EASTER CONCERT: "PANAGIA, THE MOTHER OF LIGHT"
A secular version of Christmas has come to dominate the Western liturgical calendar, which could be explained by the need for light during the dark winter days. But it is not in keeping with the Christian dogma in which the Resurrection is the central event, not the Incarnation or the Nativity. So let's edify and uplift the West's tortured Christian spirit right now with a recent performance in Athens on January 8, originally scheduled for posting here on Orthodox Easter on May 5. For that slot we have another great performance to look forward to.
Jan. 14, 2024 Saint Maximos the Greek Institute: Concert "Panagia - Mother of Light" by George Theophanus | Offical Music Video.
Since the Great Schism of 1054 Western Christianity has been cut off from the root. Existential crisis after existential crisis has taken the faith and ran with it. Until is has now become unrecognizable and no one is able to disentangle the true story.
As a result almost no one in the West, not even devout Christians, have any idea why they believe what they believe. Take this Holy Saturday, in which Christ's Harrowing of Hades (icon, icon, poem by Jonathan Jackson), His actual victory over death, is supposed to be celebrated.
In the West the event has has long been taken off the liturgical calendar as simply too cringe (like hell and the devil). But it is absolutely essential to the Christian dogma.
Without the defeat of death, which was necessary for Adam and Eve to remain human beings, there is no salvation, no Christ, no Christianity. We will come back about the issue in a separate posting in the near future.
Death Before the Resurrection of Christ
"Before the Resurrection, all the dead would go to Sheol (Hades) whether they were righteous or not. It was a place of darkness and death.. After Christ was laid into the tomb, he descended into Hades and broke the bonds of death and let out all of the people therein, such as King David and Solomon, John the Baptist, Adam and Eve among others."
Orthowiki on Resurrection.
The lyrics are based on poems dedicated to the Panagia, mainly by the Fathers of Mount Athos. It includes prayers and texts by modern day saints like St. Joseph the Hesychast, Elder Joseph the Vatopaidinos, Elder Moses the Athonite and Elder Theoclet of Dionysiatus.
Other poems are written by Vasos Christoforou about the miraculous icons of the Panagia, as well as poems by well-known poets such as K. Cavafy, K. Varnali, I. Drosini, K. Moni and others.
The original music is flanked by hymns and troparia about the life of the Panagia, miraculous icons of the Panagia, as well as hymns about the Nativity and Passion of Christ.
Directing and texts: Despina Gatziou
Movement - Choreography: Petros Gallias
Stage and Costume editing: Asi Dimitrolopoulou
Director of the Symphony Orchestra: Giorgos Theofanous
Singers: Manolis Mitsias, Pizza Papadopoulou, Despina Olympiou, Petros Gaitanos, Lydia Servou, Kyros Patsalidis, Ines Zikou Symphonic Orchestra Soloist: Michael Kolokotronis
Symphony Orchestra Orchestrations: Dinos Giorgountzos Orchestration in aria "Maria": Antonis Sousamoglou
Orchestration at "Tem-ri-rem": Giorgos Karvelos
Folk and Traditional Orchestra of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens "Canes"
Artistic Address: Georgios Demelis
Greek Byzantine Choir Choirmaster: Giorgos Konstantinou
Music School of Ilion
Byzantine Choir of the Music School of Ilion
Mixed Choir "Sheptachord Lyra" of the Holy Church of Agios Efthimios, Keratsini
Children's Choir of the Municipality of Dionysos
Youth Choir of the Municipality of Dionysos
and many others
Technicians: Spyros Kourkoumelis, Pavlos Sapountzis, Nikolas Economides
Listen and download the whole album free (link).
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