The Acrostic Version of the Slavonic Translation of Two George Skylitzes’ Canons for St. John of Rila

A previously unknown acrostic version of the Slavonic translation of George Skylitzes' canons for St. John of Rila, preserved in the Rila Monastery manuscripts, has been identified. This version, distinct from earlier scholarly editions, features acrostics that rearrange words and add short phrases at the beginning of troparia, creating a secondary edition distinct from the original medieval Slavonic translation. The discovery demonstrates the possibility of introducing Slavic acrostics into Byzantine canons, providing new insights into the textual history and development of Slavic hymnography. The research is based on an analysis of the 'Green Menaia' liturgical text and comparative study with existing manuscripts.

Temčinas, S. (2021). The Acrostic Version of the Slavonic Translation of Two George Skylitzes’ Canons for St. John of Rila. Palaeoslavistica: Lexicology and Textology. In Commemoration of R. M. Cejtlin’s 100th Birthday, 232–250. https://doi.org/10.31168/2658-3372.2021.21.14