A festive day

Well, we are back! My parameters for trips include never being gone for Pentecost – one of my favorite church festivals – I suppose one can call it a festival, as it seems way beyond just a Holy Day ordinaire. The Pentecost music at St James is always special in a sometimes weirdly wonderful way, and today was no exception. We sang the familiar chants in a very traditional manner, but the accompaniment was very exotic and very onomatopoetic – if one can apply that concept to music. While singing about a Mighty Wind, all about us a wind was whispering and whirling, swelling and fading – seemingly coming from nowhere to encompass us in its power. I had not been at the rehearsal, so I was unprepared for the organ and synthesizer music swirling about us. We sing the Mass of Angels ‘Gloria’ all the time. I could sing it in my sleep, and probably do sometimes. We were singing it as usual, and suddenly behind me were all sorts of jerks, squeaks and fabulous dissonances. I was so taken by the accompaniment that I had a hard time concentrating on singing the song.
Pictured is the giant “tongue of fire” hanging over the altar from the oculus. You can see another view of it on Corinna’s blog.