Did Diokletia Hvostanska exist? A contribution to the chronology of the life and cult of St. Peter of Koriska

Abstract

As a starting point, the paper asserts that there was no geographic region called Diokletia Hvostanska (Diokletia of Hvosno), which is mentioned in just two sources ? one from the 15th and another from the 18th century. The root of this misconception is an erroneous reading of a section in Teodosije?s Vita of St. Peter of Korisa, which recounts that the saint was born in the area of Hvosno in Diokletia. Starting from the fact that Hvosno was in Diokletia, i.e., Duklja or Diokleia, only when this historical region was ruled by King Vukan, son of the Serbian grand zupan Stefan Nemanja ? in the last decade of the 12th and the very beginning of the 13th century ? the birth of Peter of Korisa is dated to this period. Accordingly, his life and miracles would belong to the 13th century. Based on an in-depth analysis of the most important details about the death of St. Peter of Korisa and the beginnings of his cult ? the chronological distance of Teodosije?s Vita of St. Peter of Korisa from the saint?s death, the transfer of some of his relics to Constantinople, the time of writing of the earliest service dedicated to him, and the earliest layer of frescoes at the hermitage of St. Peter of Korisa ? I propose that the saint died no later than c. 1270 and that Teodosije composed his service and vita in the last decade of the 13th century. In the time separating these two events, the saint?s relics were revealed as incorruptible, and he began to be venerated.