Post-Communial Sticheron in the Byzantine-Slavic Liturgical Formularies: Musical and Liturgical Aspects

Liturgical formularies of the Byzantine (or Constantinopolitan) tradition have undergone many intercalations and omissions that have modified its actual cursus during the centuries. Post-Communial Sticheron 'We have seen the true light' belongs to more recent additions and have not been explained satisfactorily yet. This chant has not been a stable part of the liturgical formulary before 17(th) century and its insertion and stabilization after the Communion rites is still quite obscure. Interesting is its musical mutation from the original Octoechal modal musical system to a system of a free composition is some cultural traditions, again, not explained satisfactorily yet. This paper will bring the historical overview that will set into chronological table the process of accession of this sticheron into the Byzantine liturgical formularies, as well as the comparison of various musical models both Octoechal and compositional.