Orthodox Chanters as Divine Instruments: Pseudo-Dionysios and Beyond

Abstract

The present chapter explores the Pseudo-Dionysian understanding of church singing and its influence on later liturgical commentaries up until the 20th century, including Maximus the Confessor’s Mystagogy, (Pseudo-?)Germanus of Constantinople’s Ecclesiastical History, Nicholas Cabasilas’ Commentary on the Divine Liturgy, and Archimandrite Vasileios’ Hymn of Entry, through three case studies: the Antiphons, Trisagion, and the Cherubic Hymn sung in the Divine Liturgy. These hymns are examined through the Pseudo-Dionysian notion of hymnody, in which the one chanting (either spiritually or concretely) steps onto the path of divine ascent. In the end, the difference between the faithful and the appointed chanters in the light of these texts is considered, providing conclusions to understand better the sacramental role of the appointed chanter in the Pseudo-Dionysian hierarchic worldview.