Today, within the programme of the First International Festival of Byzantine singing in Athens, the choir of the Holy Bigorski Monastery took part in the festive and resurrectional Vespers in the beautiful temple of the Mother of God, dedicated to her Life-giving Spring. The brothers sang in Church Slavonic language as a second choir, antiphonically with the first, Greek choir, which was under the direction of the famous protopsalt and teacher Mr Spyros Pavlakis. The Vespers were headed by the Jerusalem Metropolitan Mr. Aristobulus, and our Elder and Bishop Mr. Parthenius was seated on the throne oposite him, therefore the whole ambience was in the spirit of the opening words of today’s first verse in 7th tone: “Come, let us rejoice in the Lord.”
At the end of the Vespers, the organizer of the Festival, Mr Elias Rediadis Tumbas, once again thanked our Elder, Bishop Mr Parthenius and the brotherhood, emphasizing his contribution for the renewal and development of the Byzantine singing. He also presented the protopsalt, Mr. Spyros Pavlakis with an honorary medal, which was fallowed by a very moving speech of Mr. Pavlaki, who, among the other things praised the chanting of our brothers with admiration.
In the end, the head of the church, the archpriest Father Elias, gave speech, noting that the chanting of the two choirs was so harmonious and cooperating that it seemed as if they came from the same school and draw from the same spiritual spring.
