st. john of damascus (676-749 - Cristo Raul

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*42 ST. JOHN OF DAMASCUS.
majority are not in verse at all, but in rhythmical
prose. A few words of explanation may be desirable
to enable the reader to understand the nature of
these prose hymns.
1
In the Early Church, when forms adapted for
singing began to be required, a difficulty must have
been experienced from the very outset as to the
metre or measure in which they were to be com
posed. Probably the earliest of all were in a kind
of measured prose, such as the one quoted in
Eph. v. 14 : "Awake, thou that sleepest,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ shall give thee light."
"
Theo-
were given (i) three hymns in iambic metre, on the
gonia,"or Birth of Christ, the
Theophania,"
and
or Epiphany
the
"Pentecost,"
respectively; (2) four canons, on
Easter, the "Ascension," the "Transfiguration," and the
"Annunciation;" and (3) a Prayer in so-called anacreontics.
These occupy pp. 817-856 of vol. iii. of Migne s edition ; and
there are added to them, as an appendix (pp. 1364-1408), (i)
a canon on the passing of the Virgin Mary; (2) stanzas
Idiomela") used in the Office for Burial of the Dead ; and
(3) six canons found by Cardinal Mai in a MS. in the Vatican.
There are thus, in all, four pieces in classical metres ; one set
of verses on no fixed pattern, hence called "Idiomela;" and
eleven canons or hymns in rhythmical prose. No doubt the
number might be largely increased.
1
The description which follows is taken entirely from Dr
Neale s
"History of the Holy Eastern Church," part
i
(General Introduction), 1850, Bk. iv., c. iii. ; and from the
Introduction to his "Hymns of the Eastern Church" before
mentioned. While not able to share Dr. Neale s views on the
Eastern Church, in
many respects, I must bear my tribute of