We were invited to provide music after the first reading (which was read by our retired Archbishop). Our choirmaster kept firmly in mind the norms -- we led with chant, the Ave Maria, followed by the Tomas Luis Victoria setting of the Ave Maria, then the Litany of the Saints with all the Greek saints inserted for the occasion. We were only about 10 in number (since it started while most folks were still at work) but that included our best workhorse singers - our sweet-voiced staff soprano, our spectacular tenor, and a couple of good deep basses (and of course us altos!).
One of our priests who was down in the sanctuary told us later that the visiting dignitaries were very pleased by our musical offering! He said there were nods and smiles and approving looks all across the dais.
There was also a 50-voice Baptist choir down in the nave. Our mole reported that the Orthodox prelates looked rather stunned. They had never heard anything like THAT before -- at least we are within shouting distance of the Byzantine chant.
**One of our priests who was down in the sanctuary told us later that the visiting dignitaries were very pleased by our musical offering!**
Congratulations.
Was it because it was ecumenical that the Baptist choir was there? Very strange.....and I can totally understand why the orthodox priests thought it very strange.