Lent is one of the most holy periods of the year in churches all over the world, and in the Russian Orthodox Church, one of the customs during the Great Lent’s Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts consists of vespers and is followed by a portion of the full liturgy.
The priest in between the readings, turns and faces the gathered crowd with a candle and censer, intoning, “The Light of Christ illumines all!” This reminds the people of the prophets whose writings are heard within the liturgy and who have been illumined by the same light of Christ as the people of today.
After another reading, everyone kneels down as the hymn of supplication is sung.
“Let my prayer arise in thy sight as incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
Lord, I have called to thee, hear me! Attend to the voice of my prayer when I call to thee!
Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, keep watch over the door around my lips!
Incline not my heart to words of evil, to invent excuses for my sins.
Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense, and let the lifting up of my hands Be an evening sacrifice.”
As you can see in the clip, the priests chanting sound just like angels, we have goosebumps as we hear them singing.
