Theotokia in Kanones altbulgarischer Provenienz
Theotokia in the Canones of Old Bulgarian Origin

Summary/Abstract: The first canons for liturgical use on Slavonic language are composed by the Cyrillo-Methodian disciples in Bulgaria. Following the musical structure of the Byzantine models they create writings with independent content. Later, especially when the full Menaia for the East Slavonic mission is completed, the literal translation of the Greek samples when the metrical structure has been neglected becomes a principle. The present paper shows that in many of these original Old Bulgarian canons the theotokia are preserved according to the new principle of translating from Greek. In eight canons the Greek archetype of the theotokia can be fully identified. They do not belong to the primary composition of the canons. This is absolutely clear when there is an acrostic in the canons and the theotokia are not included in it. Only in the later tradition when the established theotokia are a part of the canons’ structure the original Old Bulgarian canons include already known theotokia.

• Details
• Contents