Among the wide variety of Eastern Christian worship, one of the most profound phenomena is the act of praying with tears. Woven into the very fabric of ancient liturgical prayers and hymns, this practice raises important questions: Are these tears an expression of deep, repentant sadness, or do they reflect inner spiritual joy?
Growing out of a 2023 mini-symposium held at the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, this volume offers a thorough scholarly investigation of these questions. Introduced by Sebastian P. Brock, a distinguished group of scholars explores the rich history and theological meaning of holy tears across the Syriac, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Georgian, and Byzantine Christian traditions.