Joakim Karchovski

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joakim Karchovski (Bulgarian: Йоаким Кърчовски, Macedonian: Јоаким Крчовски) (c. 1750 - c. 1820), was a Bulgarian monk, teacher, and an important figure of the Bulgarian National Revival.

Karchovski was born in the village of Oslomej (the region of Kichevo, today in Republic of Macedonia) around 1750 and died in 1820. This spreader of enlightenment is the author of four books written in "the plainest Bulgarian language". He devoted all his life to the cause of education and stayed in history as a person who worked for the establishment of a literary language comprehensible for the common populace.

His books were typed between 1814 and 1817 in Budapest:

Book cover of Joakim Karchovski - "The Wonders of the Holy Virgin translated from Amartolon Soteria into Bulgarian" (1817)

1814 "A narration about the formidable and second advent of Christ, composed from various Holy Scriptures and translated into plainest Bulgarian language which is used for the sake of the most common and illiterate people" („Повест ради страшнаго и втораго пришествия Христова").
1817 "Trials" („Сия книга глаголемаа митарства"). On the frontpage, the great man of enlightenment mentions the Macedonian cities which helped the issuing of the book: "Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Sechishta and other Bulgarian cities".
1817 "The Wonders of the Holy Virgin translated from Amartolon Soteria into Bulgarian" („Чудеса пресвятия Богородици")
1819"Some edifyingly advices" („Различна поучителна наставления")

These books were among the first printed Bulgarian books written in modern Bulgarian language after Nedelnik of Sophronius of Vratsa.

[edit] Macedonian point of view

See also: Macedonian Question

According to the Macedonian view, now prevalent and official in the books in Republic of Macedonia, Joakim Karchovski had Macedonian identity and his books were typed into modern Macedonian language, so he had a important role for Macedonian National Revival and he worked for estabilishment of a Macedonian literary language. The Joakim Karchovski's books refute these Macedonian assertions. On the book covers Joakim Karchovski pointed that the books were written in "the plainest Bulgarian language" (Простѣйшїи языкъ Болгарскїй) for the population around „Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Sechishta and other Bulgarian cities"