ON THE RELATION OF THE RELIQUES TO THE LITURGY:THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY APOSTLES IN CONSTANTINOPLE

Abstract

Through the analysis of the religious functions, this study tries to examine the social position of the church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, which is now lost to us. Many litereatures consider, this church should be dedicated to the Apostles. But the analysis of "Typikon of the Great Church", the liturgical source of the 10th century, eveals the strong ties between the reliques of the saints, which stored in this church, and their memorial feasts, for example St. Luke, St. Andrew and St. Timothy or some important bishops such as John Chrysostome and Gregory Nazianze. Against the precedent studies, the hierarchy of the saints does not play important roll.