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Preparation is one of the defining characteristics of Orthodox celebrations. The faithful prepare for the Divine Liturgy, starting with Vespers or Vigil the night before. The clergy prepare to celebrate the Eucharist with the service of Proskomede. The celebration of Christ’s Resurrection, the Holy Pascha, is preceded by the 40-day preparatory period of Great Lent. And in similar fashion, the celebration of Christ’s Nativity in the Flesh on December 25 is also preceded by a 40-day period of fasting. Indeed, the Orthodox wait until December 25 before greeting one another “Merry Christmas,” or, in more traditional language, “Christ is born! Glorify Him!”

During the forty days of preparation, special hymns are sung in the church. The program begins with four settings of one such hymn -- the Kontakion of the Pre-feast, “Today the Virgin comes to the cave.” The versions are, respectively: by Archangel Voices, (CD I-68 - Christ is born! Give glory!), the Chanters of All Saints of America parish in Homer, Alaska; a choral arrangement by composer Peter Michaelides of the same melody in Greek, by Cappella Romana (CD J16 - When Augustus Reigned); and, a harmonized Russian “Greek” Chant melody by the St. Vladimir Seminary Chorale (CD I-84 - Rejoice! Hymns to the Virgin Mary).

The services of the pre-feast represent a majestic, day-by-day procession towards the joy of the feast. The texts recall the various biblical prophecies concerning the birth of Christ and the hymnography is rich with various prosomoia or pattern melodies. One of the most well-known prosomoia or, in Slavic terminology, podobny, sung at these services is “O house of Ephrathah”. The three versions of this melody heard on the program are: a Byzantine Chant (the Chanters of All Saints of America), a znamenny chant (by the Choir of the Protection of the Theotokos Church in Santa Rosa, California – CD I-79 – Behold Your God), and a melody from the Kievan Caves Monastery (by Archangel Voices) -- all adapted into English.

One of the other characteristic melodies for the Pre-festal period is “Proceed, O Angelic Powers” which is the original melody or avtomelon, after which other hymns throughout the liturgical year are patterned. The setting of the Carpatho-Rusyn chant, arranged by Fr. Stephan Meholick is sung by Archangel Voices.

A number of hymns from the Pre-feast of the Nativity are patterned after the services preceding the Holy Pascha. For example, the canon at the compline service of the Pre-feast of the Nativity is patterned both textually and melodically the Canon of Holy Saturday:

The text of Heirmos I is:

He who once buried the pursuing tyrant beneath the waves of the sea

is now hidden in a manger, and Herod seeks to kill him,

but let us raise our voices with the Magi:

“Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously has He been glorified!”

This text is sung in Church Slavonic by the choir of Holy-Trinity St. Sergius Monastery in Russia, followed by the ninth Ode “Do not be amazed, O monther, beholding me now as a babe” -- another textual parallel to the Heirmos of the Holy Saturday canon, “Do not lament me, O mother”. This is sung to a Serbian Chant melody by St. Vladimir’s Chorale.

The program closes with a reading from the Gospel of St Luke, which is read on Christmas Eve, and the Dismissal Troparion of Christmas Eve:

Mary was of David's seed,

so she went with Joseph to register in Bethlehem.

She bore in her womb the Fruit not sown by man.

The time for the birth was at hand.

Since there was no room at the inn,

the cave became a beautiful palace for the Queen.

Christ is born, raising up the image that fell of old.

If you are interested in acquiring some of the CDs heard on this program, or any of the other music you hear on the Rudder, please visit http://www.MusicaRussica.com, where you will find one of the largest selections of Orthodox liturgical music on the Internet, including many CDs of hymns and carols for the feast.

Everyone at OCN wishes you a joyous and blessed feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

—Vladimir Morosan

12/19/2008