Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Divine Liturgies of our holy fathers John Chrysostom and Basil the Great (the people's service book promulgated on January 6, 2007) and the Cantor's Companion that accompanies it are now available in PDF form on the Publications page of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute web site.

The PDF of the complete service book includes bookmarks for each section; expand the bookmarks tab in Adobe Reader to see them. I plan to add links shortly to the PDFs that point to the recorded examples of each piece of notated music. If you have any other recommendations for the PDF formatting, please drop me a note at ByzKat@stny.rr.com.

Yours in Christ,
Jeff Mierzejewski

Dear Jeff,

The book is beautiful, apart from the translation difficulties. Good work.

And, since it is in electronic format, it will be easy to fix!

"And, since it is in electronic format, it will be easy to fix!"

I am sincerely hoping that you were kidding when you posted this, since the translation of the Divine Liturgies and the music thereof are all under copyright.

Prof. J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA

*shrug* It's also true that, should the Liturgical Commission rethink any of the translation decisions, the use of electronic publishing should make such changes much easier.

Yours in Christ,
Jeff

ummm

If the Liturgical Commission rethink any of the translation decisions - surely it will have to be approved by Rome again .

* sigh *

Jeff,

Thank you for posting the link for the PDF files, these files are very helpful for study and a real service of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute.

Glory to Jesus Christ!
fr. Jim

Thanks Jeff-

Now we can don't have to rely on rumors, but can actually see the real thing and any problems it may or may not have.

Prof. J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA

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I think P-A was noting that when the BCC is ready to recover more of our authentic liturgical traditions, the electronic format will enable a less arduous republishing process.

Dear Professor,

I sincerely hope you are kidding.

As you know, I object to many things about this new revised Liturgy (the inclusive language, the abbreviations, the invented and contrived rubrics, etc. etc.)

But more than any of that, I object to the draconian language of the promulgation letter, and to the intimidation that seems to be accompanying it. I object to veiled and not so veiled threats to the law.

It is not the way to encourage people, or win friends for the revisionists's cause.

Frankly, it leaves me with a very bad feeling.

Nick

On the site listed at the beginning of the thread, I note that in the Bridegroom matins in the very beginning and in the Lesser Doxology we sing: "on earth peace good will among men." However, in the Sunday Matins it is "and to people on earth, peace and goodwill."

What is the reason for the difference in translation? Do the original texts reflect the difference in translation? If there is no difference in the original texts, then what is the reason for the difference in translation?

Dear lm,

After the first edition of the MCI Sunday Matins book, and Bridegroom Matins, were completed, the Intereparchial Liturgical Commission concluded their translation of the Great Doxology. It has been the MCI procedure to use the official translation where one is available, and otherwise to use the best translation which is customary in the Metropolia; if there is none, we use the best available translation from a reliable source. Hence, while I prefer the previous opening text, I would expect that the new text will be used in MCI publications until/unless the Liturgical Commission revises it, or the hierarchs order otherwise.

The second edition of the Sunday Matins book was not revised because of the translation change, however; it came about in order to use the proper (particular) irmos melodies for the katavasia, to correct a number of errors in the first edition, to add some parts of Matins omitted in the Basilian Matins book, and to add additional texts for the Great Fast (the penitential stichera and "By the waters of Babylon."

Yours in Christ,
Jeff Mierzejewski

P.S. For some feasts, the Basilian texts at Matins do not AT ALL fit the corresponding irmos melody; I have sometimes challenged cantors to find out where the translation we used in one case or another actually comes from