On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the two-day meeting of choirmasters and cantors of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Poland began at the St. Onuphrius Monastery in Jabłeczna.
After the Thanksgiving service in the main church of the monastery, Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland opened the seminar. In his inaugural address, the hierarch emphasized the great importance of ecclesiastical singing as a form of prayer and as an expression of the preservation of the Orthodox faith. The Metropolitan also highlighted the phenomenon of globalization, which today affects every aspect of Church life, including liturgical chant. In order to curb musical “innovations” that have no basis in the rich tradition of the Orthodox Church in Poland, humility, historical knowledge, and, above all, the special power of prayer is necessary.
During the two days of the seminar, choirmasters and cantors will listen to lectures on Serbian church chant, watch a documentary prepared by journalist Katerina Poplavska, and take part in practical chanting lessons. The meeting will end with a performance by the choir, summarizing the themes of this year’s meeting.
Photos: Archdeacon Rafael Dmitruk / Translation: Ioanna Georgakopoulou
