The Cherubic Hymn is one of the
most beautiful hymns chanted during the Divine Liturgy. It is one of the
largest pieces, allowing for the priest to say the prayers and prepare for the
Great Entrance. The hymn points out that
we, the faithful, pass through the world of the angels:
“We who are mystical images of the Cherubim, and who sing the thrice-holy hymn to the life-giving Trinity, let us now leave aside every earthly care, for we are about to receive the King of all, escorted by the angelic hosts”.
In Fr. Andreas Andreopoulos’ new
book Gazing on God he explains what
the Cherubic Hymn is, what it means for us faithful. He states:
“The Cherubic hymn marks a
transition, from the world that we can perceive through the help of the Holy
Spirit… The hymn of the Cherubim signifies something much greater than an
abstract, theoretical metaphor. It is an invitation to the world of angels to
join us in our wedding feast with the Bridegroom of the Church, where,
nevertheless, the central place next to Christ is reserved for the communion of
mortals. This image alone can show how our place in the Creation of God is
higher than the angels – but also the responsibility of drawing the rest of the
Creation with us to him.”[1]
[1] Andreopoulos, Andreas, Gazing on God, (Cambridge, James Clarke & Co, 2013), p.45-46.
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