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APPENDIX IV NOTE ON THE PLAGUE The passage following this introduction is a note that describes the plague epidemic that struck the region of Plovdiv in 1837. Although there were registered plague cases in 1836, the village of Seldzhikovo felt the ravages of the plague from the spring of 1837 on, and especially during the fall and the winter, until the beginning of 1838. In fact, among the 911 human losses, registered in the Liber status animarum for the Catholic population of the village, most were obviously casualties of the plague (according to the note 70 cases from September 1837 to January 1838). The Libro dei mort , in which a scrupulous account of the dead was kept from 22 January 1837 to 12 February 1838, shows 69 cases. Most of them apparently died of the plague although this is specified only in 9 cases (“mori a peste”). The other victims of the plague were 34 Orthodox, and more than 50 Muslim Gypsies. The Orthodox are referred to as “schismatics,” and the Muslim faith of the Gypsies is indicated by saying they are Turks. The “apostates” mentioned in the document were most likely former Catholics (most likely women) who had married in Orthodox families and had changed their denomination. Written in Italian, the note was attached to the four parish registers of Seldzhikovo for the years 1818–1838. It is undated and unsigned but clearly written in the handwriting of the local priest Giorgio Caraga who had been keeping the parish books for the last several years (GODA-Plovdiv: Fond # 398 k, op.1, a.e.2). Memoria Nel 1836. hà incominciato sentivsi la pesta in Filippupoli ma tropo raro, ma entrando nell’ autonno sempra crescova e cosi per tutto l’inverno del infra l’anno 1836. e 1837. ma pero entrando nella primavera dell 1837. hà incominciato più fortemente e di giorno in giorno aumentandosi con i morti che caskavano, quelli della città sono usciti per le ville por salvarsi, e cosi nell’estata per le ville niente si sensitiva ma in città faceva ogni momento grandissima strage, e poi passata un poco l’estata hà incominciato perla campagna ed hà fatto una strage 193 Appendices crudedissima. Solamente in Selgicovo sono morti dei Cristiani 70 anima, incominciata dei 12.settembre e per il giorno sono morti per fino a 5. e non più, e cosi dopo hà incominciato a mitigarsi a poco a poco ed hà durato fino alli 8.di gennaro del 1838. ed in questa circonstanza tutto il Villagio con tutti le famiglie era disperso per la campagna sotto i tugurij, solamente 10 era rimasto nella villa con gli apostati per ajutarli e per assistargli, a cosi grazia a Dio nassuno è morto senza l’assistanza dovuta, e poi entrando l’Iverno tutta la villa di nuoo si empita con le famiglie; dei Scismatici sono morti 34. e dei Citani, cioe Turcki sono morti 50. e più. Translation Recollection In 1836 the plague began to be felt in Filippopolis, but it was rare; however, with the coming of the autumn, it gained strength and was raging throughout all the winter of 1836–1837. But the worst came in the spring of 1837 when day after day it was hitting stronger and stronger, and the dead were dropping all of a sudden. People had fled from the cities to the villages to save themselves, and so during the summer nothing could be felt in the villages, but in the city there was incessant pestilence, and with the advance of the summer, it began raging in the villages and they were overtaken by the fiercest pestilence. In Seldzhikovo alone 70 among the Christians died; it started on 12 September and there were five, if not more, casualties daily, but then it started to gradually fade, and continued like that until 8 January 1838. In these circumstances, the whole village with all the families were scattered in huts in the fields, and only about ten people remained in the village together with the apostates who helped and supported them, so that, with God’s mercy nobody died without receiving the help which is due to him. And with the coming of winter, the village was again filled with families. From among the schismatics 34 died; and from among the Gypsies, who are Turks, 50 or more died. Notes 1 There are, actually, 94 death cases, but three are for 1838, when the second, post-plague list was compiled, which leaves us...

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