Hymning the Transfiguration of Christ in the Greek East: Heortology, Thematic Development, and Theological Contributions

• Applicant: Dr. Gregory Tucker
• Subject Area: Roman Catholic Theology ; Greek and Latin Philology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 507706015

The key objective of this project is a groundbreaking, comprehensive study of the Greek hymns of the feast of the transfiguration of Christ, one of the most important annual liturgical celebrations in the Eastern Christian (Byzantine/Orthodox) calendar. Though of enduring theological significance, the origins and contents of this feast remain little studied and this project will fill a major lacuna in liturgical research, while also contributing to emerging discourses, such as those around the role of liturgy (and hymnography specifically) in the formation of Christian subjects.The project results will be issued in a monograph that comprises: a history of the emergence and development of the feast in the Christian (Byzantine) East; an edition of the Greek hymns of the feast edited on the basis of extensive original manuscript research and a translation into English; and a theological commentary, exploring the principal themes developed in the hymns in comparison with contemporary sources, including homilies, biblical commentaries, and dogmatic and ascetical treatises. Interim conclusions will be shared at conferences and may appear in print in conference proceedings and articles. The research data generated by this project (editions and translations) will also be archived digitally.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants