Patriarch Daniel of Romania emphasized the powerful role of church music in fostering spiritual well-being as the 16th edition of the National Church Music Festival-Competition Praise the Lord took place this year, aligning with the theme of pastoral care for the sick and a commemorative year dedicated to healer saints.
The festival held last Saturday evening underlined the therapeutic value of liturgical music for both singers and listeners and its profound influence on the soul.
“Church music, rooted in biblical and hymnographic texts, embodies not only educational, community, and Eucharistic roles but also serves as a balm for spiritual health,” explained Patriarch Daniel.
Drawing from the Old Testament, the patriarch highlighted the calming effect of King David’s psalmody, as when “David would take up the harp and play, and Saul would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him” (1 Samuel 16:23).
The festival program included choral performances by winning ensembles at metropolitan and national levels, celebrating the spiritual essence of church music in monophonic and choral forms.
These groups, reflecting peace, joy, and love, sang during the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of Saint Demetrius the New, Protector of Bucharest. Some choirs also performed in churches and hospital chapels throughout Bucharest, offering solace to distressed people.
This year’s festival has also expanded Romanian liturgical music with new compositions celebrating the unmercenary healing saints, Saints Cosmas and Damian of Asia. Participants in the Composition section developed Byzantine and harmonized works, incorporating selected psalm verses on the themes of suffering and healing through faith.
The final stage of the festival also included an academic conference on “Faith and Healing through Music,” held on October 25, 2024, at the Justinian Patriarch Orthodox Theology Faculty in Bucharest. This event, featuring composers, scholars, and performers, highlighted the close ties between music, faith, and healing.
“With gratitude, we commend all who made this event possible—organizers, collaborators, choristers, composers, speakers, and presenters,” said Patriarch Daniel, extending thanks to the audience present and those who followed along on Trinitas TV and Radio Trinitas. He offered blessings of health, joy, and divine support to all involved.
Photo: Lumina Newspaper / Mircea Popa
Source: basilica.ro