DOCSLIB.ORG

Anti-Judaism in the Present-Day Byzantine Liturgy

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Anti-Judaism in the Present-Day Byzantine Liturgy 1783-08_JECS_18_Groen 31-03-2009 14:05 Pagina 369 Journal of Eastern Christian Studies 60(1-4), 369-387. doi: 10.2143/JECS.60.1.2035289 © 2008 by Journal of Eastern Christian Studies. All rights reserved. ANTI-JUDAISM IN THE PRESENT-DAY BYZANTINE LITURGY BERT GROEN* 1. INTRODUCTION In a short but significant chapter in a Dutch manual on Eastern Christian- ity, Adelbert Davids describes the rise and expansion of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism in the Early Church. He outlines the process of alienation between Christianity and Judaism, the self-concept of the Church and the Christian State as the True Israel, the hatred of several ecclesiastical leaders (e.g., John Chrysostom) of Judaism, their promotion of anti-Jewish state leg- islation and forced conversions of Jews to Christianity.1 The phenomena of theological anti-Judaism and profane anti-Semitism have not only been serious historical problems in the relations between Judaism and Christianity, but they are also important issues in present-day contacts and dialogue between the two religions. Furthermore, one might ask the question if these notorious phenomena do not deny the universality of salvation. In the Byzantine rite, for example, Easter is the “Feast of Feasts”, the festival of the Resurrection of Christ that brings about salvation and for- giveness for all people. Of course, such redemption primarily concerns those who believe in Christ – in a free act of faith and in relation with the com- munity of believers, viz. the Church. However, according to several texts of the Byzantine liturgy, it looks as if one people will never share in the joy of the salvation of mankind, viz. the Jews. * Bert Groen is professor of liturgics and sacramental theology at the University of Graz. He also is UNESCO professor for intercultural and inter-religious dialogue in South- Eastern Europe and chairs the Graz section of the ecumenical “Pro Oriente Foundation”. 1 A. Davids, ‘Anti-judaïsme en antisemitisme in de eerste eeuwen van het christendom’, in Oosterse christenen binnen de wereld van de islam, eds. H. Teule and A. Wessels (Heerlen and Kampen, 1997), pp. 47-56. I wish to thank Sophia Senyk (Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome) and Antoine Lam- brechts (Benedictine monastery of Chevetogne) for their comments on an earlier version of this article, and Ania Lentz-Michaelis (Amersfoort) who carefully revised the text. 1783-08_JECS_18_Groen 31-03-2009 14:05 Pagina 370 370 BERT GROEN Anti-Jewish polemics are not an exclusive privilege of Byzantine rites. In Western rites, too, this phenomenon is found. However, after the Second World War, under the influence of the Shoah, the Roman Catholic Church and other Western (Protestant) churches revised the anti-Jewish statements in their liturgies and adopted a more positive attitude towards Judaism.2 Regrettably, in the official liturgical books used in Byzantine rites today we still meet with a drastic and extensive anti-Jewish polemic that also several times degenerates into torrents of abuse. My aims in this article are, first, to explore the anti-Jewish polemics in Byzantine hymnography and, second, to discuss the urgent questions of whether a reform of the anti-Jewish texts is desirable and if this seems pos- sible in the near future.3 2. SURVEY OF THE ANTI-JEWISH POLEMICS Here, I will concentrate upon Greek pre-paschal liturgical hymns, viz. the hymns of Lazarus Saturday (the day before Palm Sunday), when the raising of Lazarus is commemorated, and the hymns of Palm Sunday and Holy Week.4 The hymns of the paschal octave will also be taken into considera- 2 See, e.g., D. Kranemann, Israelitica dignitas? Studien zur Israeltheologie Eucharistischer Hochgebete, Münsteraner Theologische Abhandlungen, 66 (Altenberge, 2001); „…dass er euch auch erwählet hat“: Liturgie feiern im Horizont des Judentums, eds. A. Deeg and I. Mildenberger, Beiträge zu Liturgie und Spiritualität, 16 (Leipzig, 2006); B. Groen; ‘Anti- judaismus in der christlichen Liturgie und Versuche seiner Überwindung’, in Prekäre Zeitgenossenschaft: Mit dem Alten Testament in Konflikten der Zeit – Internationales Bibel- Symposium Graz 2004, ed. J. Kügler, Bayreuther Forum Transit: Kulturwissenschaftliche Religionsstudien, 6 (Münster, 2006), pp. 247-278. 