On the Closure of the Season of Creation 2021, from the Monastery of the Visitation, Lebanon
Sister Marana Saad:
‘At Philokalia, meaning “Love of the beautiful”, we work on the upbringing of artists’
‘The Season of Creation is a message and an invitation in the heart of the Church’
This interview is also available in Arabic.
Sister Marana Saad
From the Lebanese village Aintoura, and with the reverence of the Monastery of the Visitation, the heavens chanted, and voices were raised, glorifying the Creator and praising his divine power. “How beautiful You are, Lord… How great Your name is on Earth!” How great are your deeds, O Lord, and how wonderful are your children when they gather in your name, with one heart, thanking you for your glorious blessings.
Saint Francis, the environment’s friend, and his church witnessed an atmosphere of reverence and hope on the closure of the “Season of Creation” 2021 eve. This season, launched by the Middle East Council of Churches for the first time in the East, is coming to an end, carrying with it an environmental and Christian message, calling us to reinforce our responsibility in protecting the environment and preserving our common home.
For this occasion, His Beatitude Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al Rai chose the newly restored Monastery of the Visitation to host the closing Prayer of the season called by the Council to be an Ecumenical day glorifying the Creator with heart, speech, Prayer, and music.
At the end of this Ecumenical service, we met with the Head of the Monastery and the Institute and Choir of Philokalia, Sister Marana Saad, who has always been keen to instill environmental spirituality in all ages to praise the Creator through diversed types of arts.
With a hopeful smile on her face, she answered the questions of the Middle East Council of Churches website: "We are honored to host the Season of Creation in the Monastery of Aintoura, the Philokalia Institute and Organization. We are always called to renew our faith and glorify our Lord through creation and nature, for music id the greatest sign of harmony. Thus, humanity is in harmony and love, beauty and renewal prevail, for nature is the greatest sign of renewal. We can read in the Book of Genesis in the Bible: ‘And God saw that it was good,’ meaning it was beautiful. Therefore, we are happy today in Philokalia, meaning “Love of the beautiful” to host these celebrations expressing the beauty of the Lord.”
And she continues: "The Season of Creation is a message and an invitation in the heart of the Church for every person and community that respects nature and all the creation of our Lord, for the sake of the goodness and beauty of life. Thus, our Lord is glorified when Man lives in peace, freedom, joy, and renewal."
During a tour at the Monastery before the start of the Prayer, one notices the beauty of the Biblical garden at its entrance, and the trees and flowers spread around the place, proof of the Monastery’s keenness to preserve an environmental character, reflecting an atmosphere of peace and tranquility for visitors.
We asked Sister Saad about the environmental role of the Monastery, and she answered: “the Monastery of the Visitation and the Philokalia Institute and Organization preserves everything that is green for young people and children to find joy between its walls, and for visitors to find peace and tranquility, helping them re-establish communication with our Lord and with their fellows human beings. Humanity needs to return to itself through nature. We work on the upbringing of artists. This is reflected in the spirit, work, and body of the individual and through his life in society and among family, raising civilization in Church, society and the country.”
What about the Philokalia Choir? Why should one glorify the Creator through music?
Sister Marana Saad, conductor of the choir, explains to us: “In order to glorify the Lord, one must first know what God has given us. The talents that each one of us has in his life is proof of a project that our Lord has set for us on our path and in our private lives. Here lies the importance of Philokalia’s vocation in the heart of the Church, spreading art and attracting children to train them on many artistic talents and sectors.”
She adds: "The role of the choir is primarily based on the principle that man is created in the image of the Lord, and therefore is responsible for the blessing of creation, whether through music, painting, sculpture, culinary arts, cultural arts, or the art of spirituality. Therefore, one must renew and develop this vocation. This is what the Philokalia Academic Institute does through its Board of Directors and Council of Professors. All of them are experts in the world of arts, watching over the Academy programs to develop students and help them become artists in the future, introducing them to a more beautiful life and helping them realize the value of the presence and grace of the Lord in their lives so they can glorify Him for all their talents and the message he entrusted them with.”
At the end of the interview, Sister Marana Saad thanked, on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Institute and Organization, all the organizers of the “Season of Creation” and all those entrusted with this message. She called on people to preserve joy through nature and creation.
Communication and Public Relations Department