Categories: uncategorized
Date: 31 May 2005 01:32:08
Via Fr Gregory's excellent site on Orthodoxy [Fr Gregory also has a blog], I found Anastasis, a wonderful web resource of the liturgical texts of the Orthodox Church. Thanks be to God for Archimandrite Ephrem and his work there. I know I'll be checking back there frequently to learn and read the many hymns of the Orthodox church.
Orthodox hymnody is very different to Western hymnody. I'm no expert in either so I can't provide any technical comparisons, but here a few differences I have noted. First, no instruments in Orthodoxy. I love organs and violins and trumpets as much as the next person [I was never one from drums and guitars...but to each their own], but Orthodoxy believes the human voice to be the best instrument and thus uses it alone. I still play "Western" hymns on my CD player, but I also see the great beauty of the Orthodox chant.
Orthodox hymns tend to be rather deep theologically. Not that there aren't Western hymns that are deep -- there are plenty -- but Orthodox hymns tend to play a larger part in each service. They are an integral part of each service and certain hymns are set for certain days of the church's liturgical year. It's not as if you can choose between, say, Holy, Holy, Holy and St Patrick's Breastplate [how I love that hymn!] for Trinity Sunday [I'd always take both if I could!] -- the hymns are prescribed for each day. And they are deep -- theological concepts abound throughout and I have been brought to a deeper understanding through hearing the words of these hymns.
As we are still in the Paschal season in the Orthodox calendar, the Easter Stichera is a set of verses that are continuing to be sung in our services. I find it impossible to be unmoved as it is sung -- it is so full of joy: joy in the victory of Christ and his conquering of death; joy in the hope of the Resurrection; joy at the most blessed feast of the year -- Pascha. Here is a selection from the the Anastasis website:
Let God arise, and his enemies be scattered: and let those that hate him flee before his face.A sacred Pascha has been shown forth to us today, a new and holy Pascha, a mystic Pascha, an all-venerable Pascha, a Pascha that is Christ the Redeemer, a spotless Pascha, a great Pascha, a Pascha of the faithful, a Pascha that has opened unto us the gates of Paradise, a Pascha that hallows all the faithful.
As smoke is dispersed, so let them be dispersed: as wax melts before the fire.
Come from that scene, O women, bearers of good tidings, and say to Zion: Receive from us the tidings of joy, of the Resurrection of Christ. Exult, dance and be glad, O Jerusalem, for you have seen Christ the King as a bridegroom come forth from the tomb.
So shall the wicked perish at the presence of God: but the righteous shall be glad.
The myrrh-bearing women at deep dawn drew near to the tomb of the giver of life; they found an Angel sitting on the stone, and he addressing them in this manner said: Why seek the living among the dead? Why mourn the incorruptible amid corruption? Go proclaim it unto his Disciples.
This is the day that the Lord has made: let us rejoice and be glad in it.
A Pascha of delight, Pascha, the Lord's Pascha, an all-venerable Pascha has dawned for us, a Pascha wherein let us embrace one another with joy. O Pascha, ransom from sorrow! Today Christ has shone forth from the tomb as from a bridal chamber, and has filled the women with joy, saying: Proclaim it to the Apostles.