Monday, May 01, 2006

Wow ...

... a video of the Ethiopian Orthodox liturgy. Amazing! [For the first few seconds, I thought the chant was Indian. The modes are very similar to certain N. Indian ragas, I would say. But noticeably different too ... ]

I was reminded of what the good priest told us on our visit to St. Ignatios after the Divine Liturgy: how the Eastern liturgy has a more hidden, mystical aspect, that is brought out in different ways in the Eastern rites: in the Ethiopian rite it's through chanting and smoke. In fact, he described the Ethiopian rite as this progression of chant and incense, with the sermon coming after the actual liturgy was over!

[Also via Don Jim. Who sometimes, gets links from some scary people, such as this fellow ... which led me to this one ... ]

2 comments:

assiniboine said...

Isn't it though. Amazing, that is. But not at all dissimilar to the rites in the Indian Orthodox Church to the untutored ear, and all the clerical poncing about is very much in the same sort of tradition. (Have you read Evelyn Waugh on the coronation of Haile Selassie?) Though as to the latter, when I went to an Indian Orthodox Qurbana with our friend in Bombay -- safely hived off in the gallery where I wouldn't corrupt the faithful I presume -- I was queried afterwards as to why I hadn't been taking photos. Well, because that is rather strongly discouraged in western churches. "But the priests knew you were up there and they assumed they were being immortalised on film: you don't think they do anything like that much gadding about the sanctuary and flitting of copes hither and yon in ordinary circumstances, do you?!"

Anonymous said...

Ha!!! Sacred thoughts of the inquisition, what a nut job!!! and the other? wow, you know sometimes i worry