Funerals and Farewells

 Today’s post relates to what has been happening around us recently. – and it’s a bit macabre.  As the title says: farewells and funerals.  

Two weeks ago, two cousins of Z’s left us. One had been suffering from a long-term degenerative condition, so his passing ultimately offered relief. The second was a heavy smoker with a heart condition and, though relatively young, Covid did for him.

Two weekends ago, as we waited for guests to arrive for dinner, we were surprised to see the headlights of one guest’s car approach our house, stop, then go into reverse. At that very moment he had word his mother was dying!

On the Monday there was wide coverage of the ex-King of Greece’s funeral in Attica. Probably as a political move (upcoming general elections) he was not afforded a state funeral. Perhaps this was no bad thing as it avoided negative responses from some who remain avid anti-royalists after all these years.  (A referendum abolished the monarchy in 1974.) So, the family were able to lay him to rest privately and with dignity.

On the Tuesday we attended the funeral of our friend’s mother in the nearby area of Kallamaria. Below is a picture of a funeral service in although in most cases the casket is open for most of the service.  I’ve already written about the Greek funeral format but this one left two deep impressions on me: 

                                            

 Firstly, as the priest was chanting hymns appropriate to this particular liturgical service, three male cantors, or chanters, provided the ison, music which is composed of drone notes or a slow-moving part to accompany the hymnal melody. Without being intrusive, it provides continuum while the priest pauses in his chant, and adds depth and harmony to the overall effect. Drone and chanter - reminds me of the bagpipes!

Although spiritual people, nether Z nor I adhere to the church established. In fact, we would subscribe more to the George Carlin school of thought! 

                             

 

However, I have found the Gregorian chants immensely comforting as I did then, providing a sense of communion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avy2OdfKt6A

The above link should hopefully provide samples of Orthodox chants, while the one below gives beautiful examples of drone music sounding like instrumental backing.

file:///C:/Users/user/Pictures/watch.htm#:~:text=Ancient%20Orthodox%20Greek%20Chanting%20%2D%20Monks%20choir%20for%20Medieval%20songs%20mittelaltermusik

The second take-away for me, as a part of this small family group, was the sense of  enormity of the event we found ourselves in. The service was held is a small, unassuming church which was very much a part of the immediate area.

                                  

Dedicated to Saint Paul, it was full of icons of all the saints held dear by the faithful. It was only while admiring this amazing, highly stylized and challenging art form, that I realized that the Greek word Panagia – used to refer to the Holy Mother – literally means All Holy.

                                                                           

And it struck me that, as we were there to honour this departing soul, we were experiencing sounds and sights dating back to the Byzantine era from the 5^th to the 15^th centuries - that’s perhaps the closest we come to the eternal. In contrast to that I was aware that we were as ephemeral as the candle flames flickering all around.                                              

That we could suddenly be snuffed out or gradually decay as the petals of the floral tributes we had brought with us.                                             

 At New Year, one of our resolutions is often to have a massive clear-out at home.

Bearing our immortality in mind, let’s set our houses in order. 😊