The Passions of the Christ in the Sermons of Iohannikiy Galyatovskyy and Lazar Baranovych

The purpose of the article is to highlight the stylistic features of Ioanykiy Galiatovskyy and Lazar Baranovych on the example of their sermons “On the Passion of Christ”. The research methodology is based on a comparative-historical approach and the method of microanalysis. Scientific novelty. For the first time, a comparative analysis of the sermons “On the Passion of Christ” of Galiatovskii and Baranovich was made and the reasons for the linguistic and stylistic distinction between their texts were revealed. Conclusions. Ioanykiy Galiatovskyy and Lazar Baranovych are prominent Mohyla representatives of the mature Baroque. Their views were formed within the walls of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, under the influence of the same training courses and similar literary material. At the same time, each of them shows in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures an individual creative approach that grows based on tradition: in his sermons, Ioanykiy Galyatovskyy emphasizes the principle “Intellege, ut credas; crede ut intelligas”, which was professed by the Western Fathers of the Church – Blessed Augustine, Anselm of Canterbury. Lazar Baranovych renews the Byzantine sermon with the generosity of rhetorical figures. A comparison of two “Sermons on the Passion of Christ” (“The Key of Understanding” in 1659) by Ioanykiy Galiatovskyy and two “Words for Good Friday” (“Spiritual Sword”, 1666) by Lazar Baranovych gives grounds to reveal on a deep emotional and spiritual background points of intersection of the sermons by both authors: the simplicity and touchingness of Galiatovskyy in empathizing with the sufferings of Christ, who seemed to be growing smaller, realizing the greatness of the saving sacrifice; and the rhetorical sophistication of Baranovych, aimed at conveying the sufferings of the crucified God. Thus, the sermons on the Passion of the Christ by Ioanykiy Galiatovskyy and Lazar Baranovych testify to how can be different interpretive approaches to common baroque images and motifs