Joseph the Hymnographer. Kanones on Saints According to the Eight Modes. Critical Edition

Toma Paraskevi

Abstract

Joseph the Hymnographer (c. AD 816–886) belonged to the Constantinopolitan intellectual élite and was a prominent teacher. His liturgical poetic oeuvre comprises different subgenres. However, he is best known for his kanones. A kanon is a long hymn penned in one of the eight Byzantine modes and sung during the early morning office (Orthros). The present critical edition aims to determine the original text of groups consisting of eight kanones each and dedicated to prominent saints. Within each group, Joseph composed onekanonper mode.