Università degli Studi di Trieste - Scuola Superiore di Lingue Moderne per Interpreti e Traduttori
Abstract
The origins of the old-Russian legend about the invisible Kitezh-town can be traced back to the Mongol invasion of Russia: according to the legend, God showed mercy on Kitezh, besieged by the cruel khan Batyj, and made the town invisible. After the schism in the Ortodox Church, the old Believers changed the original nucleus of the legend, which now urged the faithful to leave the corrupt world ruled by Antichrist and enter the holy Kitezh-town. A rich folklore developed around the Kitezh theme; it was so dear to the Russian people that they even worshipped the lake (Svetlojar) upon whose shores they believed the miraculous town stood. Since the second half of the 19th century Kitezh has found its way into Russian literature, becoming a symbol for many writers and poets up to the present day.
