Liturgical Poetry in Christian Nubia The Evidence of the Wall Inscriptions in the Lower Church at Banganarti

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English | ISBN: 9042943777 | 2020 | 161 pages | PDF | 62 MB
This book provides an editio princeps of the 29 Greek inscriptions discovered on inner walls of the Lower Church in Banganarti (modern Sudan). They were executed between the middle of seventh and turn of tenth-eleventh century and form a fascinating and diverse group, which allows a closer look at many aspects of the history and culture of Christian Nubia. They include texts containing single proper names, as well as longer texts supplying information on historical events and throwing light on the spiritual and ritual life of the Christian community in Nubia. The most remarkable group of texts was placed in one room located exactly opposite to the apse. The inscriptions found there form a homogeneous group with all texts comprising liturgical hymns. Among the texts, one can distinguish a liturgical canon and structural hymn for the begging of Lent, another canon for Lazarus Saturday, a series of short troparia connected with the Palm Sunday procession and a list of hymns and psalms incipits. Those texts significantly enlarge the modest collection of liturgica known from Christian Nubia; therefore their analysis in a broader context is an essential part of this book.