Hymns of the Eastern Church
Posts in Comfortable Words tagged ‘Hymns of the Eastern Church’
A hymn from the Evensong of the Eastern Churches.
This little hymn is one of the centrepieces of the Evening Service, also known a little misleadingly as the All-Night Vigil, of the Eastern Churches. The translation below comes from the Yattendon Hymnal, a collection of verses by poet Robert Bridges.
A song placed on the lips of the Virgin Mary, as she bent over her newborn child.
This hymn is attributed to St Ephraim the Syrian, one of the great hymn-writers of the Christian churches. A recurring theme in the Eastern liturgy is the bewilderment of Mary as she looked on her newborn child, so young yet timeless, so small yet bigger than the universe, so fragile yet holding limitless power. The translation is by the Revd Robert Moorsom, a clergyman from County Durham, who was eager for Orthodox-Anglican relationships to blossom.
An eighth-century hymn of the Greek Church, for Easter Day
This Easter hymn was composed by St John Damascene (676-749), a contemporary of St Bede. According to tradition, he held a hymn-writing contest with his adopted brother Cosmas, at the end of which Cosmas cheerfully pronounced John the winner.
A hymn for Holy Saturday by the eighth-century Syrian hymnographer St John Damascene.
St John Damascene was one of the Eastern churches’ greatest hymnographers, and like his English contemporary St Bede skilled not only in poetry but also in music and the sciences. This hymn draws on his extensive Biblical learning to reflect on dying and living with Christ for Holy Saturday, Easter Eve.
A deep and mysterious poem from the fourth century, describing what cannot be seen at the communion service.
This ancient hymn, sung in place of the Cherubic Hymn on certain days of the year, sets out to remind us of what cannot be seen during the communion service, as heaven’s glory spills over into our world, and Jesus Christ comes with his angel host.