Notes

Syriac chants at Carmel Hill Monastery (OCD), Trivandrum

This video represents a new development in the history of the Syriac language in India. The leaders of the Carmel Hill Philosophical College in Trivandrum that belongs to the Kerala Province of the Order of the Discalced Carmelites (OCD) decided to introduce Syriac language and music in the curriculum. Accordingly, they invited me to spend a day teaching Syriac songs to the students. Surprisingly, i found the students very enthusiastic. We focused on three chants that they easily mastered. It was indeed a new experience to listen to these chants in the male choral voice of the young and enthusiasitc seminarians. The idea of introducing the students to the Syriac heritage of the Syro Malabar Church originated in the mind of Fr. Dr. Varghese Kurisuthara, OCD, the Rector of the Damasceno College in Rome. Dr. Kurisuthara invited me to conduct a one-day seminar on the topic at the College, in March, 2017. Impressed by the day's events, Dr. Kurisuthara contacted Fr. Antony Attuthundiyil and Fr. Patrick OCD at Carmel Hill Monastery. They whole heartedly accepted the suggestion. I am grateful to both priests for their warm welcome. Let us hope this will be the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Aramaic language in India.

Joseph J. Palackal, CMI
New York
1 June 2019