Reading Genesis in Lent: Reception of the Biblical Creation and Paradise Narrative in Byzantine Hymnography

While much has been written about how the Church Fathers used the Bible, there are considerably fewer studies on interpreting Scripture in Byzantine liturgical hymns. With its innovative approach from the perspective of a biblical scholar, this book aims to shed new light on how the first three chapters of the book of Genesis are interpreted in the hymns of Great Lent. Each chapter starts by presenting the verses from Genesis and the hymns that refer to them. Hymnographers' allusions and references to other Old and New Testament passages are highlighted. A short commentary introduces readers to the broader biblical context of the verses and the Church Fathers’ interpretations. This is followed by a comprehensive examination of the hymns’ text, focusing on how their authors interpret the verses of Genesis. The hymnographers' techniques of biblical interpretation, including intertextuality, the augmentative interpretation of Scripture, and the extensive use of metaphors, are also discussed. The proportion of quotations, references, allusions, or biblical expressions and images that Lenten hymns contain is impressive. Liturgical poetry is a complex, elevated, and exquisite form of biblical interpretation.