Panegyric as a genre of sermon: pragmatic aspect (based on the sermons by the metropolitan Arseniy (Yakovenko) of Svyatogorsk)

Svitlana Shepitko

Mariupol State University

Mariya Smirnova

Mariupol State University

Abstract

The paper focuses on a pragmatic study of panegyric as one of the essential genres of Orthodox sermon. It is aimed to study linguistic means representing panegyric strategies and tactics in Russian and Ukrainian. The results of the research of 100 panegyrics belonging to Metropolitan of Svyatogorsk Arseny exemplify linguistic peculiarities, bilingualism being his style determining element. Lots of axiological elements are indicative for his speech; however pseudo dialogue and means of creating comic effect which are inherent for Orthodox sermon are absent. Prevailing topics are war, life in Donbas region, Svyatogorsk Monastery’s spiritual activity. The metropolitan of Svyatogorsk Arseny’s panegyric avoids appellatives, imperatives, tactics of aggression and fascination; his global strategy is educational as he exemplifies and calls to holiness. The outcome of our investigation proves that the homilist Metropolitan of Svyatogorsk Arseny belongs to adherents of antirhetorical approach to converting, whose speech is devoid of high style, abstractness and rhetoric, and who considers the spiritual image of the shepherd the main guarantee of successful preaching.

Keywords:

panegyric     Orthodox sermon     strategies and tactics     pragmatics     religious discourse