Francysk Skaryna

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Francysk Skaryna (or Skoryna; the first name also spelled as Francis, Franciszak, Frantsiszak, Francisk, Frantzisk) was a Belarusian famous for being the printer of the first book in an Eastern Slavic language. He was born in the historical Belarusian city of Polatsk. The exact dates of birth and death are unknown; the two most probable estimates are 1485-1540 and 1490-1551. Skaryna graduated from the arts faculty of Cracow University in 1504 with a Bachelor of Arts. In 1512 he received doctorate in medicine at Padua University in Italy.

He printed his first book entitled The Psalter, in the Belarusian language on August 6, 1517 in Prague; this work was followed by another twenty-three books. He continued his printing work in Wilno (today known as Vilnius). The culmination of his life's work was a printing of the Bible in Belarusian though it is difficult to determine precisely what language he used as there was no conventional Belarusian language as we know it today. Some researchers maintain that Skaryna's books were in Church Slavonic heavily saturated with Belarusian. But nevertheless there is no doubt that Skaryna laid the foundations of Belarusian literary language.