Postil of Jonas Bretkūnas

Postilė (full title: Postilla, tatai esti trumpas ir prastas ischguldimas euangeliu) is a 1000-page postil (collection of sermons and Bible commentaries) written in the Lithuanian language by Jonas Bretkūnas in 1591. It was designed for the purposes of Protestant priests serving Lithuanian communities in East Prussia (territory sometimes known as Lithuania Minor). The book was used until the 18th century.[1] Postilė is one earliest works in Lithuanian that were not merely translations but also included original texts.[2] It contains much ethnographic data about everyday life of the common people.[2] About 30 copies of Postilė survive; 10 of them are kept in Lithuanian libraries and museums.[3]

Cover page of Postilė by Jonas Bretkūnas

References

1. "Johanas Jakobas Kvantas Karaliaučiuje XVIII a." Senoji Lietuvos literatūra. Senosios raštijos profiliai (in Lithuanian). 20: 81. 2005. ISBN 9955-698-10-1. ISSN 1822-3656.
2. Juozėnas, Kazys (2002-12-21). "Jono Bretkūno žvaigždė tebespindi". Voruta (in Lithuanian). 24 (522).
3. Aleknavičienė, Ona (2007). "Jono Bretkūno Postilės (1591) sklaidos istorija: egzemplioriai Krokuvoje" (PDF). Archivum Lithuanicum (in Lithuanian). 9: 57–58. ISSN 1392-737X.

Further reading

• Aleknevičienė, Ona (2005). Jono Bretkūno Postilė: Studija, faksimilė ir kompaktinė plokštelė (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Lietuvių kalbos instituto leidykla. ISBN 9986-668-96-4.