, it is the flagship institution of higher education in Republika Srpska, one of two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of th ...

and the Eparchy of Slavonia have established a partnership to advance research related to the library's collections. This collaboration is expected to enhance academic access to and utilization of the library's resources.

References

External links

Official website
{{Serbian Orthodox Church in Croatia Libraries in Croatia History of the Serbian Orthodox Church History of the Serbs of Croatia Church Slavonic literature Rare book libraries Libraries established in the 18th century 1770s establishments in the Habsburg monarchy Buildings and structures in Požega-Slavonia County Serbian minority institutions and organizations in Croatia

History

See also

References

External links