The Govora Nomocanon (Pravila) stipulations regarding the family

Abstract

The Govora Nomocanon (Pravila), printed between 1640 and 1641 at the Govora Monastery at the initiative of Matei Basarab, marks the beginning of printed law codes in the romanian language in Wallachia. Its content reflects both the influence of byzantine canon law and a series of locally adapted regulations, which grants it significant historical and legal value.

Among the many aspects addressed in the Govora Law Code, such as clerical discipline, the penitential system, and canonical sanctions, this study aims to explore in depth the institution of the family, with a focus on norms concerning kinship, marriage, parental authority, and the penalties for transgressions. I am particularly interested in aspects such as the prohibition of marriage between close relatives, marriage with persons of other religions, the regulation of second or third marriages, and the importance of consent in the conclusion of marriage. All these perspectives reflect a legal mentality in which the family is regarded both as a social nucleus and as a moral bastion within a strong Orthodox tradition shaped by Byzantine ethos.

Therefore, the present research represents an attempt to reassess the contribution of the Govora Nomo­canon to the consolidation of the family institution in the Romanian premodern context, with an emphasis on how religious law was articulated with the social realities of the 17th century.