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Pictures of this years' celebration:
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PROGRAM |
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Saturday - Dec. 1, 2001 |
5:00 PM |
+ Great Vespers of the Feast |
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6:00 PM |
+ Opening of the Book Exhibition ( opened until 9/12/2001) that contained various religious items from main religious press in Lebanon, Bibles, Theological and Historical books, Liturgical items, icons and vestments. | |
| Sunday - Dec. 2, 2001 |
8:00 AM |
+ Orthros and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy presided by His Eminence Metropolitan Elias of Tripoli and assisted by Metropolitan Boulos Bandali of Akkar. The choir of Balamand chanted the beautiful hymns of the service of their patron saint John the Damascene. |
| Tuesday - Dec. 4, 2001 | 6:30 PM | + Public Lecture about Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by His Eminence Metropolitan George Khodre |
| Friday, Dec. 7, 2001 | 6:00 PM | + Sixth Byzantine Musical Festival. Six Choirs from the Antiochian Archdioceses of Lebanon participated: Beirut, Akkar, Mount Lebanon, Tripoli, Zahle, along with the Balamand Choir. |
The Feast of St. John the Damascene at Balamand (2001)
It has become a yearly tradition, awaited by many faithful, to celebrate the feast of St. John of Damascus at Balamand. This year, the feast was especially marked by an exceptional Byzantine Music Festival that lasted for about three hours, with melodies lifting up the faithful to heaven. Is there anything more fitting than to remember our Holy Patron Saint other than by celebrating his feast and by chanting joyously the divine hymns he composed?
Following the directives of the Dean, His Grace Bishop JOHN Yazigi, the celebrations began on Saturday, December 1st, 2001, following the Hierarchical Great Vespers, by the opening of the Book and Church Items Exhibition in the Halls of the Seminary at Balamand.
The next day, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was held in the participation of His Eminence Metropolitan ELIAS Kurban of Tripoli and His Eminence Metropolitan BOULOS Bandali of Akkar. The Choir of Balamand chanted fervently the beautiful festal hymns. After the liturgy everyone was invited to share a meal of love with the Faculty , Staff and invited guests.
On Tuesday, His Eminence Metropolitan GEORGE Khodre delivered a lecture about the Feasts of Holy Nativity and Theophany. The Balamand Great Hall was packed with faithful awaiting to listen to the words of His Eminence. In the lecture, Metropolitan Khodre connected the feasts of Nativity, Theophany and Pascha together showing how the first two point to Holy Pascha, the feast of feasts. He also spoke about the history and liturgical meaning of the feasts.
Finally, the Sixth Byzantine Musical Festival was held on Friday, December 7, 2001. Six Choirs particpated from the Antiochian Archdioceses of Beirut, Akkar, Mount Lebanon, Tripoli, Zahle, along with the Balamand Choir.
The celebrations were held under the High Patronage of His Beatitude Patriarch IGNATIUS IV, the Father of Antioch and founder of Balamand Seminary and University, whose prophetic vision is leading the church to newness and glory. May God grant His Beatitude Many Years.
Balamand Monastery
12/12/2001
