My prayer for all today is that wherever you go you may arrive and depart in peace, your eyes “having seen the Savior.” I offer this short video as a prayer. The music if the Nunc Dimittis from Rachmaninov’s Vespers.
Fr. Stephen is a retired Archpriest of the Orthodox Church in America. He is also author of Everywhere Present: Christianity in a One-Storey Universe, and Face to Face: Knowing God Beyond Our Shame, as well as the Glory to God podcast series on Ancient Faith Radio.
by
Strange though it may sound, Rachmaninov’s Vespers is one of the things that brought me into Orthodoxy. Thanks for this!
This is my favorite one!
Beautiful!
That iconistas. . .if the icon is, indeed, a proof of God, then I pray for heaven.
Thank you, Father.
Yes, Rachmaninov’s Vespers (All-Night Vigil), was important to me in my conversion to Orthodoxy, as well as the music of Arvo Part. It was so moving to me to hear beautiful music that really spoke of the transcendance of God.
OK, I have to wonder if Rachmaninov made it into heaven solely on the basis of this music, considering how many of us came to Orthodoxy through it! I understand that he wasn’t especially religious in his lifetime, though of course he was a faithful Orthodox Christian — just not on the order of, say, St. John of Kronstadt. 😉 But this music — well, I wouldn’t be surprised to find its composer among the company of the saints, just on the strength of this music.
Meg,
As a resident Tennesseean (Knoxville area), I am aware of the little known fact that Knoxville was the last place the great composer performed.
Listening to his music, I think it is hard not to hear the heart as well. His years were difficult years for Churchmen. May His memory be eternal. I know that annual pannikhidas are offered at his grave.
Subscribe to blog via email
Support the work
Your generous support for Glory to God for All Things will help maintain and expand the work of Fr. Stephen. This ministry continues to grow and your help is important. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!
Latest Comments
Jenny, If you’re still listening, thank you so much for sharing your heart and your experiences. They come from a…
Father Stephen this is a valuable piece of theology and I hope I am not “reducing” what you say about…
Father, Your posts and comments in this season keep altering my focus and the framework of my understanding in such…
Mark, Well said. Perhaps another way of saying this is that God refuses to be reduced to information: “God exists.”…
“I believe that Christians make a serious mistake when we begin to speak first about God rather than first about…
Read my books
Listen to my podcast
Please Read
Categories
Archives
Leave a Reply