Reception of Genesis 2,2–3 in the Orthodox Worship of the Holy Week
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/sacrascripta.2022.1.05Keywords:
liturgical exegesis, Genesis 2,2–3, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Orthodox hymnography, SynaxarionAbstract
Orthodox Christians come into contact with Holy Scripture during Great Lent, especially through cultic readings. During this period there are daily readings from Genesis, so the entire book is read during the first six weeks of Lent. The faithful also interact with the Bible through the hymns of Lent, which contain references to Old and New Testament texts. The reception of biblical texts also reveals how they have been understood, so we can consider cultic hymns as a form of interpretation, which newer research calls "liturgical exegesis". This article examines four texts used in Orthodox worship on Good Friday and Holy Saturday that include references to Gen 2,2–3. Both the sung and read texts make connections between the sixth day of creation and Good Friday and between the seventh day of creation and Holy Saturday. Adam’s actions in the Garden of Eden determine Christ's response on Calvary. But the hymnographers also affirm a reversed determinism: the present creation achieves its purpose only through the New Creation, the first Sabbath being sanctified through the sanctification of Great Saturday. By reading Gen 2,2–3 through the grid of the Gospel accounts, the cultic authors do not simplify but rather amplify the semantic potential of the text.
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