Yarahatanye kugira ngo abantu basome Bibiliya

Yapfiriye mu karere gakonja cyane ko mu burasirazuba bwa Siberiya, apfa abantu bamusebya kandi bamwanga cyane. Abantu bake ni bo bibuka ko yari umwe mu bantu b’ingenzi bafashije bagenzi babo b’Abagiriki kugira icyo bageraho mu buryo bw’umwuka. Uwo mugabo w’insuzugurwa wafashe iya mbere yitwaga Séraphim. Imihati yashyizeho kugira ngo ashishikarize abantu gusoma Bibiliya na yo yagize uruhare mu rupfu rwe.

SÉRAPHIM yabayeho mu gihe u Bugiriki bwari igice cy’Ubwami bw’igihangange bwa Ottoman. Umuhanga mu by’amateka y’idini ry’Aborutodogisi w’Umugiriki witwa George Metallinos, yavuze ko icyo gihe “nta mashuri meza yari ahari” kandi ko “abantu batari barize,” hakubiyemo n’abakuru b’amadini.

Icyo gihe hari itandukaniro rikomeye hagati y’Ikigiriki cya Koine Bibiliya yanditswemo n’Ikigiriki cyavugwaga mu gihe cya Séraphim, hamwe n’izindi ndimi zari zigishamikiyeho. Iryo tandukaniro ryagiye riba rinini ku buryo abantu batageze mu ishuri batari bacyumva Ikigiriki cya Koine, ari na cyo cyakoreshejwe mu kwandika Ibyanditswe bya Gikristo bya Kigiriki. Mu makimbirane yakurikiyeho, kiliziya yahisemo gushyigikira ko hakoreshwa icyo Kigiriki kitumvikana ari cyo Koine.

Uko ni ko ibintu byari byifashe igihe Stephanos Ioannis Pogonatus yavukiraga mu muryango wari uzwi cyane wabaga ku kirwa cy’u Bugiriki cyitwa Lesbos, ahagana mu mwaka wa 1670. Abantu bo kuri icyo kirwa bari abakene kandi ntibari bazi gusoma no kwandika. Kubera ko amashuri yari make, Stephanos yagiye kwigira amashuri abanza mu kigo cy’abihaye Imana cyo muri ako gace. Yaherewe ubudiyakoni muri Kiliziya y’Aborutodogisi yo mu Bugiriki akiri muto cyane, maze yitwa Séraphim.

Ahagana mu mwaka wa 1693, icyifuzo cyo kongera ubumenyi cyatumye Séraphim yimukira i Constantinople (ubu hakaba ari Istanbul muri Turukiya). Amaherezo, ubuhanga yari afite bwatumye abantu bakomeye bo mu Bugiriki bamwubaha. Bidatinze, yoherejwe n’umuryango uharanira inyungu z’u Bugiriki wakoreraga mu ibanga kugira ngo awuvuganire ku Mwami w’abami Pierre le Grand w’u Burusiya. Urugendo yakoze ajya i Moscou n’urwo yakoze avayo zatumye anyura mu bice byinshi by’Uburayi, aho yasanze ibitekerezo bishyigikira ko haba ivugurura mu rwego rw’idini n’urw’imyigire. Mu mwaka wa 1698, Séraphim yagiye mu Bwongereza maze amenyana n’abantu bakomeye b’i Londres na Oxford. Yaje kumenyana na Arikiyepiskopi wa Canterbury, ahari icyicaro gikuru cy’idini ry’Abangilikani. Kumenyana na we byaje kumugirira akamaro cyane.

Asohora Bibiliya

Séraphim akiri mu Bwongereza, yaratekereje asanga Abagiriki bakeneye cyane Bibiliya nshya y’“Isezerano Rishya” (Ibyanditswe bya Gikristo bya Kigiriki), yumvikana neza. Ubwo ni bwo yatangiye umushinga wo guhindura Bibiliya nshya, itarimo amakosa kandi yumvikana, ahereye ku buhinduzi bwari bwarakozwe n’uwihaye Imana witwa Maxime, imyaka irenga mirongo itanu mbere yaho. Umurimo we yawutangiranye ishyaka ryinshi, ariko bidatinze amafaranga aramushirana. Yongeye kugira icyizere ubwo Arikiyepiskopi wa Canterbury yamwemereraga kuzamuha  inkunga y’amafaranga yari akeneye. Iyo nkunga yatumye ashishikara, maze agura impapuro zikoreshwa mu icapiro kandi ajya no kubonana n’uwari kumucapira.

Icyakora, iyo nkunga yatumye ashobora gucapisha Ivanjiri ya Matayo, iya Mariko n’igice cy’iya Luka gusa. Nyuma yaho, Arikiyepiskopi wa Canterbury ntiyongeye kumuha amafaranga, bitewe n’ihinduka ryo mu rwego rwa politiki ryabaye mu Bwongereza. Icyo gihe Séraphim ntiyacitse intege, ahubwo yashakiye ubufasha ku bandi baterankunga bakize, maze asohora Bibiliya ivuguruye mu mwaka wa 1703. Igice kimwe cy’amafaranga yakoresheje cyishyuwe na Sosiyete Ishinzwe Kwamamaza Ivanjiri mu Bindi Bihugu.

