International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Dimitrios Skrekas
University of Oxford, Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages, Oxford, United Kingdom; 
[e-mail]
Neophytos, Bishop of Grevena (15
th
C.), and His Hymnographic Activity
This paper presents Neophytos, Bishop of Grevena in Macedonia (PLP 20121) (d. 1422), and 
his hitherto unknown hymnographic work. Aside from his ecclesiastical duties, the multifarious 
Neophytos was also a scribe and author of several religious sermons, epistles addressed to various 
recipients including the Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, and ecclesiastical hymns (particularly 
canons). The vast majority of his hymns are transmitted in codices Egerton MS 2744 and Athous, 
Protaton MS 78, both containing Menaia, revised significantly and expanded with new compositions 
by Neophytos. 
Although we are fortunate to have Neophytos’ autograph parts in these two codices, their 
critical edition remains a desideratum, and poses significant challenges. For example, we frequently 
encounter orthographical errors in the acrostics of hymns by Neophytos’ own hand, leaving no 
doubt that orthographical skills were rather limited in our poet. Notwithstanding this and other 
shortcomings, his material is important for it offers a glimpse of his level of literacy as well as 
hinting at his perception of contemporary historical events (such as the expansion of the Turks). 
From linguistic and stylistic point of view, his graecitas is noteworthy, since he makes use of rare 
forms of words throughout his hymns. These might be either Homeric, or stem from Ancient Greek 
lyric and tragic poetry. Of special importance is a kind of mixture in linguistic registers, since every 
now and then certain phrases are mingled with forms that lead towards Modern Greek.
The picture of Neophytos’ hymnographic activity is further illumined by an unusual kanon 
‘Οn the cycles of Sun and Moon,’ which is transmitted in MS Par. gr. 2315 (16
th
c.). The text belongs 
to the still neglected genre of didactic poetry. It is a rather telling example on how someone can find 
the dates of major feasts such as Easter, by chanting a hymn which contains all this information.
Analysis and study of the aforementioned hymns offer us insights on how a scholar of the 15
th
century in a rather remote place (Grevena), not so close to the capital, perceived hymnography. 
Despite the fact that Neophytos felt the superiority of his predecessors in hymnography, he did 
not remain a slavish imitator of their works and style. On the contrary, he expressed himself by 
composing new hymns, which deserve editing and further appraisal.

---

727