3 Cf. B. Groen, ‘Antijudaismus in der heutigen byzantinischen Liturgie’, in Dialog oder Monolog? Zur liturgischen Beziehung zwischen Judentum und Christentum, eds. A. Gerhards and H.H. Henrix, Quaestiones Disputatae, 208 (Freiburg i.B., 2004), pp. 210-222; idem, ‘Attitudes towards Judaism in Greek-Byzantine Liturgy: Anti-Judaism in Holy Week Texts and the Appreciation of Israel’s Righteous’, Analecta Bruxellensia, 12 (2007), pp. 81-93. 4 The texts concerned can be found in Triôdion katanuktikon (Athens, Apostolikê Diako- nia, 1960), pp. 336-443. The Greek priest and liturgical scholar, Konstantinos Papayan- nis, prepared a critical edition of the official liturgical book that contains the texts of Holy Week and added the texts of Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday to it: Hê Hagia kai Megalê Hebdomas, ed. K. Papagiannês (Athens, Apostolikê Diakonia, 91985; from now on, here abbreviated as Hagia Hebdomas). There exist also pocket versions. The first edition prepared 1783-08_JECS_18_Groen 31-03-2009 14:05 Pagina 371 ANTI-JUDAISM IN THE PRESENT-DAY BYZANTINE LITURGY 371 tion.5 Only troparia that explicitly mention the Jews will be discussed. There are also troparia in which only “the criminals” in general come up, so with- out names, although, from its context, it is clear that the Jews are meant. Fur- thermore, there exist verses in which the “criminal assembly”, viz. the San- hedrin, or the “Pharisees” are brought up.6 A first main theme in the hymns concerned is the murder of God (theok- tonia). As early as on Palm Sunday evening, Jewry is called upon to get ready for the atrocity: ‘Prepare, Judea, your priests, make your hands ready for the murder of God.’7 As is well-known, in the Byzantine Holy and Great Week, the passion, death and resurrection of Christ are not just commemorated but also exten- sively re-enacted and visually dramatized.8 Several of these rituals, such as the procession with the Cross during Good Friday matins, the deposition of the Crucified One during the Good Friday vespers and the stately reading of the Resurrection gospel on a podium outside the church during the Easter vigil, are rather recent developments, having been introduced in the Greek Orthodox Church only during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Nev- ertheless, they are now often regarded as essential for the Orthodox Holy Week. By way of this ritual representation, in a certain sense, the salvific by Nikodêmos Neoklês appeared in 1906 in Constantinople. The translations from the Greek are my own. 5 Pentêkostarion charmosunon (Athens, Apostolikê Diakonia, 31984), pp. 1-22. 6 In his study on the Greek Orthodox contribution to the Jewish-Christian dialogue, the German theologian, Thomas Kratzert, also examines the image of the Jews in Byzantine Holy Week texts. See Th. Kratzert, “Wir sind wie die Juden”: Der griechisch-orthodoxe Beitrag zu einem ökumenischen jüdisch-christlichen Dialog, Studien zu Kirche und Israel, 16 (Berlin, 1994), pp. 160-186. In particular, he discusses the concepts of ‘Israel’, ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Zion’, ‘Jews’, ‘Hebrews’ and ‘Pharisees’ (pp. 162-178). His conclusion is that the Jewish image in the Greek Orthodox Holy Week is most negative (opponents of Jesus Christ and respon- sible for his death). See also p. 15, where he mentions the ambivalence of Greek Ortho- dox sympathy for Judaism and its closeness to it, on the one hand, and a ‘verbal, aggres- sive anti-Judaism in the Greek Orthodox theology and liturgy’, on the other. 