Medieval hymns and hymnals

Medieval Hymns and Hymnals. This entry is by various authors. See below. Hymns have been a part of Christian worship since the earliest times, but the use of Latin in worship appears to postdate the acceptance by Emperor Constantine of Christianity as the official Roman faith in 313. On the patristic Latin hymn repertory, see Latin hymns*. Medieval hymns vary in their poetic structure, some being metrical, some accentual, and others are organized according to syllable count together with final accent and/or rhyme. On the varying textual structures, see Latin hymns*. The Function of Hymns in the Middle Ages (SLB) Hymns in Monastic Life Hymns became part of the western monastic office by...