Himnography in the modern Serbian Language: Lexicon, Stylistics, Interculturality

The article deals with the practice of the liturgical work in the Serbian Orthodox Church as presented by the modern Serbian literary language; special attention has been given to the services that are written in 21st century in the process of canonization of the newfound saints of God. On the example of three services (the services devoted to the Saint Peter II Cetin’ski, Rev. Stefanida Skadarska and Bitol’ska, and Rev. Justin the New Serbian) author demonstrate the possibilities of the modern Serbian language. Among the reasons for the transition to the Serbian language in the liturgical texts, the author names, firstly, freshness, originality, artistic expression and the lack of stylization, and secondly, the desire to convey the meaning of the text to the church meeting, as well as to glorify the Serbian saints in the language in which they spoke, wrote and preached. The studied hymnographic texts are based on a deep connection with the heritage of the glorified saints, which manifests itself in quotations and allusions to their texts, the inclusion of their characteristic vocabulary, especially the author’s neologisms. The listed characteristics are style-forming for modern services, and the voice of the saints merges with the “voice” of the Church and its teachings