Byzantine music

Romania’s largest Byzantine music festival launches first international symposium on Church and family

The Iași Byzantine Music Festival will organise, for the first time, the International Symposium “The Church as a Singing Family in the Christian Tradition”, dedicated to the communal role of church music and the relationship between liturgical tradition and the Christian family. The event will take place from 23 to 28 May. Considered the largest…

May 12, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Neurosurgeon Iustinian Simion says God is present in the operating room

Neurosurgeon Iustinian Simion believes that God is present in the operating room, saying he has witnessed moments that cannot be explained by science alone. In an interview with Q Magazine, Dr Simion said he had experienced several medically inexplicable cases, which he attributes to divine intervention. “I couldn’t quantify how much is human and how…

Oct 9, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Patriarchal Choir Tronos performs at International Sacred Music Festival in Serbia

The Tronos Byzantine Choir of the Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral represented the Romanian Orthodox Church at the “Musical Edict” International Festival of Sacred Music in Niš, Serbia. The event was held on the feast of Pentecost. Held under the patronage of the Serbian Patriarchate and with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Arsenije of Niš, the…

Jun 12, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox Monastery in Scotland publishes English-language chants for Divine Liturgy

The monks of the Orthodox Monastery of Mull in Scotland have translated chants of the Divine Liturgy into English and transcribed them using Byzantine musical notation. Both sheet music and audio recordings are available for free on the monastery’s official website. This initiative supports priests, church chanters, and faithful who celebrate or attend Orthodox services…

Jun 5, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in UK to launch chant school, colportage network, and pilgrimage centre

The newly established Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is launching a series of spiritual and cultural projects to strengthen the Romanian community’s religious identity in the United Kingdom. The announced initiatives include establishing a school of Byzantine chant, developing religious literature and items distribution (colportage), and creating a pilgrimage coordination centre.…

May 27, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Teofan celebrates Iași Byzantine Music Festival as tribute to Saint Constantine’s legacy

His Eminence Metropolitan Teofan celebrated the Divine Liturgy on Sunday at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iași, where he spoke about the Iași Byzantine Music Festival as a sign of gratitude for the legacy bestowed upon Moldavia through the labors of Saint Constantine the Great. “A few venues in the city, in Botoșani, and in Piatra…

May 26, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Archdeacon Mihail Bucă awarded patriarchal Order of the Praying Theotokos

During a ceremony at the patriarchal residence on Christmas Eve, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel bestowed the second highest distinction in the Romanian Patriarchate upon Archdeacon Mihail Bucă, protopsaltes of the Patriarchal Cathedral and conductor of the Tronos Byzantine Choir. The Order of the Praying Theotokos (Virgin Orans) was conferred as a token of gratitude for…

Dec 30, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Children have a higher interest in studying Byzantine music: A significant benefit for Romania’s chant stands

The effort required to learn Byzantine music cultivates a student’s spiritual and cultural development. The conductor of a newly formed children’s Byzantine choir told Basilica.ro that the increasing number of children approaching the chanters at the church stand or in a structured study setting is a significant improvement. The declaration of 2023 as the Commemorative…

Oct 12, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Influential hymnographer, folklorist Anton Pann’s remains reburied with honour: We owe him many church hymn books printed in Romanian

The remains of Protopsaltis Anton Pann were reburied last week in a new tomb at St. Stylianos – Lucaci Church in Bucharest. Our culture owes him numerous church hymn books printed in Romanian. “He was a chanter at many churches in Bucharest. He chanted at many monasteries in Wallachia and Transylvania. He wrote enormously for…

Jun 13, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

The conductor of the Byzantine choir to sing at King Charles III’s Coronation: It shows the King’s respect for Orthodoxy

Musician Dr Alexander Lingas, who will direct the Byzantine Choir performing at King Charles III’s Coronation Ceremony, has granted an interview to Father Bogdan Țifrea from Radio Trinitas, the radio station of the Romanian Patriarchate. The fact that Byzantine music is to be sung at this ceremony shows the King’s respect and love for Orthodoxy,…

Mar 15, 2023Ștefana Totorcea

Greek Orthodox Music will feature in Coronation of King Charles III

The coronation of King Charles III will include Greek Orthodox chanting as a homage to the king’s late father, Prince Philip, who was born in Corfu and was a member of the former Greek royal family. The hymns will be chanted by the Byzantine Chant Ensemble led by Dr Alexander Lingas, who formed the ensemble…

Mar 7, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu