Lithuanian Orthodox hymns in a changing cultural and socio-political environment
ENWhile the Orthodox Church and its music have deep roots in Lithuania, Orthodox church music appeared in Lithuanian only in the twenty-first century. How did various cultural and socio-political processes influence the development of Lithuanian Orthodox hymns? In Lithuania today, 77 % of all believers are Catholic, while 4 % are Orthodox. Orthodoxy in Lithuania is practised mainly by ethnic minorities: only 6 % of all Orthodox believers are Lithuanians. Lithuania regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, but it took almost two decades for an active local Lithuanian Orthodox community to appear, which led to the opening of the parish of St Paraskeva in Vilnius (where most believers were Lithuanians and liturgies were in Lithuanian) in 2012 and the modern translation of worship into Lithuanian: these processes were accompanied by a corresponding change in self-awareness among the Lithuanian Orthodox. However, after the start of the war in Ukraine these localisation processes faded. In 2022, due to their position against the war, five priests were dismissed from their duties, along with some believers, singers, and choir directors. In 2023, they were accepted into the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, where Lithuanian Orthodox chanting is continuing to develop. This is one of the political circumstances that had an impact on the Lithuanian Orthodox community and its church music. The main argument that this chapter seeks to make is that there is a connection between the given political system, talented individuals, and the development of Orthodox singing in Lithuanian.The chapter presents how, a few decades after Lithuania’s independence, local Orthodox chanting in Lithuanian appeared, how it developed, and who stood at the helm of this process. Similar developments in Orthodox singing traditions have taken place in Estonia and Finland, which, as in Lithuania, were related to the translation of Orthodox texts into national languages. Studies of Orthodox singing highlight the importance of music in the liturgy, parish community, and local culture. In the Orthodox Church, musical instruments are not usually allowed during services, so the human voice is especially valued. Choir activities allow singers to acquire new musical skills and realise creative ideas, as well as to actively participate in church life, where they can gain a sense of community and cooperation. Orthodox singing traditions can also expand the boundaries of local culture. [p. 416-417].
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