7 Sixth troparion of the ninth canticle (ode) of the triodion in the vespers on Palm Sun- day evening: Hagia Hebdomas, p. 64. Cf. the eighth troparion of the same canticle. 8 A short description hereof can be found in: S. Harakas, ‘The Holy Week Bridegroom Services: An Ethical Analysis’, St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, 46 (2002), pp. 23-61, on pp. 29-31. 1783-08_JECS_18_Groen 31-03-2009 14:05 Pagina 372 372 BERT GROEN events are made real; past facts become current events.9 Because of this the faithful feel they become participants themselves and can identify with the protagonists of the liturgical drama.10 The exhortations in several hymns, older than the ritual dramatic representation itself, promote the process of par- ticipation and identification of the faithful. It is obvious that in this process Jews often incorporate the evil characters. It is interesting to note that, con- trary to the Jews, the then Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, and his Roman soldiers, who are not less guilty of the death of Jesus than the Jewish religious leaders at that time, are not described in terms of abuse and invective. The theme of the murder of God is especially heard on Maundy Thurs- day and Good Friday. In several hymns of the popular Maundy Thursday ‘Ser- vice of the Holy Passion’ (Akolouthia tôn Hagiôn Pathôn), also named ‘Ser- vice of the Twelve Gospel Readings’ (Akolouthia tôn Dôdeka Euaggeliôn) or ‘Service of the Crucified One’ (Akolouthia tou Estaurômenou), in which the vast majority of the Greek population takes part, the Jews are called ‘the swarm of the murderers of God and the lawless people’,11 ‘the wicked gang of God-haters and the Synagogue of evil-committing God-murderers’,12 an ‘impious and criminal people’.13 In particular in the hymns of the popular Epitafios service on Good Friday – during this service, Christ is buried, as it were, but at the same time the paradox of the powerful God who conquers death by his own death is sung – hard statements on the Jews are again 9 A. Schmemann, Great Lent (Crestwood, NY, 1969), pp.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Byzantine Liturgy and The
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Byzantine Liturgy and the Primary Chronicle A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Slavic Languages and Literatures by Sean Delaine Griffin 2014 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Byzantine Liturgy and the Primary Chronicle by Sean Delaine Griffin Doctor of Philosophy in Slavic Languages and Literatures University of California, Los Angeles, 2014 Professor Gail Lenhoff, Chair The monastic chroniclers of medieval Rus’ lived in a liturgical world. Morning, evening and night they prayed the “divine services” of the Byzantine Church, and this study is the first to examine how these rituals shaped the way they wrote and compiled the Povest’ vremennykh let (Primary Chronicle, ca. 12th century), the earliest surviving East Slavic historical record. My principal argument is that several foundational accounts of East Slavic history—including the tales of the baptism of Princess Ol’ga and her burial, Prince Vladimir’s conversion, the mass baptism of Rus’, and the martyrdom of Princes Boris and Gleb—have their source in the feasts of the liturgical year. The liturgy of the Eastern Church proclaimed a distinctively Byzantine myth of Christian origins: a sacred narrative about the conversion of the Roman Empire, the glorification of the emperor Constantine and empress Helen, and the victory of Christianity over paganism. In the decades following the conversion of Rus’, the chroniclers in Kiev learned these narratives from the church services and patterned their own tales of Christianization after them. The ii result was a myth of Christian origins for Rus’—a myth promulgated even today by the Russian Orthodox Church—that reproduced the myth of Christian origins for the Eastern Roman Empire articulated in the Byzantine rite.
