THEODOSIE SINAITSKI
Theodosie Sinaitski was cultural activist from the beginning of the 19th century, who contributed to the cultural exalpation of the Macedonian population through his literary and printing activity.
There is a few data about his life. According to the legend, he was born in Dojran and after he finished his education in Carigrad (Istanbul today) he became a monk and left to Sinaj (also known as St. Gora, on the third part of Chalkidik). During his stay there he added the surname Sinatski.
He was preoccupied by translation of ecclesiastical books into Slavonic language. Tuning back to Macedonia, he acquainted the situation in the monasteries and churches and realized that there was a definecy of books in public language. It gave him an idea to open a printing house: an elementary text-book - "Nacalnoe ucenie so molitvi utrenija", the second book was kind of a tourist giude "Kratko opisanie dvadesjat manastirej obretajusteja vo Svjatoj Gori Atonskoj". Other books followed: "Sluzenie evrejsko i vse zlotvorenie nihno" and "Uteshenie Greshnim". Kiril Pejcinovic was the author of the latest book and the introduction was written by Theodosie Sinaitski. The latest printed book in his printing house was a trilingual dictionary compose of Macedonian, Greek and Turkish words.
Sinaitski was the first Macedonian tyrographer. Through the books printed at the printing house in Solun (Salonica) and their distribution all over Macedonia, he contributed to the process of introduction the Macedonian popular language in the schools, churches and literature. The introduction meant not only a victor over the Old Slavonic language, but also a powerful arm in the struggle against the Greek spiritual slavery in Macedonia.
