 |
They have a mediaeval-type singing gang in there, 10 guys crowded round the one lectern, which they swivel round from time to time, to change the book they're reading from -
| Venetian harbours |
|
I happen to be going past a larger church a stone's throw from the small one, at 5 pm, which is evidently their service time on a Saturday; they have very loud loudspeakers projecting the sound of some very serious singing into the street -
why?!
- to bring a crumb of salvation to those who would never come inside to the banquet?
- or, not trusting to the deafening cacophony of those poorly-tuned bells, to remind the forgetful faithful that it's time to head on in?
|
They have a mediaeval-type singing gang in there, 10 guys crowded round the one lectern, which they swivel round from time to time, to change the book they're reading from -
something like the Catholics' 'ordinary' and 'proper' maybe? - one book with the bits that are the same every Sunday, another with those which change every week, like today's special ...
They all look like Mafia, although one who comes late kisses an icon on his way in (Oh - Dagmar tells me the Mafia kiss icons, too)... Another is waving some sheets around as if he's trying to work out which page they're supposed to be singing from, it made me think of the lizard in the court scene in Alice in Wonderland ... Just two black-clad old ladies to listen to all those men singing ... both they and I get a very thorough dowsing from the incense burner. It almost feels as if there's a set amount which has to be used, and if there are fewer in the congregation you have to be doused all the more to make up for those who are missing ...
My way back to the car takes me past the smaller church again, and they're also in full swing with their sabbath celebration ... interestingly enough, the situation is quite reversed - they only have two guys singing, but there are a dozen old ladies in the congregation...
Spending that time at the services means that I'm looking for my night-lodging in the dark, but I think it'll be interesting to see if the Orthodox Kyrie will look after me as well as the Lutheran Herre usually does, and indeed I'm directed from a highway petrol-station to a nearby villagewhere I find somewhere comfortable enough at the right price, at almost the first attempt ...
 |
 |
 |