Kazinczy codex, the legend of Saint Barlam és Josaphat
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This collection of sermons, legends and parables was copied between 1521-1541 for the Clarissans of Óbuda. Besides the Tihany- and Horvát codex this codex is the richest in texts about the Virgin Mary (preaching about Mary's death, parable about a Hungarian prince, who got engaged to Mary, St Anna's life, sermon about the letters of Mary's name). The Elek legend and the sermon about Mary's death are very close to the text of the Tihany codex, The legend of Barlam and Josaphat is one of the most significant pieces of Hungarian codex literature. The main sources are Pelbárt Temesvári's sermons and the Legenda aurea. During the 17-18th centuries the codex was in the possession of the Clarissans of Pozsony, and in 1836, when Michael Jankovich's collection was sold, it went to the Hungarian National Museum. Francis Toldi named the codex after Francis Kazinczy. Today it is kept in the National Széchényi Library, Budapest. Edition: Kazinczy codex. Edited by George Volf. Budapest, 1877. (Archives of Linguistic Records 6.)
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The legend of St Barlam and Josaphat
This adventurous legend of the Kazinczy codex originates from India. It got into the codex from the Latin translation of the Legenda Aurea. Averin, the pagan governor of India, was told a prediction: he was told that his son would be converted to Christianity. To prevent this, he kept his son, Josaphat, locked in the palace. However, his son got acquainted with a hermit called Barlam, who converted him to Christianity and baptised him. When he ascended the throne, he converted his people, then he joined Barlam in the desert.
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