From the Light of Creation to the Light of Contemplation: The Understanding of Light in the 15 ^th Century Slavonic Translations of Hexaemeral Literature

This paper investigates the conception of light in the fifteenth-century Slavonic codex Šestodnevnik (Hexaemeron), preserved at the Savina Monastery in Montenegro. Compiled by Nikon of Jerusalem, the collection includes translations of Severian of Gabala’s Hexaemeron alongside writings by prominent hesychast authors such as Diadochos of Photiki and Niketas Stethatos. Through textual and comparative analysis, the paper explores how the theme of light bridges cosmological, theological, and mystical dimensions, reflecting both the Neoplatonic tradition and the Christian path of ascetic purification. The synthesis of Severian’s cosmology with hesychast theology in the codex presents light as a metaphor for divine knowledge and spiritual enlightenment.