The article presents an Old Russian translation of the Epistle of Antiochian Patriarch Peter III to Archbishop of Grado on azymos. We offer the Old Russian text with Greek parallels. The Old Russian Text is supplied with apparatus based on 3 other manuscripts. The text is a translation of the second part of the polemic letter with some interpolations. The translation was made in the circle of the first Russian Metropolitans during the Pre-Mongol period.

The article is devoted to Letter to Publius, which has not been previously translated into Russian. This Letter belongs to the pen of the Syrian writer and saint of 4 century Ephrem the Syrian (Mar Aphrem of Nisibis) (c. 306–373). The «Letter to Publius» is a reflection on the subject of the Last Judgment, which awaits every person — a reflection that is replete with numerous images that are very often found in other genuine writings of St. Ephrem.

The dialogue «On the Resurrection» of Methodius of Olympus, written in the late III — early IV century in Ancient Greek, came to us in its original version only partly thanks to fragments preserved in the works of later authors. The full version of this work has been preserved in the Slavonic translation, the text of which remains unpublished until now. The description of the Slavonic manuscript tradition of this dialogue is preceded by a brief description of the history of the editions of the Slavonic texts, as well as the basic principles of critical edition proposed in 1929 by Antoine Meillet and André Vaillant. This article concludes with a description of the project for a new critical edition of the Slavonic and Greek texts of this dialogue.

The article is focused on the image of demon in visionary literature before the 12th c. In stories about souls temporarily transferred to the other world demon is the executor of torments of sinners. In visions of the afterlife before the 7th century the visionary is placed far away from the scene of execution; the silhouettes of torturers are not written out in detail. Beginning with the 7th c., demons seem to notice the visionary, and he encounters them face to face. Their actual appearances are described. Some details will be included in the later iconography. Demons are endowed with feverish activity, the ability to impersonate different animals, capricious character, the ability to experience emotions from unrestrained exultation to crying and rage, as well as to make appropriate sounds. In visionary tales narrated between the 7th and the 11th c. demonic apparitions and infestations in the earthly world mainly occured in a monastery or hermitage: evil spirits confronted the clergy and saints. Demons wield a hook, darts, bow and arrow, iron rods, red-hot maces, blacksmith’s devices, etc. Altercation with a demon sometimes takes the form of a dispute, where evil spirit’s opponent can be an angel, a saint or a visionary. Texts examined here represent a tradition in which the image of demon in all his guises — from the nameless black torturer to the hypocrite well versed in Scripture, from the ancient adversary of the Christian people to the instrument of God’s justice — has accumulated great potential. This potential was fully realized in visionary texts of the 12th century.

This article is an attempt to formulate some principles of reading the Songs of Songs that would take into account its genre and poetic features. Being a collection of lyric poetry, the Song of Songs works primarily with sound and has no plot. An important role in its composition plays the principle of diversity and contrast. A serious tone gives place to a humorous one, and vice versa. Female voices alternate with male ones; gender stereotypes in some cases retain their power, but in others are subverted. Sexual physiology, contrary to a widespread belief, is not in the foreground — much more important are emotions. This fact belies both “spiritual” and “carnal” readings. The Song of Songs involves an identification of the reader with the lyrical speaking voice and provokes subjective interpretations. These are legitimate as long as they do not pretend to be the only true ones. Three contexts help to understand Song of Songs: ancient cultural context, a narrower Old Testament context and the context of the lyrical tradition from antiquity to the present day.

The article approaches a little-known «Alternative Prologue» to Ben Sira. The «Alternative Prologue» is attested in one of the most important minuscules as a preface, it probably came from the «Synopsis» of Athanasius of Alexandria. Even though the «Alternative Prologue» influenced the history of first printed European Bibles it is neglected by the scholars remaining practically unknown. In this article, we offer a Russian translation supplying it with some historical and philological notes.

The Journal (formerly Bulletin of the International Organization) for Septuagint and Cognate Studies is the leading periodical in its field. Its issues allow us to trace the development of the science on the Septuagint in modern times, to comprehend what topics and problem fields were recognized as priorities, and how scientific plans were created, adjusted, and implemented. The first decade of publication of the Bulletin was a period of accumulation of scientific forces and information. Undoubtedly, the Bulletin turned out to be a suitable means of communication for specialists from different countries of the world, who thanks to it found themselves in a single information space. In addition, it gradually has been becoming to be a testing ground for new scientific ideas. The review traces the development of the main theoretical lines and content of the Bulletin.