The feast of Saint Hilary Bishop of Poitiers was celebrated by the School of Byzantine Music and Chanting Art of the Holy Metropolis of Belgium, on Saturday, January 15, 2022.
The Protosyncellus of the Holy Metropolis of Belgium, Archimandrite Philadelphos Kafalis presided over the festive Orthros and the solemn Divine Liturgy at the hospitable parish of Saint Marina, Brussels. Teachers and students of the School of Byzantine Music of the Holy Metropolis attended the services.
Prior to the dismissal, Fr. Philadelphos conveyed to all the paternal wishes of Metropolitan Athenagoras and congratulated the teachers and students for the work done at the School. He wished the School of Chanting to be a nursery, which will offer young and well-trained cantors.
A memorial service was then held for all the deceased cantors, who served in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, as well as for a deceased student.
Then the blessing of the New Year’s vasilopita took place.
Subsequently, in the headquarters of the School and bookstore of the Holy Metropolis, the examinations of the Winter Semester 2021 – 2022 took place, in which more than forty students participated, whose performances were excellent.
The examination committee consisted of teachers Konstantinos Dedes, Antonios Tarlizos, Christos Papakonstantinou, Despina Gasparis, Maria Nousis, and Chrysoula Psimoulis – Magoulas.
Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium attended the examination process, expressing his congratulations to all while urging them to continue the work of the school with the same love and zeal.
Finally, the Director, Fr. Konstantinos Dedes, first of all, thanked Metropolitan Athenagoras for his kind and honorable presence, as well as all those who constitute the soul of the School, its teachers, students, and philological followers and benefactors, while God wished to give enlightenment and power to all and to reveal to each student the divine meanings of the hymns.