Categories: hymns, feast-days, fairfield, ramblings
Date: 10 May 2012 01:04:20
Christ is Risen! Yesterday I visited the Protection of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia parish in Cabramatta. I believe Fr Alexis from the monastery I visited used to be the priest here, and I am guessing he had some hand in the beautiful icons that cover almost every inch [odd how although I was born post-metric "inch" sounds "right" compared to "centimetre" for some reason...] of the church. This page -- from the visit of the Myrrh-Streaming Icon of the Mother of God, “Softening of Evil Hearts”, last year -- shows the beautiful interior of the church and the exterior can be seen on the parish's directory page. Such beauty in an area that is not in a well-off area of Sydney, economically or socially: in fact Cabramatta had, and perhaps still does, have a reputation for crime and drugs. I live nearby and, while not dismissing those aspects, have seen a different side of the blessings of cultural diversity through friendships, exchanges of beliefs, and not forgetting food! Russians and Southern Europeans came in the 1950s to 1960s and South-East Asian migration, many refugees, came in the 1970s and 1980s. A lot of the Russians I believe were from the east of Russia also, near Mongolia and China, as I saw a few people in church with facial features resembling peoples from that part of the world. The Fairfield local government area, where I live and where Cabramatta is, is still an area of great cultural diversity, and I believe I have been blessed in being brought up here and exposed to different cultures, and in making friends with people from many different cultures. The beauty and majesty of the church does truly shine through; to me it is a beautiful and holy place. It did get me thinking of how such churches must've been viewed in days past where most people had very humble dwellings. Coming to churches with beautiful artwork, precious vessels, beautiful vestments, not to mention the singing or chanting, incense, etc., must truly have been an other-wordly experience. And the same with civic buildings, such as town halls and libraries, or grand business buildings. It seemed, and I may be completely wrong as this is just my rambling, back then the buildings and experiences common to all were as beautiful as they could be, while now it seems the emphasis on beauty is in the private dwelling and many civic buildings and churches are taking on a more humble presentation, though with exceptions of course. No judgement, though I have my preferences, but just my rambling... I understand concerns on wealth within while there are poor and needy without, particularly in regard to churches: not sure I have an answer, but I do believe it is not intrinsically wrong to have such beauty and wealth within, as long as it is not for vain display and as long as we are always reminded to remember practically, in word and deed, those in need around us. Anyway...where was I? Back to Mid-Pentecost. As we reach the mid-point between Pascha and Pentecost, as we celebrated the Cross midway in Great Lent, we have a Feast half-way here to refresh us spiritually, as we consider Christ's preaching in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles as in John 7:14-30. Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem for the Feast healed the Paralytic (John 5:1-16), and as we heard this reading and celebrated this miracle on Sunday, we continue to journey with Christ to the midpoint of our new festival. It was a beautiful service; do I find Russian chant very appealing to the ears, and at the end there was a Blessing of the Waters after the Divine Liturgy, where Psalms and Scripture are read, prayers are prayed, hymns are chanted ("Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life", the Paschal hymn, was sung innumerable times...), the priest places a cross in the waters in the font three times (fonts tend to be larger in Orthodox than Anglican or Roman Catholic fonts), and then sprinkles the Holy Water around the church and on the people. The Holy Water is then given to the people to take home. A blessing indeed to attend the Divine Liturgy and Blessing of the Waters; God is gracious in my being able to attend and experience services I could not were I working. A blessed Feast of Mid-Pentecost to all!Troparion: Mid-way in the feast, refresh my thirsty soul with the flowing waters of piety. For You cried out to all, O Saviour, "Let him who thirsts come to me and drink." You, O Christ our God, are the Fountain of Life, glory to You. Kontakion: O sovereign Master and Creator of all things, O Christ our God, You did cry unto those present at the Judaic Mid-feast and address them thus: "Come and draw the water of immortality freely." Wherefore, we fall down before You and faithfully cry out: "Grant Your compassions unto us, O Lord, for You are truly the Wellspring of life for all."