Byzantine Music Program begun at Dormition of the Theotokos Parish in Clearwater, FL

Details: Created on Saturday, 14 March 2009 20:33

At the request of certain youth of the parish, Fr. Savvas Anastasiou has begun lessons in Byzantine Music at the church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Clearwater, Florida. Still in its infancy, the program has as its aim the training of young chanters from the parish in order to continue the age-old tradition of chant which the Orthodox Church has preserved for centuries.

Although the program is open to all members of the parish, the youth—girls as well as boys—have shown the greatest interest in learning. They intend to take part incrementally in the Divine Services starting with the chanting of the Polyeleos (Psalm 135) during the Koinonikon of the Divine Liturgy and the Lamentations of Great Friday (Ἐπιτάφιος Θρῆνος). At the request of the students, all American-born, Ecclesiastical Greek will be used exclusively in the chanting.

A conservatory-trained classical musician and former elementary school music teacher, Fr. Savvas began informal Byzantine music studies with the Protopsaltis of the Cathedral of St. Markella in Astoria, NY, Mr. Stergios Papadopoulos, after entering the ranks of the clergy of the Metropolis. Being bi-lingual and schooled in both European and Byzantine music has allowed Fr. Savvas the flexibility to meet the needs of his students regardless of their musical or linguistic background.

Orthodox Awareness

A Miracle of Saint Spyridon

This miracle of Saint Spyridon took place in Mandra, Greece in 1926.

It was 12/25 December, 1926. The state Church of Greece adopted the Papal calendar and with the help of the Greek government persecuted all those who did not accept the Papal calendar. The faithful Orthodox Christians of Mandra woke up and headed to their Church to celebrate the Feast of Saint Spyridon. When they reached the Church they saw that the door to the Church had been secured with chains and the faithful could not enter. Before leaving the Church to return to their homes they stuck their candles on the door. As soon as the last person placed his candles on the door

the chains broke and fell. The faithful, confirmed in their Faith, entered the Church and celebrated the Feast of Saint Spyridon.

The miracle was reported the next day by the newspaper Skrip.

Missions

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Mission, Tucson, Arizona

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.

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