Official Ceremony: Byzantine Music – Psalter Art in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

The "historic" inscription of Byzantine Music - Chant Art on the UNESCO International Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is being sealed, celebrated and made public, with a two-day event, on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 February 2020, by the DIRECTORATE OF MODERN CULTURAL HERITAGE (DI.NE.POK) of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the FEDERATION OF HIEROPHANTS ASSOCIATIONS OF GREECE (OM.S.I.E.).

The international recognition of the cultural value of Byzantine music was a major "national" goal set by the Hyerochant Community eight years ago. The unanimous decision taken by the Intergovernmental Committee of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO, 2003) during its 14th annual session (9-14 December 2019, Bogota - Colombia) officially introduces Byzantine Music into the international cultural environment.

On Friday, February 21, at 18:30, in an Official Ceremony, in the Conference Hall of the Old Parliament (National Historical Museum, Athens), the Minister of Culture and Sports, Ms. Lina Mendoni, will present the Federation of Chant Associations of Greece, as the highest representative of the Chant Community in Greece, with the Certificate of Registration with UNESCO. The choirs of the Trikala Chant Association, with Choirmaster Mr. Panagiotis Kalambakas, of the Thebes Chant Association with Choirmaster Mr. Antonis Tsarouchas and the “small Byzantine choir” of the Federation of Chant Associations of Greece with Choirmaster Mr. Fotis Ketsetzis will provide musical accompaniment to the ceremony. The event will be graced by His Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Mr. IERONYMOS II. Also present and delivering remarks will be the Abbot of the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi, Elder Ephraim, Ms. Ismini A. Kriari, Rector of Panteion University, Professor of Constitutional Law, Mr. Konstantinos Gouliamos, Rector of the European University of Cyprus, Mr. Achilleas Chaldaiakis, Professor of Byzantine Musicology, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the National University of Cyprus.

On Saturday, February 22, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at the Holy Church of AGIAS ZONIS KYPSELIS, Elder Ephraim will celebrate a Divine Liturgy and a Holy Memorial Service, for the repose of the souls of those who have served the Psaltic Church for centuries, deceased Teachers, Choirmasters, Protopsaltes, Lampadaris, Melodists and its noble benefactors, with the participation of large choirs of Archons of Chants and teachers of Byzantine music.