Deacon Kevin Smith Speaks on Orthodox Radio

Crestwood, NY—Come Receive the Light, a weekly Orthodox radio program, recently featured another SVS guest, Deacon Kevin Smith. On the December 20 show, Dn Smith, fellow in liturgical music at SVS, together with Holy Cross faculty member Fr Nicholas Kastanas, spoke on "Orthodox Hymns of the Incarnation." They discussed how Orthodox hymnography is connected to the full range of human emotions and we sing them as an offering to the Lord. They also affirmed that while the Christmas carols we hear on the radio during the holidays are enjoyable, Orthodox hymnography is grounded in trusted theology, and functions as a confession of faith. Christmas hymns in particular, said Dn Smith, point us to the passion of Christ when they depict him as a little child in a cave, and set the whole liturgical year in motion.

Deacon Kevin graduated from St Vladimir's Seminary in 2002 (M. Div., M.A. in Liturgical Music). He serves as a teaching assistant, and supervises the chanters and choirs in the seminary's Three Hierarchs' Chapel. He is currently pursuing a M.Mus. in Choral Conducting at Mannes College of Music in New York City.

The archived program broadcast on December 20 is available at the program website.