Cardinal Pitra: Hymnographie de l’église grecque. Rome 1867. By the same: Analecta Sacra
Spicilegio Solesmensi parata, T. I. Par. 1876.
Wilhelm Christ et M. Paranikas: Anthologia Graeca carminum Christianorum. Lips. 1871. CXLIV
and 268 pages. The Greek text with learned Prolegomena in Latin. Christ was aided by Paranikas,
a member of the Greek church. Comp. Christ: Beiträge zur kirchlichen Literatur der Byzantiner.
München 1870.
[?]. L. Jacobi (Prof. of Church Hist. in Halle): Zur Geschichte der griechischen Kirchenliedes (a
review of Pitra’s Analecta), in Brieger’s "Zeitschrift für Kirchengesch., "vol. V. Heft 2, p.
177–250 (Gotha 1881).
For a small selection of Greek hymns in the original see the third volume of Daniel’s Thesaurus
Hymnologicus (1855), and Bässler’s Auswahl altchristlicher Lieder (1858), p. 153–166.
For English versions see especially J. M. Neale: Hymns of the Eastern Church (Lond. 1862, third
ed. 1866, 159 pages; new ed. 1876, in larger print 250 pages); also Schaff: Christ in Song (1869),
which gives versions of 14 Greek (and 73 Latin) hymns. German translations in Bässler, l.c. p.
3–25.
[Syrian Hymnology. To the lit. mentioned vol. III. 580 add: Gust. Bickell: S. Ephraemi Syri Carmina
Nisibena, additis prolegomenis et supplemento lexicorum syriacorum edidit, vertit, explicavit.
Lips.] 1866. Carl Macke: Hymnen aus dem Zweiströmeland. Dichtungen des heil. Ephrem des
Syrers aus dem syr. Urtext in’s Deutsche übertragen, etc. Mainz 1882. 270 pages. Macke is a
pupil of Bickell and a successor of Zingerle as translator of Syrian church poetry.]
The general church histories mostly neglect or ignore hymnology, which is the best reflection
of Christian life and worship.
The classical period of Greek church poetry extends from about 650 to 820, and nearly
coincides with the iconoclastic controversy. The enthusiasm for the worship of saints and images
kindled a poetic inspiration, and the chief advocates of that worship were also the chief hymnists.^437
Their memory is kept sacred in the Eastern church. Their works are incorporated in the ritual books,
especially the Menaea, which contain in twelve volumes (one for each month) the daily devotions
and correspond to the Latin Breviary.^438 Many are still unpublished and preserved in convent
libraries. They celebrate the holy Trinity and the Incarnation, the great festivals, and especially also
the Virgin Mary, the saints and martyrs, and sacred icons.
(^437) Neale and Pitra point out this connection, and Jacobi (l.c. p. 210 sq.) remarks: "Im Kampfe für die Bilder steigerte
sich die Glut der sinnlichen Frömmigkeit, und mit dem Siege der Bilderverehrung im neunten Jahrhundert ist eine innerliche
und aeusserliche Zunahme des Heiligenkultus und namentlich ein Wachsthum der Marienvehrung unverkennbar."
(^438) TheΜηναι̑α(sc.βιβλία, Monatsbücher) are published at Venice in the Tipografia Greca (ἡ ̔Ελληνικὴ τυπογραφία
του̑ φοίνικος). Each month has its separate title:Μηναι̑ον του̑ ̓ΙανουαρίουorΜὴν ̓Ιανουάριος ,etc. January begins with the
commemoration of the circumcision of our Lord and the commemoration of St. Basil the Great, and December ends with the
μνήμη τη̑ς ὁσίας Μητρὸς ἡμω̑ν Μελάνης τη̑σ ̔Ρωμαίας .The copy before me (from the Harvard University Library) is dated
1852, and printed in beautiful Greek type, with the directions in red ink. On older editions see Mone, Lat. Hymnen, II. p. x. sqq.
The other books of the Greek Ritual are the Paracletice (Παρακλητική,sc.βίβλος) or great Octoechus (̓Οκτώηχος, sc.βίβλος),
which contains the Sunday services the Triodion (Τριῴδιον, the Lent-volume), and the Pentecostarion (Πεντηκοστάριον, the
office for Easter-tide). " On a moderate computation," says Neale, " these volumes comprise 5,000 closely printed quarto pages,
in double columns, of which at least 4,000 are poetry." See the large works of Leo Allatius, De libris eccles. Graecorum; Goar,
Euchologion sive Rituale Graecorum, and especially the Second volume of Neale’s History of the Holy Eastern Church (1850),
p. 819 sqq.