"Homily for Palm Sunday" by John of Rostov: Problems of Dating and Attribution

Abstract

The Purpose of this Study was to determine who was the author of the Homily for Palm Sunday. The homily was preserved in a single copy - the manuscript of the Synaxarion of the 16th century from the collection of the Russian National Library (F.I.723). The title of the text indicates that its author is John of Rostov, but the problem is that the Rostov see was occupied by two bishops with the name John, who could have written this work. The question of the attribution of the teaching has not yet been finally resolved. For the first time, the chronicle news about John, who was the bishop of the Rostov land in 1190–1213, were analyzed. A connection has been discovered between the chronicle information about the arrival of John of Rostov in Vladimir on March 16, on the eve of Palm Sunday, and the theme of Flowering Week, which he chose for his first Sermon. It was established that when creating his teaching, John of Rostov turned to the texts of Words on the Bright Sunday of Easter by John Chrysostom, Homily on the Palm Sunday by Cyril of Turov, and the Sermons On Holy Lentenness by Dorotheus of Gaza. Textual analysis of the instruction made it possible to identify its genre differences from other solemn sermons on the main Christian holidays. The work of John of Rostov contains a significant edifying part, its main themes being reflections on fasting and repentance. The text of the teaching is replete with indications for the current moment, for the days of fasting experienced by Christians. Unlike John Chrysostom and Cyril of Turov, John of Rostov in the text refers not to “brethren”, but to “children”, “his son”. An important part of the Homily is the author’s discussion of his role and tasks in the episcopal see. It has been established that the content of the sermon coincides with the description of the circumstances of the arrival of John of Rostov to the episcopal see in the chronicles and his subsequent actions to establish the veneration of St. Leontius of Rostov. A hypothesis has been put forward that the Homily for Palm Sunday was delivered by bishop John of Rostov in the Assumption cathedral in Vladimir on March 18, 1190, on the day of the celebration of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. This was not just a solemn word on the occasion of one of the twelve feasts, but the first address to the flock of the new bishop.