The Rite of Blessing the Festal Bread

Common chants of the Serbian Orthodox Church transcribed with English texts by Rev. Miroslav Lazarevich and George Vance. 

As generations of Orthodox Christians whose heritage is the Serbian diaspora become estranged from the language of their forebearers, it is nevertheless incumbent upon them to maintain the thousand-year-old custom of commemorating the family patron saint. For many who have lost touch with Church Slavonic as a practical language for worship, it may be desirable to celebrate this rite in English.

Toward that end, and with the intention of retaining the beauty of our traditional chants, we have undertaken to transcribe the melodies collected by Stevan Mokranjac and Bishop Stefan Lastavica with English texts, primarily the excellent translations of Very Rev. Dr. Mateja Matejic. 

The authors submit this work to the public for the Glory of the God of our fathers and the preservation of this uniquely Serbian custom in Englishspeaking lands.