Ubuhinduzi bwa mbere bwa Maxime bwari bugizwe n’imibumbe ibiri, bwari burimo n’umwandiko w’umwimerere w’Ikigiriki. Cyari igitabo kinini kandi kiremereye. Bibiliya ya Séraphim ivuguruye yari yanditse mu nyuguti nto, ihinduye mu Kigiriki kigezweho, ari nto kandi ihendutse.

Atuma havuka amakimbirane

Umuhanga witwa George Metallinos yaravuze ati “nta gushidikanya Bibiliya ye ihuje n’igihe yakemuye ikibazo gikomeye abaturage bari bafite. Icyakora, Séraphim yaboneyeho umwanya wo kwibasira igice cy’abanyedini barwanyaga igitekerezo cyo guhindura [Bibiliya] mu zindi ndimi.” Abakuru b’idini bararakaye cyane ubwo Séraphim yandikaga mu ijambo ry’ibanze ko iyo Bibiliya ‘yari yarayandikiye ahanini bamwe mu bapadiri n’abihaye Imana bo mu yandi madini batumvaga Ikigiriki [cya Koine].’ Yavuze ko noneho ‘bashoboraga gusoma no kugira ibyo basobanukirwa mu mwandiko w’umwimerere babifashijwemo n’Umwuka Wera, maze bakabigeza ku Bakristo basanzwe.’ (The Translation of the Bible Into Modern Greek—During the 19th Century.) Nguko rero uko Séraphim yishoye mu makimbirane ashingiye ku buhinduzi bwa Bibiliya, yari ashyamiranyije abayobozi ba Kiliziya y’Aborutodogisi yo mu Bugiriki.

Ku ruhande rumwe, hari ababonaga ko abaturage bazagira amajyambere mu buryo bw’umwuka no mu rwego rw’umuco ari uko bumva neza Bibiliya. Nanone, bumvaga ko abayobozi b’idini bari bakeneye kongera ubumenyi bari bafite ku Byanditswe. Byongeye kandi, abifuzaga ko Bibiliya yahindurwa bemeraga ko inyigisho zo mu Byanditswe zishobora gutangwa mu rurimi urwo ari rwo rwose.—Ibyahishuwe 7:9.

Abarwanyaga igitekerezo cy’uko Bibiliya yahindurwa, bitwazaga ko ngo Bibiliya iramutse ihinduwe mu rundi rurimi, ibikubiyemo byata agaciro kabyo, kandi kiliziya igatakaza ububasha bwo kuyisobanura no kugenera abantu inyigisho. Icyakora, icyo batinyaga mu by’ukuri ni uko Abaporotesitanti bakoreshaga ubuhinduzi bwa Bibiliya kugira ngo Kiliziya y’Aborutodogisi yo mu Bugiriki itakaze ingufu. Abenshi mu bakuru b’idini batekerezaga ko bari bafite inshingano yo kurwanya ikintu cyose cyashoboraga gushyigikira Abaporotesitanti, hakubiyemo n’imihati yashyirwagaho kugira ngo abaturage bo hasi basobanukirwe Bibiliya. Bityo rero, ubuhinduzi bwa Bibiliya bwabaye imbarutso y’amakimbirane hagati y’Abaporotesitanti n’Aborutodogisi.

Nubwo Séraphim atifuzaga kuva muri Kiliziya y’Aborutodogisi, yashyize ahabona ubujiji n’urwikekwe rw’abayobozi b’idini bamurwanyaga. Mu ijambo ry’ibanze ry’“Isezerano Rishya” yaranditse ati “Umukristo wese utinya Imana akeneye gusoma Bibiliya Yera,” kugira ngo “yigane Kristo kandi yumvire inyigisho ze.” Séraphim yemeje ko kubuza abantu kwiga Ibyanditswe bituruka kuri Satani.

Arwanywa

Igihe Bibiliya ya Séraphim yageraga mu Bugiriki, yarakaje kiliziya y’Aborutodogisi. Iyo Bibiliya nshya yarabuzanyijwe. Kopi z’iyo Bibiliya zaratwitswe kandi umuntu wese wabaga ayitunze cyangwa ayisoma baramucaga. Umukuru w’idini ry’Aborutodogisi witwa Gabriel wa III yabuzanyije ko Bibiliya ya Séraphim ikwirakwizwa, avuga ko idakenewe kandi ko nta cyo imaze.

Nubwo Séraphim atigeze acika intege, yabonaga ko ari ngombwa kugira amakenga. Kiliziya yari yaraciye iyo Bibiliya ku mugaragaro, ariko hari abayobozi b’amadini n’abayoboke bayo bemeye kuyikoresha. Yashoboye kuyikwirakwiza hirya no hino. Icyakora, amakimbirane yari afitanye n’abanzi be bakomeye ni bwo yari agiye gutangira.

