What’s new?

Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music    The new and enriched second edition of Byzantine Ecclesiastical Music: Chanting in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition (2020) authored by Basilios Psilacos, chanter and Lecturer at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College, comes as a welcome addition to the teaching of Byzantine Chant in the English speaking world. Indeed, it is the first textbook of Byzantine music to be produced and published in Australia. Also, the first edition has been used as a textbook in other jurisdictions and settings, for example in the United States of America by the Holy Cross Theological Seminary, St Raphael School, and [...]

Hieromonk Nikodimos Kalligiannakis Born Emmanuel Kalligiannakis in 1926 in Krousonas, Heraklion, Crete, he worked in the family vineyards and olive groves by day and studied the Synaxarion by night. From a young age, he loved attending the church services and was never absent. Farewelling his family, he left for the monastery of Saint Anthony at Vrontisi, where he was tonsured a monk with the name Nikodimos. He eventually settled at the Monastery of Koudouma and was ordained deacon and priest. Later, he was also made a confessor and spiritual father and served as abbot for two years. He confessed many, [...]

STAND WELL   One of the many wonderful parts of the Orthodox Church is the celebration of the Holy Saints. On October 26 we commemorate the life of the Great Martyr Saint Demetrios, the Myrrh-gusher. Many of the Saints, such as Saint Demetrios, stood firm in their faith during great tribulations. His life has much to teach us. St Demetrios was born in 270AD in Thessaloniki, which was under Roman jurisdiction, and came from a noble family. His parents were secret Christians, and he was baptised and raised in the Christian faith. When Saint Demetrios’ father passed away, the Emperor [...]

  Psalm 81 (82) 1 God stood in the assembly of gods; He judges in the midst of gods, saying, 2 “How long will you judge unjustly, And favour the persons of sinners?” 3 Judge an orphan and a poor man; Justify a humble and poor man; 4 Rescue a poor and needy man; Deliver them from a sinner's hand. 5 They do not know nor understand; They carry on in darkness; All the foundations of the earth shall be shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, And you are all sons of the Most High. 7 But you die [...]

Poems of the Revolution  Spirituality and the Freedom in Dionysios Solomos' Poems "The Hymn to Liberty" and "The Free Besieged" Dionysios Solomos, who is widely acknowledged as the national poet of Greece, was born on April 8, 1798 on the island of Zakynthos. From a young age he immersed himself in the life of the Church and yearned for the Independence of his country. The religiosity in Solomos' work is so prevalent and incessant that it can hardly go unnoticed. His poems include many religious ideas, images, expressions, events and persons, both biblical and historical. Two outstanding poems that constitute [...]