Agiasmos Service for the Byzantine Music School in the District of Adelaide
The Orthodox Faith is blessed with having a rich musical tradition, and in particular the sacred art of Byzantine Chant holds an important place within our worship services. In order to safeguard the future of the Faith in our nation, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has established the Byzantine Music School of Australia (BMA) to train and equip the future generations of chanters for leading the faithful in worship during the sacred services of our Church. Thanks to His Eminence’s initiative, the Byzantine Music School of Australia now has branches in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide – each training chanters for its local district.
The BMA-Adelaide is run by a number of experienced chanters from across Adelaide and hosted at the community centre of the Holy Monastery of St Nectarios. On Tuesday 26th of March 2024, the school held its annual Blessing (Agiasmos) service at the Monastery. The service was celebrated by the Archiepiscopal Vicar for the District of Adelaide, His Grace Bishop Silouan of Sinope, who also addressed the students and exhorted them to continue diligently in their studies.
During his exhortation, His Grace made a particular point of encouraging them not to confine their chanting to the worship services, but to also use it as a spiritual weapon in their daily life – to sing hymns as part of their prayer rule, while going about their daily tasks, and during times of difficulty and temptation.
After the official blessing, the School also offered light refreshments for those present – catered for by the ubiquitous ladies of the Central Philoptochos.
May our Lord strengthen our students for their sacred task and may they all be drawn closer to God and deepen their Faith through their studies.
