I first heard this prayer one day while visiting a local Orthodox church in Waco, Saint Nicholas, for a vespers service. I had become good friends with the woman who assisted the priest with the chanting during the service. I thought that she chanted the prayers so beautifully!
But the words of this ancient Trinitarian hymn, a lamp-lighting prayer, at the end of the service captivated my ears and my heart:
O Gladsome Light of the holy glory, of the immortal Father:
Heavenly blessed, Jesus Christ.
Now, that we have come to the setting of the sun,
And we behold the light of the evening.
We praise the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
It is right, at all times, to worship Thee with songs of praise:
O Son of God, and giver of life.
Therefore, all the world glorifies Thee.
I later wrote this musical setting, and we have used it for many services around our beloved university and our community many times. I hope that you will listen in the hope of Christ, the Light of the World.
And that our God will illuminate our imaginations with the expectation that we shall gather again in a not too distant future; and we shall praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together!
By the way… I am married now to the cantor I mentioned at the beginning of this note: my sweet wife, Susan. And, this is a prayer dear to our family.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!
Carlos Colón 