VЪZGLAVLENIJE or VЪZGRAŽDENIJE? On the Slavonic Translation of the Greek Word Ἀνακεφαλαίωσις

Abstract

In this article the author examines the meaning of the Church Slavonic words vъzglavlenije (literally ‘heading’) and vъzgraždenije (literally ‘erecting’) that occur in the Great Menaion Reader compiled in the 16th century under the supervision of St. Macarius, metropolitan of Moscow. These words have been used to translate the Greek term ἀνακεφαλαίωσις ‘recapitulation’ in Constantinopolitan Patriarch Tarasios’ Homily on the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple. The first Slavonic word is a specific derivational and semantic calque. The second one seems to be more correct as the exact semantic equivalent for the Greek word. Comparative analysis of derivative relationships of the Church Slavonic words and their comparison with Greek data as well as the treatment of some unique and rare passages, including those of a theological character, make it possible to establish previously uncovered lexical meaning of the words vъzglavlenije and vъzgraždenije ‘implementation.’ The problem of theological commentary in historical dictionaries of a general character is also covered in this article.