Christmas Hymns of Descent – Archon Protopsaltis Panayiotis Neokhoritis

A katavasia (hymn of descent) is the irmos for an ode in a canon, that is it’s sung at the beginning of an ode and the rest of the verses are sung to the same melody. It’s also repeated at the end of the ode, slowly, with emphasis and compunction. The singers come down from their stand to sing it, which is where it gets its name.

Katavasia, ode 9, Christmas canon, tone 1, sung by Panayiotis Neokhoritis, Archon Chanter of the great Church of Christ.

Magnify, my soul, her who is greater in honour and more glorious than the hosts on high.

A strange and most wonderful mystery do I see. The cave is heaven; the Virgin the throne of the cherubim, the manger a place where Christ, the God Who cannot be contained, is laid. We praise and magnifiy Him.