Hymn of the 9th Ode of the Small Paraklesis to the Theotokos   Being created in the image and likeness of God, man was not originally made to feel pain, to be sick and to die. The Fathers agree on this: for example, St Maximus the Confessor says that "When God created human nature, he did not create sensible pleasure and pain along with it." 1 Sin darkened the minds of the first created, Adam and Eve, and their nature was inexorably changed. Since pain, suffering and ultimately death became part of their nature it was passed down in a [...]

Divine Liturgy Hymn of Praise of the Anaphora This Hymn is chanted during the Anaphora[1] at the climax of the Holy Liturgy, in anticipation, during and in response to the consecration of the Holy Gifts into the Divine Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. In most Parishes as the Hymn is chanted, the Priest says the prayers of the Epiclesis (calling down from above), an earnest plea to God the Father to send down the Holy Spirit to change the gifts we offer into the Divine Gifts of Christ’s own Body and Blood. According to St Germanos, this is a [...]

Cherubic Hymn - Holy Liturgy of Holy Saturday morning This ancient, alternate Cherubic Hymn is believed to have originated from the Church of Jerusalem. It is also chanted during the Liturgy of St James (Αγ. Ιακώβου). It bears some similarities to the usual Cherubic Hymn in its exhortation to abandon any earthly thought as Christ is presented to us as "divine food" ("now lay aside all earthly care" the Cherubic Hymn) and the mention of the angelic hierarchies. Silence is a necessary prerequisite to contemplate what is about to take place not only in the Liturgy but also in preparation [...]

Dismissal Hymn of Theophany (6th January) It was no mere co-incidence that the Holy Trinity was revealed when Christ was baptised by St John the Baptist in the Jordan river. Our tradition teaches us that Christ means, "one who is anointed", chosen by God for a special mission. This Christ however was not anointed with oil as the prophets and Kings of the Old Testament were, to witness for God, or to be God's representative on Earth. He is Himself the "theophany", the Son of God who reveals to us God as Holy Trinity. In his Catechetical Lectures, St Cyril [...]

Alleluia - Ἀλληλούϊα.   The use of the exclamation, "Alleluia"  was inherited by the first Christians from Hebrew worship. It means, "God be praised" or "Praise God". In the Orthodox Church it is in itself an exclamation as well as an exhortation to praise God. It is used throughout all the prayers and services of the Orthodox Church. However, it's deeper significance is derived from its use in the Holy Liturgy which is the pre-eminent service of worship in the Orthodox Church and the source for all the other Church Services. In the Holy Liturgy, it is sung as a [...]