GREECE: GREEK MONKS OF SAROF MONASTERY ARE RELEASING THEIR SECOND COMPACT DISC- THIS TIME OF ROCK MUSIC

Record ID: 390856

  • Title: GREECE: GREEK MONKS OF SAROF MONASTERY ARE RELEASING THEIR SECOND COMPACT DISC- THIS TIME OF ROCK MUSIC
  • Date: 18th January 2001
  • Summary: (REUTERS -ACCESS ALL) SCU (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) FATHER PANDELEIMON SAYING, "Life goes forward, and according to the needs and demands of the times, we as clerics of the church have to do things to adjust to those demands of society, and to transform the language of God into the language of modern society. Without of course, losing our basic principles and doctrines of the c
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NAUPAKTO AND PATRAS, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA6VTHG53GO742S041GCYLTD5GZ
  • Story Text: A group of Greek Orthodox monks are about to become rock sensations . They have chosen rock and roll, once referred to as the devil's music, to pass on God's message to the young. After their music went platinum last year, the monks are now releasing a second CD and a bold, high-tech new video clip, but their moves have drawn complaints from church bishops.
    The 15 monks of the Saints Augustine and Serafeim Sarof monastery, high in the hills of central Greece, know that modern times need modern methods. Last year the monks, who on their album call themselves Free People, released an original compact disc (CD) called 'I Learned to Live Free'.
    It was nowhere near Byzantine chant -- it was rock and roll music with revolutionary lyrics that struck out at big power, globalization, drugs, conformity and the new world order.
    The video clip of the title track showed a black clad monk blasting out lyrics about not selling out to the greed and power of the new world order.
    It was a massive hit among the public and the CD went platinum, selling some 60,000 copies.
    And now they are doing it again. Their new CD is called 'SOS --Save Our Souls', and is full of bold lyrics about issues such as money, power,drug abuse, and human exploitation by modern technology.
    The first videoclip released from the new CD is called 'The Little Microchip', a hightec special effects video that portrays a man with a microchip implanted in his hand who can be monitored wherever he goes. A man painted gold represents big brother who monitors and controls.
    Throughout the video one of the monks watches over, symbolizing that the church is watching how man is enslaved by technology and has come to save him.
    The monks say the idea came from an article they read in a computer magazine about chip implants. The monks write the lyrics in their serene hilltop monastery near the town of Naupakto.
    One of the monks, Father Pandeleimon, 28, is lead singer and writes the music. The instruments are all electrically recorded in a sound studio in the southern town of Patras.
    Father Pandeleimon, clad always in his black robes, was a trained musician before he entered the monastery three years ago. He says the intent is to bring youth closer to the church, and for young people to embrace religion more modern methods have to be used.
    It seems to have worked as dozens of young people are calling with congratulations and seeking places at the summer youth camp the monks run at the monastery.
    Their practices have struck a note of discord with some members of the Holy Synod however. Some bishops have been ruffled by their modern methods, and plan a trip to the monastery to investigate the issue.
    Archbishop of Greece Christodoulos, who had set out on a campaign to bring young people back to the church and had first applauded the monks efforts, now seems to have distanced himself after the complaints.
    Reacting to the bishops complaints, the Abbot of the monastery, Father Nektarios, who has been behind the endeavour from the first, said the church will sooner or later have to realize that to keep up with the times it too will have to employ such methods to keep the public close to the church.
    --ENDS--
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