A therapeuták himnuszéneklése Philón De vita contemplativa című munkája alapján
Psalm-singing in the Community of Therapeutae Based on De vita contemplativa by Philo of Alexandria

Summary/Abstract: The Therapeutae’s ascetic devotion is characterized not only by searching the scriptures, meditation and prayer but also by singing of hymns and psalms. Hymns were composed by the principals of the community, they were those who taught the community members to sing them and they continually enriched the hymnal with new ones. The Essenes’ and Therapeutae’s psalm-singing indicates first of all the common Old Testament origin. However these religious communities had different self-identity from that of the normative Jews and this identity required for a special psalm-poetry to be accomplished. The Therapeutae’s psalms remind us of the church psalm-tradition characterized, just like the Essene hymns, by responsive singing and refrains. This singing of hymns developed outside the church is due not only to the distance from the Sanctuary or to the estrangement from the priesthood, but also to the prophetical preaching criticizing sacrifice. The Essenes considered their community to be like a spiritual temple and this spiritual worship is very striking in the case of the Therapeutae as well.

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