Cath. Encyc.lopedia: Original home + migrations of "Slavs" from Balkans


Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIV: "...the Slavs spread from the lower
Danube to all the countries - occupied later by them.....supported by
chroniclers and historical writers of all Slavonic peoples....

....Consequently if we were to follow strictly the written historical
authorities, of which a number are very trustworthy, we would be
obliged to support the theory that the original home of the Slavs is
in the countries along the Danube and on the Adriatic coast...."



II. ORIGINAL HOME AND MIGRATIONS
There are two theories in regard to the original home of the Slavs,
and these theories are in sharp opposition to each other. One
considers the region of the Danube as the original home of the Slavs,
whence they spread northeast over the Carpathians as far as the Volga
River, Lake Ilmen, and the Caspian Sea.....

....The ancient Kiev chronicle, erroneously ascribed to the monk Nestor,
is the earliest authority quoted for the theory that the original
home of the Slavs is to be sought in the region of the Danube. Here
in detail is related for the first time how the Slavs spread from the
lower Danube to all the countries occupied later by them. The
Noricans and Illyrians are declared to be Slavs, and Andronikos and
the Apostle Paul are called Apostles to the Slavs because they
laboured in Illyria and Pannocia. This view was maintained by the
later chroniclers and historical writers of all Slavonic peoples, as
the Pole Kadlubek, "Chronika pol." (1206), Boguchwal (d. 1253),
Dlugos, Matej Miechowa, Decius, and others. Among the Czechs, this
theory was supported by Kozmaz (d. 1125), Dalimir (d.1324), Johann
Marignola (1355-1362), Pribik Pulkava (1374), and V. Hajek (1541).
The Russians also developed their theories from the statements of
their first chronicler.. The southern Slavs have held this theory
from the earliest period up to the present time with the evident
intention to base on it their claims to the Church Slavonic in the
Liturgy. At an early period, in the letter of Pope John X (914-29) to
the Croatian Ban Tomislav and the Sachlumian ruler Mihael, there is a
reference to the prevalent tradition that St. Jerome invented the
Slavonic alphabet. This tradition maintained itself through the
succeeding centuries, finding supporters even outside these
countries, and was current at Rome itself. Consequently if we were to
follow strictly the written historical authorities, of which a number
are very trustworthy, we would be obliged to support the theory that
the original home of the Slavs is in the countries along the Danube
and on the Adriatic coast.

LEOPOLD LЙNARD
Transcribed by Angela Meady
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIV
Copyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton Company
Online Edition Copyright © 1999 by Kevin Knight
Nihil Obstat, July 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor
Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York

For fair use only.