Listen to the “Hymn of the Cherubim” in original Greek –and by Tchaikovsky

One of the most sublime hymns of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is the Hymn of the Cherubim.

It is usually sung during the procession of the offertory, when the bread and wine are taken from the so-called “altar of preparation” through the main nave of the church to the altar of sacrifice.

The hymn sings the union of the assembly gathered in the church with the triumphant Church and the angelic choirs in heaven, in preparation for the mystery and miracle of the Transubstantiation of the consecrated species.

This hymn, although it was added to the liturgy during the mandate of Emperor Justin II at the end of the 6th century, is perhaps one of the oldest liturgical hymns of the Christian tradition.

We wanted to include here a Greek version (which is preserved as the original) and the version of the same hymn made by Tchaikovsky in the 19th century.