Bard-clerics and spiritual songs in ethnic style. The "Odigitria" festival took place in the Vitebsk region
The XII international youth Orthodox festival "Odigitria" concluded recently in the Vitebsk region. Its uniqueness lies in the combination of cultural and spiritual events. Divine liturgies precede the contestants' performances on stage and master classes in belt weaving or clay modeling, and immediately after the fire show, young people go to the temple. Participants have long called "Odigitria" a festival where love reigns.
The music competition is the central event of the Orthodox forum, but there is no competitive spirit. Performers support each other and sincerely empathize. This was also noted by the jury, which included Tamara Krasnova-Gusachenko, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Branch of the Union of Writers of Belarus; Sergey Grebennikov, a famous Russian poet, singer, and composer; Vitaly Rauzo, a musician and organizer of Christmas choir events in the regional center; Monk Lavrentiy of the Zadonksky Monastery; Deacon Sergey Uchaneishvili, a cleric of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra; and Natalia Kupriyanova, an Orthodox singer, songwriter, and performer. She, incidentally, previously participated in "Odigitria" as a performer and won the Grand Prix of the festival. At the grand opening ceremony, Natalia wished all participants:
— May your love for Orthodox song not be just a hobby, may your performance at the festival not be a one-time event. Develop your creativity! Sing not only with your voice, sing with your soul, with your heart.
A positive atmosphere at the main concerts, the first of which took place near the walls of the Holy Assumption Cathedral, and the second in the Summer Amphitheater, was also set by the contestants themselves. Almost every year, the choir "Mnogogolosie" of the Christ the Savior Church from Novovoronezh visits Vitebsk. Its youngest participants, Ilya Bokov and Alexandra Larina, dressed as little angels, captivated absolutely all the spectators (pictured).
Spiritual music can be very diverse: songs about God and faith were performed from the stage by both bard-clergy and performers of ethnic music.
The performance of the Cossack ensemble "Ermak" from Kaliningrad was colorful, with choreographic support from a dance group from the Voronezh region. Young and experienced Cossacks skillfully wielded sabers and шашки (a type of sword) to the rhythm of the traditional "udalaia" song. The "Ermaki" visited Vitebsk for the first time, but immediately felt a friendly attitude and "eased" the work of the jury:
— All contestants have already won simply because they are here and they are together, — summarized the most experienced participant of the group, Alexander Matvienko.
By the way, about the results. The Grand Prix of the XII festival "Odigitria" was awarded to singer-songwriter Dmitry Shevchenko (Belgorod region) and singer Natalia Moskalenko (Voronezh).
The cultural program of the youth forum was not limited to the competition part only; numerous festival events took place at the Orthodox camp “Druzhba” on the shore of Lake Bernoye, near the village of Vorony in the Vitebsk region. The most striking of these was the choreography evening. Young people at the Orthodox ball performed medieval, folk, and historical-everyday dances.
Today, believers will go from the Orthodox camp on a religious procession to the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Odigitria” along the route Vitebsk — Smolensk.
Natalia Kamlyova, "Vitebskiye Vesti"