The Reform of the Hirmologion by the Russian Old Ritualists

Abstract

In this paper, the author presents new evidence for the reform of notated manuscripts undertaken by the Russian Old Ritualists (Old Believers) in the second half of the 17th century. The reform was independent of, though contemporaneous with the reform of notated manuscripts undertaken by those who agreed with the liturgical reforms of Patriarch Nikon. The author shows that the purpose of the Old Ritualist reform was to align the text of the notated Hirmologion with the grammatical rules codified in the Grammar of Meletii Smotritskii, as republished in Moscow in 1648, and with the text of the non-notated liturgical books printed at the Moscow Print Yard prior to the tenure of Patriarch Nikon.