Postil of Jonas Bretkūnas


Postilė is a 1000-page postil written in the Lithuanian language by Jonas Bretkūnas in 1591. It was designed for the purposes of Protestant priests serving Lithuanian communities in East Prussia. The book was used until the 18th century. Postilė is one earliest works in Lithuanian that were not merely translations but also included original texts. It contains much ethnographic data about everyday life of the common people. About 30 copies of Postilė survive; 10 of them are kept in Lithuanian libraries and museums.