My first Divine Liturgy experience.

[heavenlyboy34]

Was quite late today because my ride was late. I was armed with my mini recorder and recorded audio of everything I was present for, though. SUCH a beautiful liturgy. I'm on my 3rd listening as I write. Next week I'll get a recording of the whole thing. I can post what I have in this thread if there's interest in it. (not the greatest quality because the dictation recorder isn't designed for recording music, but it's good enough for my purposes)

ETA: As always, I kissed the icons along with my fellow parishoners. I don't care if sola_fide's head explodes-I will continue doing it.

 

[TER]

Was quite late today because my ride was late. I was armed with my mini recorder and recorded audio of everything I was present for, though. SUCH a beautiful liturgy. I'm on my 3rd listening as I write. Next week I'll get a recording of the whole thing. I can post what I have in this thread if there's interest in it. (not the greatest quality because the dictation recorder isn't designed for recording music, but it's good enough for my purposes)

ETA: As always, I kissed the icons along with my fellow parishoners. I don't care if sola_fide's head explodes-I will continue doing it.

We have a new priest in our parish (our beloved Father George was sent to another parish whose priest just retired). Our new priest Father Athanasius is straight from Greece and very traditional and very spiritual. He is in his late 40's, about 6'3" tall, solidly built with a long grey bread. He could easily play the role as Moses in a Frank Zefferrilli movie! lol

The striking thing about him is although he has the frame of a pro wrestler, he is such a warm, kind hearted and meek soul. The children are automatically attracted to him. We are so happy to have him. The only problem is he knows very little English, which isn't that big of a deal since my parish is mostly first and second generation Greek-Americans. Thankfully, one of our parishoners who is an English teacher is giving him weekly lessons.

He has the most beautiful voice and performs the liturgy so reverently. It is other-worldly. . While we are sad that our beloved Father George has left us (many believe he will one day be Bishop), we are blessed to have such a loving shepherd in our community.

HB, when and if you can, please post the audio of the liturgy. I haven't yet had the privilege to attend an Antiochian service and would love to hear how it sounds.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

I've uploaded the recording I mentioned before. ->
http://yourlisten.com/matveimediaarts/rec003

Pardon the not-so-great quality, but it's a new (and rather cheap) recorder and this is the first time I've used it in a "real" situation. Also, my ride was late, so I missed quite a bit of the first part of the service. :/

ETA: Special thanks to Matthew5, who generously gifted me an amazon gift card so I could buy the recorder I used to make the recording.

 

[TER]

I've uploaded the recording I mentioned before. ->
http://yourlisten.com/matveimediaarts/rec003

Pardon the not-so-great quality, but it's a new (and rather cheap) recorder and this is the first time I've used it in a "real" situation.

Thank you HB!

The choir is absolutely beautiful. They sound better then some professional recordings I have heard. I can imagine how it must sound to hear it live filling the space of the church.

How many people are on the choir?

 

[eduardo89]

I've uploaded the recording I mentioned before. ->
http://yourlisten.com/matveimediaarts/rec003

Pardon the not-so-great quality, but it's a new (and rather cheap) recorder and this is the first time I've used it in a "real" situation.

Beautiful

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Thank you HB!

The choir is absolutely beautiful. They sound better then some professional recordings I have heard. I can imagine how it must sound to hear it live filling the space of the church.

How many people are on the choir?

My guess is 30-40 voices in the choir. They are in the back behind everyone and elevated a full story above, so it's hard to see them clearly (and during liturgy the light is rather dim which makes it harder yet). The voices fill the room in a most wonderful way, as you can only begin to imagine from the recording. I think even a high quality 24-50 track recording couldn't do justice to the sound.

 

[Matthew5]

I've uploaded the recording I mentioned before. ->
http://yourlisten.com/matveimediaarts/rec003

Pardon the not-so-great quality, but it's a new (and rather cheap) recorder and this is the first time I've used it in a "real" situation. Also, my ride was late, so I missed quite a bit of the first part of the service. :/

ETA: Special thanks to Matthew5, who generously gifted me an amazon gift card so I could buy the recorder I used to make the recording.

