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Abstract:

The Orthodox church actively uses the Biblical text during services, not only reading it but also interpreting and explaining it through liturgical texts. Feast days celebrating events of the Evangelical history are of particular interest, as in such cases a fragment of the Evangelical text is repeatedly read during the service; and the text of the hymns not only retells the event in verses but also explains its deep meaning. The article examines how the main principles of Byzantine exegesis (such as historical commentary, allegorism, and typological methods) are used in liturgical texts, by the example of the celebration of the Presentation of Jesus in the temple, dedicated to the meeting of the Infant Jesus and Simeon (Luke: 2:22–39). It also considers the unique possibilities of understanding Biblical texts (especially Evangelical narratives) afforded by the liturgical tradition. The main peculiarity in the reception and understanding of the events described in the New Testament during the service is the “recollection”. The liturgical “recollection” is not a mental reenactment of the past, but a real emotional experience. For those who take part in the service, Biblical facts become actual, and the events they celebrate are perceived as something happening here and now. The Orthodox service seeks to blur the line between participants to the service and the events told in the Evangelical text, putting the worshipper in one place with the Evangelical characters. The attitude of the Orthodox service towards the Bible text can be seen as a unique method of commentary.