On December 2, 2024, the final stage of the III Patriarchal International Festival of Sacred Music «Light of Christ» will be held with the support of the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
The Church and Public Council under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for the Development of Russian Church Singing assists the festival «Light of Christ». Organizers — Enlightenment Center of Spiritual and Musical Culture «Country of Resurrection» and the foundation «Academy of Choral Culture».
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The festival is held with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia every year 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.
In the spring and summer of 2024, within the first and second competition stages of the III Patriarchal International 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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December 2 at the Cathedral Cathedral The Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow will host a Divine Liturgy, which is expected to be led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. A combined choir of the festival laureates will take part in the service. In the evening of the same day in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior the gala concert of the festival laureates will take place.
The special guest of the evening gala concert will be the grand-prize winner I Patriarchal International Festival «Light of Christ» — Minsk Metropolitan Choir (artistic director and conductor — Vitaly Sobolevsky).
The winners of the festival «Light of Christ» 2024 will take part in the gala concert:
- arch choir of the Chelyabinsk Metropolis, regent Peter Kuznitsyn (grand prix of the festival);
- Mixed choir of the Don Theological Seminary, regent Hieromonk Averky (Shaposhnikov) (laureate of the first degree in the nomination «Large mixed choirs»);
- Archbishop's mixed choir of the Kazan diocese, regent Marina Litvinenko (laureate of the I degree in the nomination «Small mixed choirs»);
- the ensemble of the Cathedral of Archistratig Michael in Mikhailovsk, regent Job Gritsenko (laureate of the I degree in the nomination «Ensembles»);
- the festive men's choir Nikolo-Ugreshsky Stavropigial Monastery, regent Sergey Markelov (laureate of the I degree in the nomination «Male ensembles»);
- choral ensemble at the Iversko-Seraphimovsky nunnery of Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan), regent Olga Usoltseva (laureate of the I degree in the nomination «Women's ensembles»);
- the youth choir of the Kimry bishopric of Kimry, regent Fedor Kirillov (winner of the I degree in the nomination «Youth choirs»).
The gala-concert starts at 19.00.
Church and Public Council for the Development of Russian Church Singing/Patriarchy.ru
