Dear Oleg Nikolaevich!
Dear organizers and participants of the choral assembly!
Dear brothers and sisters!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
I cordially greet the conductors and choristers gathered in the Southern Capital of Kazakhstan – the city of Alma-Ata – to participate in this great musical celebration dedicated to the Bright Resurrection of Christ. Pascha, God’s saving Passover, occupies an altogether special place in the life of the Church in its fullness and in the life of every Orthodox Christian, for the Resurrection of the Savior is the cornerstone of our faith and testimony to God’s boundless love for the human race. Today, when countries and nations are undergoing difficult trials, art is more than ever called to inspire people and strengthen their spirit. May the ringing of bells and the singing of choral ensembles during this Paschal season grant joy to all, fill human hearts with light and hope, and inspire new accomplishments.
The history of church singing is inseparably connected with the history of Christianity itself. Its roots go back to distant Old Testament times. “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord” (Eph. 5:18–19), instructs the Apostle Paul, defining liturgical singing as an effective means of spiritual perfection. The outstanding Father of the ancient Church, Blessed Jerome of Stridon (†420), says: “One ought to sing to God not with the voice, but with the heart.” By its very nature, sacred music leads a person beyond the bounds of earthly existence and introduces him to the Heavenly world. It is a gift of God given to us as a means of ascent and communion with the Creator; therefore, singing in church is called to be ecclesial in its essence and transcendent in its nature. Both in form and in content, it should imitate the angelic heavenly glorification.
The holding of our festival is part of the great creative and constructive work carried out, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, by the Church-Public Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing. His Holiness emphasizes: “Indeed, singing in church is one of the important and expressive forms of the Church’s contemporary mission, possessing liturgical, educational, and cultural dimensions.” I am convinced that the choral assembly opening today will become not only a significant cultural event in the life of the Kazakhstan Metropolitan District, but will also offer those laboring in the field of Orthodox musical art an excellent opportunity to discuss practical and theoretical issues on a professional level, exchange experience, and discover something new in the realm of theological scholarship and the traditions of Orthodox worship.
We are called to remember that singing, which reveals the beauty and spiritual meaning of divine worship, carries within itself a powerful spiritual and educational potential. Church music is our treasure, which we must preserve and increase. Therefore, the ministry of choir conductors and singers is lofty and responsible; it requires active support from hierarchs and clergy, devoted parishioners, and the scholarly and artistic community.
I would like to express words of gratitude to the public foundation “Eleos-Meirim” headed by President V.M. Kapsamun, through whose charitable support our festival is being held.
Taking this opportunity, I would like sincerely to thank you for your faithfulness to your calling and your love for Orthodoxy. For two thousand years, church singing, uniting music and the words of prayer, has influenced people by its grace-filled power – elevating the soul above earthly things, healing spiritual infirmities, easing sorrows, and helping a person perceive the beauty of the Heavenly Kingdom. May your ministry continue to be inspired, filled with love and creative care for the important work to which you are called.
TRULY CHRIST IS RISEN!
May the blessing of the Risen Savior abide with all of you.
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