Publishing House Mitropolia Olteniei, Craiova, 2010, ISBN 978-973-1794-44-0
Chants of the Romanian Orthodox Church
The book “Preacinstirea Maicii Domnului oglindită în cântările Bisericii Ortodoxe Române” (Honouring of Theotokos reflected in the Chants of the Romanian Orthodox Church), by Prof. Lect. Priest Ion Bârnea, PhD, published with the blessing of His Eminence Acad. Prof. Irineu Popa PhD, the Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan Bishop of Oltenia, opens the series of a new range of prints suggested by our publishing house: “Carte universitară”.
The structure in four chapter (“Argumente scripturistice în sprijinul cultului şi preacinstirii Maicii Domnului în Biserica Ortodoxă” (Scriptural Arguments in Support of Religion and Honouring of Theotokos in the Orthodox Church), “Preacinstirea Maicii Domnului oglindită în cântările Vecerniei, Sfintei Liturghii şi în alte laude bisericeşti” (Honouring of Theotokos reflected in the Chants of Vespers, Divine Liturgy and in other Churchy Lauds), “Maica Domnului în colindele religioase româneşti” (Theotokos in Romanian Religious Carols), “Lacrimile şi suferinţa Maicii Domnului pe Golgota” (Tears and Suffering of Theotokos on Golgotha)), the work of Lecturer Priest Ion Bârnea, PhD, aims to emphasise the beauty of church chants and not only, that are dedicated to the Holy Virgin Mary: “The richness and variety of forms to manifest the honouring of Theotokos in the religion of the Orthodox Church fully prove and justify the devotion of Christians for Her, whom is also the Mother of all believers” (p. 11).
Throughout the pages of the book, Prof. Lecturer Priest Ion Barnea, PhD, transcribes some of the most popular church chants where the Holy Virgin Mary is venerated as Mother of God and protector of people. Besides the beautiful religious chants where She is mentioned, the entire Orthodox Christianity honours Theotokos in many other forms: building churches, painting icons with the Holy Infant, the place She occupies during the Divine Liturgy, etc. “The special veneration of the Holy Virgin Mary and Her quality of mediator has its beginning in the very choice of Her by God to be Mother in flesh of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer” (p. 140).