The Structure of 19th-Century Romanian Hymnographic Books

The study analyzes the structural features of 19th-century Romanian hymnographic books, offering a comparative analysis of editions published in Chișinău and in other Romanian printing centers. Starting from the reemergence of scholarly interest in religious texts following the period of ideological repression in the 20th-century, the research highlights the contribution of liturgical books in transmitting theological tradition and reflecting the social, cultural, and linguistic transformations of local communities. The investigation elucidates the historical premises of the development of Orthodox hymnography – from the Tropologion to the consolidation of the medieval and modern hymnographic corpus – as well as the specific characteristics of translations into Romanian. The examination of the old book collections from the National Library of the Republic of Moldova and the Library of the Romanian Academy enables the reconstruction of Romanian typographical continuity. Finally, the article examines the structural particularities of the Octoechos, Triodion, and Penticostarion as fundamental components of the Orthodox liturgical cycle.