Les rapports littéraires bulgaro-grecs dans les études du prof. Yordan Ivanov

Abstract

Yordan Ivanov (1872-1947), a professor of long standing in the history
of the Old Bulgárián literature at Sofia University, in his scientific work as a
student of the Middle Ages constantly touches upon Bulgarian-Greek links
from the Middle Ages up to present day. Byzantine literature is present in all
of prof. Ivanov’s major works. His fundamental book “Bulgárián Monuments
throughout Macedonia” includes the protobulgarian inscriptions in Greek, thè life story of Kliment of Ohrid by D. Homatian, Emperor Vassilij Iľs
honorary grant on the rights of thè Ohrid Archibishopric and a number of
other sources in Greek. Similar Greek works are included in his other books
such as “Northern Macedonia”, “Bogomil Books and Legends” “Old
Bulgárián Stories” etc. In his research in Old Bulgárián literature Ivanov
constantly draws a parallel between Bulgárián and Greek, and tries to find
the link between the Bulgárián and the Greek texts.
His study of “The Greek-Bulgarian Relations before the Church Struggle”
(1912) is of great interest. Here the problem of the Greek cultural influence
in Bulgaria is posed. Ivanov deals in detail with the complicated relations
between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Bulgárián population during
the Turkish yoke; he does not find any tendencies for Hellenization in these
relations before the church struggle (19th Century). On the contrary: he points
out that at this time thè politicai and national hostility between Bulgarians
and Greeks subsided; “Under the pressure of the common threat and under
the protection of the common mother—church common aims were fostered”.
In proof of his opinion Ivanov points out to a number of facts from Bulgarian-
Greek literary and cultural relations.