Embodying a Quiet but Pervasive Presence: The Holy Spirit in Late Ancient Liturgical Poetry

Abstract

The sixth-century liturgical poet Romanos the Melodist creatively reimagined scriptural scenes in the poetic genre of kontakia for the Byzantine world. In his hymns, we catch a glimpse of the way that key theological themes were received, read, and used within the liturgy. With that context in mind, these hymns can show us how liturgical context and performance shaped the way that Romanos constructed his poetic narratives even as they illustrate what Romanos wants those in his audience to experience and perceive. This project asks: how is Romanos crafting the theological imagination of his audience, specifically around the person of the Holy Spirit? Examining the presence of pneuma in the texts and their performance, it discovers a quiet Spirit that pervades the hymns and the Constantinopolitan liturgy with refreshing fire.