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1. "Praise the name of the Lord" – (Psalm of David 135).
Music by monkpriest Nathanael (1866-?)
Hieromonk Nathanael (Mykyta Bochkalo) was born in
1866 in the village of Sorokatyaga in the Kyiv Governorate. At
the age of 16, he fled to the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery (Lavra),
where he became fascinated with church music. After some
time, he enrolled in the music academy and even sang at the
opera house. However, in 1897, he took monastic vows and
was ordained a priest. During the purges in the USSR,
Hieromonk Nathanael was persecuted and convicted of
religious propaganda in 1930, after which his fate is
unknown. Most of the composer's musical works remain
unpublished and remain in manuscript form in private
collections.
2."The Angelic Powers Precede" and "The Mountains Exude
Sweetness" – a sticherons for the Forefeast of Christmas
from the Orthodox service on December 20. Traditional chant
of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
The angelic powers precede,/ prepare a manger / in
Bethlehem:/ for the Word is born,/ Wisdom is produced,/
the Church receives a kiss./ To the joy of the Mother of God,/
O people, let us say:/ Blessed is our God who has come,/
glory to Thee!
Let the mountains pour forth sweetness, / for behold, God is
coming from the south, / Gentiles, submit, / prophets,
rejoice / patriarchs, leap up, / people, clap your hands: / the
Mighty and Great Prince / Christ is born, / the King of
Heaven / is coming to Earth.
3. "Oh don't sleep, don't sleep" - Ukrainian folk carol in the
arrangement by Oleksandr Koshyts’.
Oh, don't sleep, don't sleep, good people! Today is the holy
night – because of the Nativity of Christ! God's stars in the sky
shine so brightly, the Holy Christmas Night is illuminated.
Glory to God in the highest and peace on Earth! With the
angels let's glorify peace!
4. "We're Knocking on Your Door, Master" – a modern
Ukrainian carol. Lyrics and music by Iya Khodorivska.
We are knocking on your door, master, let us sing you carols,
for today the world received good news: the Blessed Virgin
Mary has given birth to a Son.
In the city of Bethlehem, in an old stable, little Jesus slept
among the oxen. And the good news has spread throughout
the world: the Blessed Virgin Mary has given birth to a Son.
Sincerely we singing, glorifying God! Wishing everyone
happiness and health, for today the world is filled with good
news: the Blessed Virgin Mary has given birth to a Son.
5. "Oh, high above the fields..." - Ukrainian folk carol.
Oh, a star shone high above the fields. It floated across the
sky above the fields and stopped above a cave. Winged
angels flew to the cave. They began to sing and play for
theson of God. May this Little One be honored and glorified!
May both evil and good people live in peace!
6. "Pure Virgin" - 16th century carol (arrangement by Petro
Andriychuk).
The Most Pure Virgin gave birth to a son. Oh so, so early!
Rejoice, O Earth! Christ is born! Three glorious kings
obediently follow the star and bring gifts as to offer Christ.
And we will bow to Christ with them. Let us bow, let us glorify
with a sincere pure heart!
7. "Saint Barbara Built a Church" is an ancient Ukrainian
carol-legend that contains a spiritual interpretation of the
founding of Kyiv, the main center of Christianity among the
Eastern Slavs. The very form of this carol is reminiscent of an
ancient epic performed by traveling medieval minstrels.
Saint Barbara was a martyr of the late 3rd century. A century
after the Christianization of Kievan Rus', the Byzantine
princess Barbara-Irene Comnenus, upon her marriage to the
Kievan prince Svyatopolk, transferred the holy remains of the
martyr Barbara from Constantinople to Kyiv, where they
remain to this day. Thus, Saint Barbara became a Ukrainian
saint and the patron saint of Kyiv. Her feast day in Orthodox
churches that adhere to the old Julian Calendar falls on
December 17, or December 4 according to the Gregorian
Calendar—the period of preparation for Christmas.
Saint Barbara built a church. Rejoice, rejoice, Earth! The Son
of God is born! (This chorus is repeated after each verse).
With three doors and three windows.
The sun shone through the first window.
The bright moon shone through the second window.
A bright angel flew in through the third window.
The bright angel flew in and shed a tear.
And from that tear flowed the Dnieper River.
The Dnieper overflowed, and Kyiv appeared.
Kyiv was built and crowned with the Holy Lavra*.
Rejoice, rejoice, Earth! The Son of God is born!
*The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra is the oldest, largest, and most
famous of Kyiv's monasteries, the residence of the Kyiv
orthodox metropolitans from the 12th century to the present
day.