    [Show full text]
  • THO 3347 (H 2015) – Glossary of Terms
    THO 3347 (H 2015) – Glossary of Terms Akathist Literally, “not standing.” A hymn dedicated to our Lord, the Theotokos, a saint, or a holy event. Aposticha The stichera sung with psalm verses at the end of Vespers and Matins. These differ from the stichera at Psalm 140 (Vespers) and at the Praise Psalms (Matins), which are sung with fixed psalms, in that the psalm verses used (pripivs) vary with the day or feast, and do not end the singing of the whole psalm. See also stichery na stichovnych. Archieratikon Тhе book containing texts and rubrics for the solemn Hierarchical (a.k.a. Pontifical) Divine Liturgy. The Archieratikon also contains the sacrament of Ноlу Orders and special blessings and consecrations. Canon A system of nine odes (the Second Ode is sung only during Great Lent) sung at Matins after Psalm 50 and before the Praises. Each ode is connected traditionally with a scriptural canticle (see below for the nine scriptural canticles) and consists of an Irmos, a variable number of troparia and, on feasts, a katavasia. After the Third Ode a sidalen is usually sung, and after the Sixth Ode a kontakion and ikos, and after the Ninth Ode, the Svitelen is sung. The Canon has its own system of eight tones. Domatikon A theotokion sung after “Now…” (or “Glory… Now…”) at the end of Psalms 140, 141, 129, and 116 at Vespers on Friday and Saturday evenings, and on the eve of a Polyeleos saint or saints with a vigil in the same tone as the last sticheron of the saint (at “Glory…”).
    [Show full text]
  • St Athanasius Bulletin 15.12.13 30Th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
    THE Light of the East St. Athanasius the Great Byzantine Catholic Church 1117 South Blaine Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46221 Website: www.saindy.com Email: [email protected] Served by: Pastor: Very Rev. Protopresbyter Bryan R. Eyman. D. Min. D. Phil. Cantors: Marcus Loidolt, John Danovich Business Manager: John Danovich Phones: Rectory: 317-632-4157; Pastor’s Cell Phone: 216-780-2555 FAX: 317-632-2988 WEEKEND DIVINE SERVICES Sat: 5 PM [Vespers with Liturgy] Sun: 9:45 AM [Third Hour] 10 AM [Divine Liturgy] Mystery of Holy Repentance [Confessions]: AFTER Saturday Evening Prayer or ANYTIME by appointment SERVICES FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 15, 2013 THIRTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST. SUNDAY OF THE FOREFATHERS. The Holy Martyr Eleutherius. Our Ven. Fr. Paul of Latra. Our Holy Father Stephen, Archbishop of Surozh. PLEASE COME FORWARD AFTER THE DIVINE LITURGY; KISS THE HOLY ICONS, KISS THE HAND CROSS [OR RECEIVE THE HOLY ANOINTING], & PARTAKE OF THE ANTIDORAN [BLESSED BREAD]. SAT. DEC. 14 5 PM VESPER LITURGY Int. of Nichole Richards SUN. DEC. 15 9:45 AM THE THIRD HOUR 10 AM FOR THE PEOPLE 11:15 AM COFFEE SOCIAL [IN ST. MARY’S HALL] 11: 30 AM EPARCHICAL ASSEMBLY PRESENTATION #3 MON. DEC. 16 The Holy Prophet Haggai. NO DIVINE SERVICES~FATHER’S DAY OFF TUE. DEC. 17 The Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Children Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael. 9 AM Intention of Captain Brian Hewko WED. DEC. 18 The Holy Martyr Sebastian & His Companions. 7 PM EMANUEL MOLEBEN & MYSTERY OF HOLY ANOINTING [ANCIENT HEALING SERVICE] THU. DEC. 19 The Holy Martyr Boniface.
    [Show full text]
  • The Musical Life and Aims of the Ordinariate of Our Lady Of
    The Musical Life and Aims of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham a paper given by the Reverend Monsignor Andrew Burnham, Assistant to the Ordinary, at the Blessed John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music, Birmingham. When the Holy Father visited Westminster Abbey just two years ago, his pleasure was evident as he encountered not only the splendour of the building but also its orderly musical tradition. It was an occasion in preparation for which considerable ingenuity had been expended – in that rather over-attentive way that Anglicans go about things – and, whereas you and I know that what the Pope would undoubtedly have preferred would have been the opportunity to sit in choir – on however splendid a cushion – and absorb the glory of a weekday choral evensong, what he got was something rather more bespoke. Pontiffs and prelates are never allowed to experience things as they actually are. Nonetheless, I am sure it was not lost on him that, greeted by a Latin motet written by an Irish Protestant composer, Charles Villiers Stanford, and an English anthem written by an English recusant composer, William Byrd, he was encountering a very sophisticated musical tradition. It is a tradition that has inspired not only Irish Protestants to set Latin texts, but also sceptics, devout and not so devout, to set canticles and anthems, and, in the case of Vaughan Williams, to put his innate atheism to one side and compile what remains the best of the English hymnbooks. There is a certain amount of evidence that, when the Holy See began to talk about inviting groups of Anglicans into the full communion of the Catholic Church, some in Rome expected to receive diocesan bishops, with their cathedrals, their cathedral choirs, their parish clergy, their parish churches, and the laity of the parishes.