Good deal, glad it's useful!

Reminds me of a story that happened to one of our inquirers as he was visiting a monastery. He records every service he attends because he's a pastor at an Evangelical church and can't always attend services, so he likes to play back the services when he has private time. Well, he got the chance to go to a monastery during our parish's men's retreat. They attend an Hours service their first morning (which in a monastery really is the third hour of the day!) so it's completely dark in the chapel, save for the candles used during the service. Well, his recorder has a large red light at the end of it. He didn't ask the Abbot if he could record so he put it in a discreet location on a bench. As the Abbot was walking by and censing the chapel, he saw the light and thought it was the dying embers from a spent candle. He promptly picks up the recorder and throws it on the ground. When he hears the metallic crack, he picks it up and takes it to the light. He stopped the service to profusely apologize to the pastor. The other guys are doing everything they can to keep from cracking up.

He said he learned his lesson, always give the priest a head's up when you're going to be recording.

 

[TER]

My guess is 30-40 voices in the choir. They are in the back behind everyone and elevated a full story above, so it's hard to see them clearly (and during liturgy the light is rather dim which makes it harder yet). The voices fill the room in a most wonderful way, as you can only begin to imagine from the recording. I think even a high quality 24-50 track recording couldn't do justice to the sound.

Man, I'm jealous! Our choir is, to put it nicely, not very good. Granted, they are getting better since restarting after a several year hiatus. Actually thinking of joining, though I am a modest singer. But our parish is very small and the pool of gifted singers is in the single digits. But thank God, we are growing every day. God is good and the love in the community is growing stronger and stronger. Now with our new priest, I have faith we will grow together as friends until the end of our days.

HB, the choir in your church are superb, outstanding. What a wonderful blessing! When I go to Arizona, I will visit.

Between the angelic voices of the choir and the praying of the people, this is a magnificently beautiful liturgy. You are very blessed HB to have such beauty so close to you. All these years you lived just miles from it and never knew it. Brings to mind this Norman Rockwell painting:

You are very blessed my friend and may He continue to bless you in your journey.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Man, I'm jealous! Our choir is, to put it nicely, not very good. Granted, they are getting better since restarting after a several year hiatus. Actually thinking of joining, though I am a modest singer. But our parish is very small and the pool of gifted singers is in the single digits. But thank God, we are growing every day. God is good and the love in the community is growing stronger and stronger. Now with our new priest, I have faith we will grow together as friends until the end of our days.

HB, the choir in your church are superb, outstanding. What a wonderful blessing! When I go to Arizona, I will visit.

Between the angelic voices of the choir and the praying of the people, this is a magnificently beautiful liturgy. You are very blessed HB to have such beauty so close to you. All these years you lived just miles from it and never knew it. Brings to mind this Norman Rockwell painting:

You are very blessed my friend and may He continue to bless you in your journey.

Thank you, my friend! Really, I owe you and eduardo a great debt for helping me find my way to Orthodoxy and to St George Parish in particular. ~hugs~ I greatly look forward to you visiting my church one day, my friend.

 

[TER]

There is a beautiful monastery in Arizona that I plan on visiting as well. So many places, so little time!! And these bones are getting heavier!!

 

[heavenlyboy34]

There is a beautiful monastery in Arizona that I plan on visiting as well. So many places, so little time!! And these bones are getting heavier!!

Just keep fit and diet well, and you'll be fine, I bet. ~hugs~

 

[TER]

Good deal, glad it's useful!

Reminds me of a story that happened to one of our inquirers as he was visiting a monastery. He records every service he attends because he's a pastor at an Evangelical church and can't always attend services, so he likes to play back the services when he has private time. Well, he got the chance to go to a monastery during our parish's men's retreat. They attend an Hours service their first morning (which in a monastery really is the third hour of the day!) so it's completely dark in the chapel, save for the candles used during the service. Well, his recorder has a large red light at the end of it. He didn't ask the Abbot if he could record so he put it in a discreet location on a bench. As the Abbot was walking by and censing the chapel, he saw the light and thought it was the dying embers from a spent candle. He promptly picks up the recorder and throws it on the ground. When he hears the metallic crack, he picks it up and takes it to the light. He stopped the service to profusely apologize to the pastor. The other guys are doing everything they can to keep from cracking up.

