Cosmas of maiuma and his contribution into the 8th century reform of hagiopolite hymnography
- Authors: Nikiforova А.Y.1,2
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Affiliations:
- A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities
- Issue: Vol 84, No 1 (2025)
- Pages: 75-88
- Section: Articles
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/1605-7880/article/view/289282
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S1605788025010077
- ID: 289282
Open Access
Access granted
Abstract
By the 8th century, a need for a development of a new revised version of the old Hagiopolite Tropologion (Iadgari), the main hymnal of Jerusalem tradition, appeared. Based on the earliest 8th–9th centuries manuscript witnesses of the works of Cosmas of Maiuma, Sinai Greek MG NF 56+5, and National Library of Russia Greek 29, the author reconstructs the poetʼs contribution to the renewal of the Tropologion and examines, how he solved three problems, i.e. 1) calendar-repertoire, and replaced common propers with special ones, 2) architectonic, and standardized the structures, and developed the patterns for other authors can create new hymns, which correlated to the hymnal composition, 3) interpretive and poetic, and upgraded the artistic value of the texts. Cosmas composed new hymns for great feasts and saints who previously had no or incomplete propers. He stabilized the shape of canon, with eight odes (1, 3–9), and developed heirmoi, which served as poetic and melodic models for subsequent troparia. Finally, he interpreted the Lectionary readings in accordance with Byzantine homiletic and theological thought, and created his unique exegesis; he adapted ancient vocabulary into Christian liturgical poetry. For the contribution to the renewal of Jerusalem hymnography, Cosmas already in Byzantium received the palm of primacy, as it was stated by Nicephorus Callistus Ksanthopoulos, and recognition through all his texts were built up into the further hymnographical tradition.
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About the authors
А. Yu. Nikiforova
A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences; St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University for the Humanities
Author for correspondence.
Email: sashunja@yandex.ru
Cand. Sci. (Philol.), Senior Researcher, Senior Researcher
Russian Federation, 25a Povarskaya Str., Moscow, 191069; 6-1 Likhov Lane, Moscow, 127051References
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