Thank you Fr. Serafim Mull Monastery for kind permission to use St. Caedmon’s Icon.
O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. ~ Psalm 96:1
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; ~ Ephesians 5:19
…a psalm is the work of angels, a heavenly institution, the spiritual incense. ~ St. Basil the Great
Today is St. Caedmon’s Day! This 7th British Saint heard angels sing and wrote the earliest English poem in existence.
It’s heart-piercingly beautiful, and after wading through theseLatin, Northumbrian, West Saxon translationsand sources of his work… I knew this poem was just aching to be adapted into a simpler, modern English read.
Sadly, no original music remains of St. Caedmon’s hymn, and alas and alack, I never found any olden West Saxon melodies to work with… They’re scarcer than hen’s teeth!
You can imagine how thrilling it was to encounter the ancient 13th century Byzantine Greek Chant, Defte Lai–and know how the majestic melody would also suit the adaptation of St. Caedmon’s poem. It’s pure joy to reclaim Defte Lai’s ageless air for another venerable Orthodox Hymn.
Here’s the pdf sheet music for my 2022 adaptation and recording below of St. Caedmon’s Hymn.
3 chords used in this recording – while leaning on my ukulele crutch are: Fm; Cm; and B♭m
St. Caedmon’s Creation Hymn:
Come magnify Him, Creator of the firmament, Author of each and all, And glorify His purpose; Love, Invincible. Come and honour Him, Protector of Fair Paradise, Holy, Mighty, Immortal, Architect, Omnipotent; Father of Glory. Blessed, Timeless, Lord, Thou hast established Thy wonders, Before middle earth* was formed, Or adorned with Thought of Mind; Lord, God Almighty! For the sons of men; Thou formed the Roof of Heaven!
* Middle earth (not just a Tolkien invention)- it means the world, the middle enclosure – which exists between heaven and hell. From Middle English middel-erde, and Old English middangeard.
Through the Holy Prayers of St. Caedmon, may we – through the Wonderful Mystery of Creation, magnify our Blessed and Timeless Lord!
Each dawn is a blessing… new and fresh, with golden opportunities!
A few years ago, in anticipation of sowing the online seeds for this Blisswood site, I also read (from several sources) that a serious blogger needs the strong roots of at least500 posts to even be considereda beginner blogger.
Quickly accepting the obvious… that I couldn’t (and can’t) do this on my own was a huge relief. I had to let go, and let God help! And, thanks be to God, I’m officially a beginner blogger… 🙂
You’ve helped funnel my writing voice as a creative outlet, moving me to reflect upon my faith and what helps keeps me buoyant on the stormy seas of life. I try to share what’s joyful, optimistic and uplifting… especially during these trying world times.
Thank you for subscribing, and keeping me on my toes!
Thank youfor the inspiring suggestions, encouraging emails, and sharing these posts!
In the radiance of His light the world is not commonplace. The very floor we stand on is a miracle of atoms whizzing in space… In a world where everything that seems to be present is immediately past, everything in Christ is able to participate in the eternal present of God. ~ Fr. Alexander Schmemann
The sky is beautiful, but it is so in order that you may bow down before Him who made it; the sun is bright, but it is so in order that you may worship its Author; if you stop at the wonder of creation and get stuck at the beauty of these works, the light will become dark for you, or rather you will have used the light to change it to darkness. ~ St. John Chrysostom
Beauty is never ‘necessary,’ ‘functional’ or ‘useful.’ And when, expecting someone we love, we put a beautiful tablecloth on the table and decorate it with candles and flowers, we do all this not our of necessity, but out of love. And the Church is love, expectation and joy. ~ Fr. Alexander Schmemann
…God, Who fashioned us and brought us out of non-existence into being, has placed us in this life as in a schoolroom to learn the Gospel of His Kingdom. ~ St. Theodore the Studite
With God placing us in this life as in a schoolroom, may we all graduate in heaven!
I remember my young Baptist mind being astounded there were actually two Saints from “forever ago” with real names! But why only two (St. Valentine and St. Patrick) I wondered, when we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses!?
In secular society, “Valentine’s Day” is given the nod – but mostly to a cupid logo substitution, removal of the saint title, and the “V” changed to small case. Peddling Festivitiesis not a new thing either. Sales and Marketing in the Retail World quietly sweep holy days under a generic blanket of holiday commercialism.
For Orthodox Christians, St. Valentine’s Day and all the saints’ days every day of the year, are glorious opportunities to learn more of our heavenly friends. By celebrating their summits of virtue, their struggles, courage, and pure love of God… we too, learn how to emulatethem.
Children are instinctively drawn to the sweet essence of kindness and love remembering St. Valentine. Like St. Patrick’s Day, St. Valentine’s Day can open a wonderful lead into sharing the lives of other daily saints. God’s Loveis true Love. His Perfect Lovestrengthens and blesses the bonds of spouses, families, friends, and neighbours.
The Saviour knocks on the Door of our Heart. He waits patiently for us to hear Him, to open the door, and to let Him in.
When we give our whole heart to Christ, He in turn refills it with so much Love, that it overflows with Joy!
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ~ Matthew 6:21
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13
Interior archway with ancient frescoes St. Demetrios Church Thessaloniki, Greece – 2006
Let God intervene between you and your purpose, instead of letting your purpose intervene between God and you…Every morning, open a new page, and put your signature on the blank. Whatever God wills, let Him write. ~ Gerontissa Gavrielia
After Theophany, the days grow longer. Chirping robins return. Silver, furry catkins adorn bare branches. Fair Maids of Février poke up through cold earth. Everything is fresh and young again.
Each day, the Author of Life opens a blank new page for us to write on.
Isn’t is marvellous the unwritten pages of our daily deeds are already seen by Him as accomplished? Isn’t it amazing we retain the gift of free will to do as we choose on said pages? Isn’t it miraculous He loves us; regardless!?
Opening our self to God is Life. Allowing God to robe Himself within us suffuses our soul with Love and Light.
The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? ~Psalm 27:1
Thy word is a lamp for my feet, a light unto my path. ~ Psalm 119:105
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. ~ Isaiah 60:1
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ~ St. Matthew 5:14 – 16
No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you. ~ St. Luke 11:33-36
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ~ St. John 1:5
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ~ St. John 8:12
