Guest Lecture by Mr Andrew Mellas

At the invitation of Protopresbyter Dr Doru Costache, on 9 March 2016 Mr Andrew Mellas, a PhD candidate with the University of Sydney who specialises in the Byzantine experience of the liturgical space, offered a guest lecture for T7383A Later Byzantine Patristic Theology. The lecture, "Eating scrolls: The hymnography of St Romanos the Melodist," introduced the students to the history of Byzantine hymnography and its significance for the ecclesial milieu, focusing on the personality and hymnographical creativity of the great Syrian poet of Greek expression, St Romanos. A highlight of the lecture was the first-hand experience of the guest lecturer, host and students, who read in turns the stanzas of the kontakion "On the Victory of the Cross," the group taking up the refrain after each strophe. The host and the students are grateful to Andrew for this very informative and inspiring presentation.

Mr Andrew Mellas lecturing for T7383A

Students attending the guest lecture