Voices Found: Kassia for Wednesday in Holy Week , VF 40, 41
Kassia
A manuscript of Kassias's Hymn for Holy Wednesday from a collection of Hymns and Canons, Eastern Mediterranean, 16th center
Kassia, Abbess, 810-865, "The Hymn of the Repentant Woman "
Voices Found #40
Kassia’s words
O Lord God,
The woman who had fallen into many sins,
Having perceived Thy Divinity.
Received the rank of ointment bearer,
Offering Thee spices before Thy burial,
Wailing and crying,
Woe is me ,
For the love of adultery and sin hath given me a dark and lightless night;
Accept the fountains of my tears,
Thou who draws the waters of the sea by the clouds;
Incline Thou to the sighing of my heart,
O thou who didst bend the heavens by Thine in apprehensible condescension.
I will kiss Thy pure feet and I will wipe them with my tresses,
From Thy handmaiden,
O Thou of countless mercy
tr. Seraphim Nasser c. Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church
Kassia was the first woman known to compose text and music for the Christian church. Eastern Orthodox churches still sing her powerful hymns written in the First Millennium. A facsimile of a manuscript including Kassia's hymn is pictured above. Most manuscripts from the 9th century have no musical "score." Neumes, the earliest form of notation developed later. Instead, composers specified a singing, or reciting tone, which indicated tonality along with associated melodic patterns. The singer would improvise a chant based on oral tradition.
Also known as, "O Lord God," Kassia's hymn is #40 in Voices Found with a musical interpretation used in the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese in North America. It is recorded with Diane Severson, soprano, on my CD "Magdalene and the Other Mary, " available from Church Publishing, Inc. A simpler musical interpretation, more approachable for congregational singing, is VF #42 an arrangement by Robert A. M. Ross.
Kassia's story
Emperor: From woman come evils
Kassia: But from woman spring many blessings
According to tradition, Kassia, a beautiful, intelligent young woman participated in a “brideshow” for the Byzantine Emperor Theopholis in the 9th century. It was the custom for him to give a golden apple to the maiden who pleased him most. He was entranced by Kassis’s beauty and said “From woman come evils.” To which she replied “But from woman come many blessings.” Unable to cope with such a brilliant woman, Theopholis passed by Kassia and gave the apple to Icasia, although some historians think that Kassia may have rejected the emperor first. However, we do know that Kassia founded a monastery in Constantinople in 843 where she ruled as Abbess. At her Abbey, she wrote poetry and hymns for the Church. Best known is “The hymn of the Repentant Woman.” Some scholars think that the Emperor wrote several lines of this hymn while visiting Kassia at the Abbey.
Reflection
Kassia’s response to the emperor broadens the traditional Christian understanding that Jesus’s birth through Mary redeemed the sins of humankind attributed originally to Eve. Kassia’s assertive rebuttal of the Emperor reminds us of the many blessings that come from women. Can you think of blessings you have received through women?
Kassia’s rejection by the Emperor appears to reflect his fear of intelligent, powerful women; a fear that rings true even in the 21st Century. Can you think of any contemporary examples?
"The Hymn of the Repentant Woman "reflects a uniquely feminine experience of sin, mercy and forgiveness. Think of mercy and forgiveness you have experienced. Who was the channel of that peace?
Prayer: Voices Found # 41
To you, who draws oceans to the clouds,
I give the fountain of my tears!
You've shown the joys of heaven to me,
in mercy hear my agony.
O who, then can comprehend my sins?
And who can grant your judgements deep?
Thou, blest Redeemer of countless souls:
Remember me, remember me.
Words: Kassia, the Nun, adapt. CCW Sparks
Music: Robert A. M. Ross
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