On December 2, 2024, the final stage of the III Patriarchal International Festival of Spiritual Music «Light of Christ» took place.
The festival is held with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia annually since 2021. The musical forum consists of competition and concert programs with the participation of groups from the regions of Russia and foreign countries.
The festival is held annually with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
The festival «Light of Christ» is supported by Church and Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for the development of Russian church singing, the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the Government of Moscow. Organizers — Enlightenment Centre of Spiritual and Musical Culture «Country of Resurrection» and the Foundation «Academy of Choral Culture».
In the spring and summer of 2024, during the first and second competition stages of the festival, qualifying stages were held among the choirs of the Russian Orthodox Church. In total, more than 100 applications from choirs were sent, 22 participants became laureates of the festival, 16 — diplomats.
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On the morning of December 2 in the Christ the Savior Cathedral. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The combined choir of the festival laureates sang at the service. In the evening, a gala concert was held in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
The guest of the evening gala concert was the Grand Prix winner I Patriarchal International Festival of Choirs «Light of Christ» Minsk Metropolitan Choir (artistic director and conductor — Vitaly Sobolevsky).
Chairman of the Church-Public Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing Metropolitan Amvrosy of Tver and Kashin addressed the festival participants and conveyed the blessing and best wishes of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, thanked the organizers of the festival «Light of Christ» and congratulated the laureates. Vladyka Amvrosy noted the expansion of the geography of the festival participants. Then the bishop awarded the winners of the III Patriarchal International Festival of Spiritual Music «Light of Christ».
The concert was also attended by Metropolitan Jonathan (Yeletskikh), whose works were performed by several winning ensembles.
In the gala concert. The laureates of the festival «Light of Christ» 2024 took part in the festival.
The Grand Prix of the festival was won by the Archdiocesan Male Choir of the Chelyabinsk Metropolis, regent P.A. Kuznitsyn.
First degree laureates:
- Mixed choir of the Don Theological Seminary, regent Hieromonk Averky (Shaposhnikov), nomination «Large mixed choirs» .
- Archbishop's mixed choir of Kazan Eparchy, regent M.Y. Litvinenko, nomination «Small mixed choirs»;
- the ensemble of the Cathedral of Archistratig Michael of Mikhailovsk, regent I.M. Gritsenko, nomination «Ensembles»;
- holiday men's choir Nikolo-Ugreshsky Stavropigial Monastery, regent S.Y. Markelov, nomination «Male ensembles»;
- choral ensemble at the Iversko-Seraphimovsky nunnery of the city of Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan), regent S.Yu. Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan), regent O.B. Usoltseva, nomination «Women's ensembles»
- youth choir of Kimry Kimry bishopric, regent F.V. Kirillov, nomination «Youth choirs» .
Church and Public Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing/Patriarchy.ru
