Hymnographic Texts Devoted to Saint John the Russian from 19th — Early 20th Centuries and the Evolution of the Saint’s Cult

Abstract

The present article deals with the evolution of the hymnographic discourse devoted to St. John the Russian in the Greek and Russian traditions, and to the Turkish-language sources of the certain traditions. The research was carried out on the basis of the material of three editions of the Greek Service to St. John the Russian from the middle and the end of 19th century and Russian manuscripts from the archive of the Russian St. Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos from the 19th — early 20th centuries. Special consideration was given to the changes in the image of the saint caused by the text transfer to another language and the reception of the cult in the target culture. The evolution of the cult of the Saint which follows the expansion of the geographical and ethnic borders of his veneration, and the role of the St. Panteleimon monastery on Athos in this process are also discussed.