 Icyo yazize

Uretse no kuba Séraphim yaraharaniye ko Bibiliya isomwa, yanagiye mu mashyaka agamije kuvugurura ibintu no guharanira inyungu z’igihugu. Kugira ngo abigereho yasubiye i Moscou mu mpeshyi yo mu mwaka wa 1704. Yabaye incuti magara ya Pierre le Grand kandi amara n’igihe runaka ari umwarimu mu ishuri ryitwa Russian Royal Academy. Icyakora, kubera ko Séraphim yari ahangayikishijwe n’ibyashoboraga kugera kuri Bibiliya ye, yasubiye i Constantinople mu mwaka wa 1705.

Muri Bibiliya yongeye gucapisha muri uwo mwaka, yakuyemo rya jambo ry’ibanze ryari muri Bibiliya ya mbere, ashyiramo iriburiro rigufi ryashishikarizaga abantu gusoma Bibiliya. Iyo Bibiliya yakwirakwijwe ahantu henshi kandi abayobozi b’idini ntibigeze bayirwanya.

Nyamara ariko, mu mwaka wa 1714 barayirwanyije bidasanzwe, biturutse kuri Alexander Helladius, umukerarugendo w’Umugiriki warwanyaga ko Bibiliya ihindurwa. Mu gitabo cye yise Status Præsens Ecclesiæ Græcæ (Uko Kiliziya yo mu Bugiriki yifashe muri iki gihe) yibasiye bikomeye ubuhinduzi bwa Bibiliya n’abahinduzi bayo. Muri icyo gitabo harimo igice kizima Helladius yanditse avuga ibya Séraphim, amwita umujura, umutekamutwe, injiji n’igisambo cyataye umuco. Ese ibyo birego hari aho byari bihuriye n’ukuri? Umwanditsi witwa Stylianos Bairaktaris yagaragaje ibitekerezo byiza byari bifitwe n’abandi bahanga ubwo yavugaga ko Séraphim ari ‘umukozi akaba n’umuhanga wari ku isonga,’ warwanywaga bitewe n’uko yari yarasobanukiwe ibintu kurusha abantu bo mu gihe cye. Icyakora, igitabo cya Helladius cyatumye Séraphim agira iherezo ribi.

Ntibamushiraga amakenga

Ubwo Séraphim yasubiraga mu Burusiya mu mwaka wa 1731, Pierre le Grand yari yarapfuye. Ubwo rero uwo Mugiriki wari umudiyakoni yari asigaye atakigira umutegetsi umurengera. Umwamikazi Anna Ivanovna wategekaga muri icyo gihe, yari umuntu ugira amakenga cyane ku birebana n’ikintu cyose cyashoboraga guteza umutekano muke mu bwami bwe. Muri Mutarama 1732, i St. Petersburg hakwijwe igihuha kivuga ko hari umutasi wo mu Bugiriki wari ubangamiye ubwami bw’Uburusiya. Uwo muntu wakekwaga yari Séraphim. Ubwo nyine yarafashwe yoherezwa mu kigo cy’abihaye Imana cy’i Nevsky maze bamuhata ibibazo. Muri icyo kigo hari igitabo cya Helladius, cyarimo ibintu byinshi bashinjaga Séraphim. Uwo mugabo wari warihaye Imana yanditse amabaruwa atatu yo kwiregura. Yamaze hafi amezi atanu ahatwa ibibazo, kandi gukuraho urwikekwe abantu bari bamufitiye ntibyari byoroshye.

Kubera ko nta gihamya gifatika abashinjaga Séraphim bari bafite, ntiyakatiwe urwo gupfa. Ariko kandi, abategetsi babuze uko bamurekura kubera ibirego Helladius yari yaramugeretseho. Uwo Mugiriki wari umudiyakoni bamukatiye igihano cyo kumucira muri Siberiya ubuzima bwe bwose. Igihe abamukatiye icyo gihano batangazaga umwanzuro bafashe, bavuze ko ibyo bamushinjaga byari bishingiye ku birego byabonetse “mu gitabo cy’umwanditsi w’Umugiriki witwa Helladius.” Muri Nyakanga 1732, Séraphim yageze mu burasirazuba bwa Siberiya afungishijwe iminyururu, nuko ajugunywa muri gereza ya Okhotsk, izwiho kuba mbi cyane.

Séraphim yapfuye hashize hafi imyaka itatu, apfa yaratereranywe, nta muntu ukimwibuka. Hari ubwo yafataga imyanzuro idahwitse kandi ntagire amakenga, ariko Bibiliya yahinduye ni imwe mu zishobora kuboneka mu Kigiriki gikoreshwa muri iki gihe. * Imwe muri izo Bibiliya zumvikana neza ni iyitwa New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, iboneka no mu zindi ndimi. Mbega ukuntu dukwiriye gushimira Yehova Imana we warinze Ijambo rye ku buryo abantu bo hirya no hino ‘bamenya ukuri’!—1 Timoteyo 2:3, 4.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 12]

Pierre le Grand

[Aho ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 10 yavuye]

Photos: Courtesy American Bible Society