Page 95 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 12(2) (2024)

In 1997, Bernard Noël (1930–2021) em-
ployed a poetic lens to describe the Saint André
skete, an abandoned site near Karyès that has re-
mained in a state of disrepair since a fire in 1958,
yet yearns for revival following a partial resto-
ration. Noël’s depiction draws attention to the
harmonious interplay between the bells of the
censer and the vocal expressions of the prayer
of the heart. He notes, ‘Maximos celebrates the
three daily offices at six seven and nine I like how
he’s able to handle the thurible with twelve small
bellsone for each apostle and makes us a path of
smoke I also like how he psalmodies Kyrie Jesou 95
Chistou Yie tou Theou eleison imas our Lord Je-
sus Christ son of God have pity on us I counted
up to seventy-seven times this morning eighty-
three times yesterday at the evening office this
appeal dates to its beginning with the hermet-
ic life of Saint Anthony chanted while facing de-
mons Saint Gregory Palamas introduced it at
Mount Athos’ (Noël 2011, 9–10).
It is essential to recognize that these eccle-
siastical services, during which the bells of the
censer resonate, are preceded by the sounding of
Figure 3: Docheiariou Monastery: The Dance of the
Chandeliers during the Festival of the Pentecost (Ferran- bells and the semantron—a suspended wooden
ti 2015, between p. 96 and 97) or metal percussion instrument (fig. 4). Byzan-
tine art historian Charles Diehl invites us to con-
tian portrait from the Fayoum, emerges from template the profound impact of these auditory Perceptions of a ‘Journey to the Past’ in Some Viatical Stories at Mount Athos
the den of mystery, incensing each of us in turn, elements: ‘And at the end of the day, the impres-
as a monk hoists the silver nightlights aloft, ac- sion is deep, almost solemn, of this entry into the
companied by the creaking of pulleys attached ancient monastery, to the sound of the bells ring-
to the large chandeliers (fig. 3). With meticulous ing out loud, to the sound of the chimes playing
care, another monk lights the wick of long blast- dée d’une treille où alternent grappes d’or et feuilles d’ar-
ers and ignites the pairs of candles positioned at gent. Il s’agenouille et lit devant l’assemblée, toute entière
the cardinal points of the polyelaios, each of its courbée, les fronts touchant le sol. Le père Gabriel puis un
twelve sides punctuated by a small icon and an prêtre psalmodient tour à tour sans qu’aucun de nous ne
bouge.
ostrich egg, symbolizing the Resurrection. The Soudain, tout s’anime. Le thuriféraire, dont les grands yeux
typikaris, as a worthy master of ceremonies, in- aux longs cils m’évoquent un portrait égyptien du Fayoum,
jaillit de l’antre du mystère et nous encense un à un tandis
dicates the troparia to the cantors and goes from qu’un moine hisse dans un grincement de poulies les veille-
one choir to another. The chants in response uses d’argent à hauteur des grands lustres. Avec un soin in-
mingle with the clicking of cowbells in censer fini, un moine allume la mèche de longs boutefeux et en-
flamme les paires de bougies placées aux points cardinaux
31
bells’ (Ferranti 2015, 95). du polyelaios, rythmé sur chacun de ses douze côtés par une
petite icône et un œuf d’autruche, symbole de la Résurrec-
31 ‘Les anciens vont et viennent par les portes latérales dans tion.
le saint des saints, comme des acteurs de tragédie antique. Le typikaris, en digne maître de cérémonie, indique aux
La porte centrale s’ouvre et laisse entrevoir le disque d’or chantres les tropaires et va d’un chœur à l’autre. Les chants
d’une patène, la soucoupe eucharistique. L’higoumène en répons se mêlent au cliquetis des sonnailles en grelots de
apparaît dans sa cape scintillante d’étoiles brodées, bor- l’encensoir.’