Recordings from the Christmas Vigil at the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopaidi

As the ‘capital of feasts’, Christmas is honoured on the Holy Mountain with a vigil, during the course of which the monks sing hymns and troparia of exceptional poetic and musical beauty. At the Divine Liturgy on the day itself, ‘Those who have been baptized in Christ’ is sung in tone one. This hymn is a reminder of the practice in the ancient Church of holding the sacrament of baptism for catechumens at Christmas, a custom mentioned by Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Cyril of Jerusalem in their Catechisms.

‘Those who have been baptized in Christ’

‘Christ is born, glorify him’ and ode one of the canon.