    [Show full text]
  • The Rites of Holy Week
    THE RITES OF HOLY WEEK • CEREMONIES • PREPARATIONS • MUSIC • COMMENTARY By FREDERICK R. McMANUS Priest of the Archdiocese of Boston 1956 SAINT ANTHONY GUILD PRESS PATERSON, NEW JERSEY Copyright, 1956, by Frederick R. McManus Nihil obstat ALFRED R. JULIEN, J.C. D. Censor Lib1·or111n Imprimatur t RICHARD J. CUSHING A1·chbishop of Boston Boston, February 16, 1956 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTRODUCTION ANCTITY is the purpose of the "new Holy Week." The news S accounts have been concerned with the radical changes, the upset of traditional practices, and the technical details of the re­ stored Holy Week services, but the real issue in the reform is the development of true holiness in the members of Christ's Church. This is the expectation of Pope Pius XII, as expressed personally by him. It is insisted upon repeatedly in the official language of the new laws - the goal is simple: that the faithful may take part in the most sacred week of the year "more easily, more devoutly, and more fruitfully." Certainly the changes now commanded ,by the Apostolic See are extraordinary, particularly since they come after nearly four centuries of little liturgical development. This is especially true of the different times set for the principal services. On Holy Thursday the solemn evening Mass now becomes a clearer and more evident memorial of the Last Supper of the Lord on the night before He suffered. On Good Friday, when Holy Mass is not offered, the liturgical service is placed at three o'clock in the afternoon, or later, since three o'clock is the "ninth hour" of the Gospel accounts of our Lord's Crucifixion.
    [Show full text]
  • Little Compline for Akathist Saturday
    The Office of Little Compline with the Akathist Canon and Hymn **As served on the fifth Friday of Great Lent** **Instructions** An icon of the Theotokos (preferably the one described in the Synaxarion below) is placed on a stand in the middle of the solea. The candles are lit and the church is semi-illumined. The censer is used only for the stases of the Akathist Hymn. The curtain and Holy Doors are closed until the priest begins the first stasis of the Akathist Hymn. The priest wears a blue epitrachelion over his exorasson and starts Little Compline in front of the icon. Priest: Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir: Amen. Priest: Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee. O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art in all places, and fillest all things, Treasury of good things, and Giver of life, come, and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain; and save our souls, O good One. People: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (THRICE) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us from our sins. Master, pardon our iniquities. Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy Name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. (THRICE) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
    [Show full text]
  • Lazarus Saturday
    Lazarus Saturday The miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is commemorated on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. The forty days of the Great Lent come to an end. On Palm Sunday, the Church celebrates the power of Christ over death and exalts Him as King in His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These events take place just before the beginning of Holy Week and prepare us for the Resurrection of our Lord. 1. 5. Lazarus and his sisters Mary After he was unbound and free, and Martha were good friends of our he went home walking. Many people Lord Jesus Christ. One time when Jesus who saw the miracle were amazed and was far away, Lazarus became very sick believed that Jesus was truly sent by God. and died. When he knew that Lazarus John 11: 1-44 had died, He told his disciples, “Our friend Laz′arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.” The disciples thought that he was going simply to wake him up, until he explained that Lazarus 4. had really died and he was going to bring him back to life. When the stone was removed, he raised his eyes and hands and prayed to the Father, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that 2. thou hearest me always, but I Four days later Jesus have said this on account of the arrived in Bethany where he 3. people standing by, that they may was met by crying Martha who Soon her sister Mary came to them believe that thou didst send me.” said, “Lord, if you had been here, crying.
