An Unknown Creation of the 16th Century Hymnographer. Michael the Monk: A New Version of the Service to SS. Boris and Gleb
An Unknown Creation of the 16th Century Hymnographer. Michael the Monk: A New Version of the Service to SS. Boris and Gleb

Summary/Abstract: In a liturgical collection from the beginning of the 17th century, a new version of both services to SS. Boris and Gleb was found. In this version “non-corrected” and “corrected” hymns were combined with each other, and some hymns were corrected again. It contains, in addition, a new canon and cycles of stichera. The new canon in this service is signed as a creation of Michael the Monk. This signature is similar to that of a 16th century hymnographer called Michael, who mainly created princely services. His style was characterized by unlimited borrowings with minimal corrections. Textological analysis of these services and the service to St. Alexander Nevsky written by Michael the Monk shows them to be almost identical. The article analyses the creative style of the new service and tries to answer the question why was it necessary to correct the service to Holy Princes, when the widespread “exemplary” service attributed to Pachomius Logothete already existed.

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