The Cathedral Rite of Constantinople: Evolution of a Local Tradition

Abstract

This article studies the evolution of the Liturgy of the Hours at Constantinople after the ninth century, when not only monastic churches of the city, but also secular churches followed the liturgical rite referred to as “hagiopolitis”. Only the Cathedral was left using the rite appropriately called “ekklisiastis”. The article also analyzes particular forms of “bi-ritualism” between these two liturgical systems, with the tendency to conserve the “ekklisiastes” rite during the most important times of the liturgical year. Contrary to what was previously believed on the subject, the eleventh century was not the zenith of the cathedral tradition of Constantinople, but rather an age of decadence and abandonement.

Keywords

• worship
• rite
• constantinople
• typos
• lectionary
• euchologion
• psalter
• praxapostolos
• богослужение
• обряд
• константинополь
• устав
• лекционарий
• евхологий
• псалтирь
• праксапостол