    [Show full text]
  • A Byzantine Christmas
    VOCAL ENSEMBLE 26th Annual Season October 2017 Tchaikovsky: All-Night Vigil October 2017 CR Presents: The Byrd Ensemble November 2017 Arctic Light II: Northern Exposure December 2017 A Byzantine Christmas January 2018 The 12 Days of Christmas in the East February 2018 Machaut Mass with Marcel Pérès March 2018 CR Presents: The Tudor Choir March 2018 Ivan Moody: The Akáthistos Hymn April 2018 Venice in the East A Byzantine Christmas: Sun of Justice 1 What a city! Here are just some of the classical music performances you can find around Portland, coming up soon! JAN 11 | 12 FEB 10 | 11 A FAMILY AFFAIR SOLO: LUKÁŠ VONDRÁCˇEK, pianist Spotlight on cellist Marilyn de Oliveira Chopin, Smetana, Brahms, Scriabin, Liszt with special family guests! PORTLANDPIANO.ORG | 503-228-1388 THIRDANGLE.ORG | 503-331-0301 FEB 16 | 17 | 18 JAN 13 | 14 IL FAVORITO SOLO: SUNWOOK KIM, pianist Violinist Ricardo Minasi directs a We Love Our Volunteers! Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Schubert program of Italy’s finest composers. n tns to our lol volunteers o serve s users ste re o oe ersonnel osts PORTLANDPIANO.ORG | 503-228-1388 PBO.ORG | 503-222-6000 or our usns or n ottee eers n oe ssstnts Weter ou re ne to JAN 15 | 16 FEB 21 us or ou ve een nvolve sne te ennn tn ou or our otent n nness TAKÁCS QUARTET MIRÓ QUARTET WITH JEFFREY KAHANE “The consummate artistry of the Takács is Co-presented by Chamber Music Northwest ou re vlue rt o te O l n e re rteul simply breathtaking” The Guardian and Portland’5 Centers for the Arts FOCM.ORG | 503-224-9842 CMNW.ORG | 503-294-6400 JAN 26-29 FEB 21 WINTER FESTIVAL: CONCERTOS MOZART WITH MONICA Celebrating Mozart’s 262nd birthday, Baroque Mozart and Michael Haydn string quartets DEC 20 concertos, and modern concertos performed by Monica Huggett and other PDX VIVALDI’S MAGNIFICAT AND GLORIA CMNW.ORG | 503-294-6400 favorites.
    [Show full text]
  • The Little Metropolis at Athens 15
    Bucknell University Bucknell Digital Commons Honors Theses Student Theses 2011 The Littleetr M opolis: Religion, Politics, & Spolia Paul Brazinski Bucknell University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/honors_theses Part of the Classics Commons Recommended Citation Brazinski, Paul, "The Little eM tropolis: Religion, Politics, & Spolia" (2011). Honors Theses. 12. https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/honors_theses/12 This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses at Bucknell Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Bucknell Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Paul A. Brazinski iv Acknowledgements I would like to acknowledge and thank Professor Larson for her patience and thoughtful insight throughout the writing process. She was a tremendous help in editing as well, however, all errors are mine alone. This endeavor could not have been done without you. I would also like to thank Professor Sanders for showing me the fruitful possibilities in the field of Frankish archaeology. I wish to thank Professor Daly for lighting the initial spark for my classical and byzantine interests as well as serving as my archaeological role model. Lastly, I would also like to thank Professor Ulmer, Professor Jones, and all the other Professors who have influenced me and made my stay at Bucknell University one that I will never forget. This thesis is dedicated to my Mom, Dad, Brian, Mark, and yes, even Andrea. Paul A. Brazinski v Table of Contents Abstract viii Introduction 1 History 3 Byzantine Architecture 4 The Little Metropolis at Athens 15 Merbaka 24 Agioi Theodoroi 27 Hagiography: The Saints Theodores 29 Iconography & Cultural Perspectives 35 Conclusions 57 Work Cited 60 Appendix & Figures 65 Paul A.
