In his his splendid biography of Fr Seraphim Rose, Fr Damascene Christensen tells the story of a young monastic aspirant seeking the esoteric spirituality of Orthodox Christianity on Mt Athos. But once he finally arrives at his destination, the Abbot hands him a copy of Dickens’ novel, “David Copperfield” to read. When the young man protests in dismay that … [Read more...] about Literature, Culture and the Western Soul
Music
Is Music Sacred?
If there is no pre-existing, intelligible order to go out to and apprehend, and to search through for what lies beyond it – which is the Creator – what then is music supposed to express? If external order does not exist, then music collapses in on itself and degenerates into an obsession with techniques. Any ordering of things, musical or otherwise, becomes purely … [Read more...] about Is Music Sacred?
The Christmas Oratorio Finale by Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev
Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), Bishop of Volokolamsk and chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, is a prolific writer and also a composer. One might ask where he finds that time to compose music given his busy schedule. Met. Hilarion responds that much of his writing occurs during layovers in airports … [Read more...] about The Christmas Oratorio Finale by Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev
Listen to “Suprasl” — Orthodox Chant Discovered from a Lost 16th Century Illuminated Manuscript [VIDEO]
As Holy Week approaches and we prepare ourselves both spiritually and physically for a demanding time of salvific drama and cosmic triumph, we offer a truly heavenly rendition of the “Cherubic Hymn” by Anatoly Grindenko and the Russian Patriarchate Choir, taken from their sublimely beautiful album “Suprasl.” The music was painstakingly deciphered … [Read more...] about Listen to “Suprasl” — Orthodox Chant Discovered from a Lost 16th Century Illuminated Manuscript [VIDEO]
Kontakion for the Holy Theophany
By St. Romanos the Melodist Today you have appeared to the whole world, and your light, O Lord, has made a sign upon us who, with knowledge, sing your praise, “You have come, you have appeared, the unapproachable Light.” In Galilee of the Gentiles, in the country of Zebulon and the land of Nepthali, as the prophet said, a great light has shone—Christ … [Read more...] about Kontakion for the Holy Theophany