Chapter Una prassi liturgica controversa nella Russia del Cinquecento: il «Breve discorso» sull’alleluia di Massimo il Greco

Abstract

This article focuses on a particular controversy that swept through Eastern Slavic Christianity between the 16th and 18th centuries: the so-called “alleluia dispute” (spor ob allilue), i.e. the problem of the performance of the hymn with the triple or double repetition of the Hebrew term ‘alleluia’ before the verse ‘Glory to you, O Lord’. In this debate, one of the contributing voices was that of Maximus the Greek. This study presents and analyzes his short discourse to those who dared to say “alleluia” three times (Slovco k’’ smějuščim’’ triždy glagolati «alliluia» črez predania cerkovnago, a četvertoe «slava tebě bože»). Maximus’ intervention took place in the context of the events that occurred in the political and religious history of Muscovy at a time when questions of liturgical practice also assumed importance in the broader context of the affirmation and identity development of Russian Orthodox Christianity in relation to the West.