    [Show full text]
  • A Concise Glossary of the Genres of Eastern Orthodox Hymnography
    Journal of the International Society for Orthodox Church Music Vol. 4 (1), Section III: Miscellanea, pp. 198–207 ISSN 2342-1258 https://journal.fi/jisocm A Concise Glossary of the Genres of Eastern Orthodox Hymnography Elena Kolyada [email protected] The Glossary contains concise entries on most genres of Eastern Orthodox hymnography that are mentioned in the article by E. Kolyada “The Genre System of Early Russian Hymnography: the Main Stages and Principles of Its Formation”.1 On the one hand the Glossary is an integral part of the article, therefore revealing and corroborating its principal conceptual propositions. However, on the other hand it can be used as an independent reference resource for hymnographical terminology, useful for the majority of Orthodox Churches worldwide that follow the Eastern Rite: Byzantine, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian et al., as well as those Western Orthodox dioceses and parishes, where worship is conducted in English. The Glossary includes the main corpus of chants that represents the five great branches of the genealogical tree of the genre system of early Christian hymnography, together with their many offshoots. These branches are 1) psalms and derivative genres; 2) sticheron-troparion genres; 3) akathistos; 4) canon; 5) prayer genres (see the relevant tables, p. 298-299).2 Each entry includes information about the etymology of the term, a short definition, typological features and a basic statement about the place of a particular chant in the daily and yearly cycles of services in the Byzantine rite.3 All this may help anyone who is involved in the worship or is simply interested in Orthodox liturgiology to understand more fully specific chanting material, as well as the general hymnographic repertoire of each service.
    [Show full text]
  • Saints and Their Families in Byzantine Art
    Saints and their Families in Byzantine Art Lois DREWER Δελτίον XAE 16 (1991-1992), Περίοδος Δ'. Στη μνήμη του André Grabar (1896-1990)• Σελ. 259-270 ΑΘΗΝΑ 1992 Lois Drewer SAINTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN BYZANTINE ART* In recent studies Dorothy Abrahamse and Evelyne Pat- St. George rides over the sea to Mytilene on a white lagean, among others, have explored Greek hagiogra- horse with a young boy, still holding the glass of wine he phical texts for insight into Byzantine attitudes toward was serving when he was rescued, seated behind him. children and family life. In contrast, art historians have On a Mt. Sinai icon, St. Nicholas returns a similarly so far contributed relatively little to the debate1. The reasons for this are not hard to discover. Despite the overwhelming impact of the cult of saints in Byzantine * This article contains material presented, in different form, in papers art, narrative scenes depicting the lives of the saints are read at Parents and Children in the Middle Ages: An Interdisciplinary relatively rate. Furthermore, many of the existing hagi- Conference, held at the CUNY Graduate Center, New York City, on ographical scenes record the heroic suffering of the mar­ March 2, 1990, and at the Seventeenth Byzantine Studies Conference, tyrs in a seemingly unrelieved sequence of tortures and Hellenic College, Brookline, Mass., Nov. 7-10, 1991. 2 1. E. Patlagean, L'enfant et son avenir dans la famille byzantine executions . Other Byzantine representations of saints (IVème-XIIème siècles), in Structure sociale, famille, chrétienté à By- celebrate the values of the ascetic life including with­ zance, IVe-XIe siècles, London 1981, X, pp.
    [Show full text]
  • Durham E-Theses
    Durham E-Theses Methodios I patriarch of Constantinople: churchman, politician and confessor for the faith Bithos, George P. How to cite: Bithos, George P. (2001) Methodios I patriarch of Constantinople: churchman, politician and confessor for the faith, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/4239/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 METHODIOS I PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE Churchman, Politician and Confessor for the Faith Submitted by George P. Bithos BS DDS University of Durham Department of Theology A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Orthodox Theology and Byzantine History 2001 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published in any form, including' Electronic and the Internet, without the author's prior written consent All information derived from this thesis must be acknowledged appropriately.
    [Show full text]