Tome Lesica's carpentry workshop

The carpentry workshop of Tome Lesica (1916-1989), the last self-taught Glagolitic master on the island of Krk.

The carpentry workshop of Tome Lesica (1916-1989), the last self-taught Glagolitic master on the island of Krk. Tome Lesica was a carpenter by trade. In addition, for decades he served as sacristan, bell ringer, and sexton, that is, the person who takes care of the church building and helps the priest in his duties. He also played a traditional instrument called the sopile (sopele or roženice). He is best remembered as Krk’s last self-taught Glagolitic master commoner. He read Glagolitic letters fluently “just like people read newspapers” (B. Fučić). Shortly before he died, he left his last official Glagolitic record in the Omišalj fraternity book ‘Od duš’ on the occasion of the consecration of Josip Bozanić as the Bishop of Krk. During his life, he was regarded as an important source in the study of the traditional heritage of Omišalj. Slavists from all over Europe knew him and asked him regularly for advice, as did ethnologists who studied topics related to the island of Krk. He performed his carpentry in a workshop located next to the house in which he lived.