He said he learned his lesson, always give the priest a head's up when you're going to be recording.

LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!! I would have busted out laughing!!!

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Interesting news. Fr. Salamy gave me a lot of information and tutlelage about Byzantine chant tonight. The notation is totally foreign to me, but it's quite rational and more open to interpretation and improvisation than Western notation. Since my voice is in the bass range, Fr. Salamy said that the choir director would want me in the choir. So I'm going to look into that.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

update: attending choir rehearsal this Sunday before liturgy. Not sure if I'll be performing, though. Also got sheet music and recordings for a few hymns.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Choir was pretty interesting. I did my best to follow along with the tenor parts, and did well. The director gave me a binder of the repertiore. I have a recording of the service if three's interest. However, the choir parts are very distorted because I was in the middle of it. You'll want to FF through that.

I think the sermon will be especially interesting to a number of people here, because the emphasis on what the Church is to the Orthodox. (which has been a subject of much debate/discussion this week on RPFs)

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Another interesting night in catechumen class. I didn't have my notes, though. :'( I asked about one of the things jebuardo mentioned on the forums-that the RCC views the Orthodox as schismatics. He said the Orthodox feel the same about the RCC. Interesting.

ETA: Finally got a ~hug~ from mi amigo Nathan.

 

[eduardo89]

Another interesting night in catechumen class. I didn't have my notes, though. :'( I asked about one of the things jebuardo mentioned on the forums-that the RCC views the Orthodox as schismatics. He said the Orthodox feel the same about the RCC. Interesting.

That is true. While we consider them to have all the properties of true particular churches, we consider those Eastern Churches who are not in Communion with the Catholic Church to be schismatics.

On the other hands, the Eastern Churches in communion with each other consider those Western (and Eastern) Churches in communion with the Bishop of Rome to be the schismatics.

 

[TER]

HB, what (Father?) Nathan and Eduardo said is correct. We (the EOC and the RCC) are not in sacramental communion with one another. Yet even so, we are brothers and God is our Father. Of course that is also true with all people, including atheists, but the difference is that with the Roman Catholics we have a common root and ancient history and share many truths of the faith, as well as honor many of the same saints. Because of this, we have a love and understanding with one another which is characteristically different, indeed, deeper. This is also true with the Oriental Orthodox Church. May we all one day be unified as one just as Christ prayed in the Garden. If it doesn't happen in our lifetimes then that is fine, but may God will it to one day happen. Not with false ecumenism, but with humility and forgiveness and in brotherly love. These times may be the catalyst for such reconciliation, but it must generate first from the hearts of the people.

 

[RJB]

If it doesn't happen in our lifetimes then that is fine, but may God will it to one day happen.

It may not happen in our life time but it will definitely happen in God's. For me, that ultimately what matters.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

HB, what (Father?) Nathan and Eduardo said is correct. We (the EOC and the RCC) are not in sacramental communion with one another. Yet even so, we are brothers and God is our Father. Of course that is also true with all people, including atheists, but the difference is that with the Roman Catholics we have a comment root and ancient history and share many truths of the faith, as well as honor many of the same saints. Because of this, we have a love and understanding with one another which is characteristically different, indeed, deeper. This is also true with the Oriental Orthodox Church. May we all one day be unified as one just as Christ prayed in the Garden. If it doesn't happen in our lifetimes then that is fine, but may God will it to one day happen. Not with false ecumenism, but with humility and forgiveness and in brotherly love. These times may be the catalyst for such reconciliation, but it must generate first from the hearts of the people.

Nathan is just a fellow parishoner. Fr. Salamy taught class that night.