NAZARETH – On Tuesday, April 4th, 2023, Archimandrite Nikodimos Kabarnos, a Greek Orthodox priest and a cantor known for his performing, teaching, and directing of Byzantine music, organized a worship session with the help of the international human rights commission, during which he performed songs of praise at the theater of Saint Joseph school in Nazareth.
Mgr Rafiq Nahra, Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, attended the event, along with a number of bishops and priests. The profits collected from this event were donated to the elderly house of Saint Francis, to support their work and service to the community of faithful in the town of Nazareth.
Archimandrite Nikodimos Kabarnos is known for his mesmerizing voice and his unique way of performing Byzantine hymns. During the event, the attendees felt as if they were ascending to the Heavenly Throne of God, surrounded by angels singing praise, honor, and glory to God.
“Kratimata is the musical style used for these hymns. It is made up of specific alphabets, which belong to a specific musical scale and range. When sung, it creates an angelic-like sound,” said Archimandrite Nikodimos. “We also add scriptures from the Bible to help the faithful meditate on the Word of God and to draw close to God’s presence.”
Despite the language barrier – the hymns were sung in Greek – the people were still able to feel God’s presence, as He inhabits the praises of His people – Psalm 22:3.
By:Mariana Kurdahji (report and photos) and Miral Atik (article) | lpj.org
