I have a personal interest in this mission.
You can say whatever you want, but how this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihgHMzTaatEIf this gorgeous hymnody is somehow not Orthodox music...than I am a monkey not a man, I would almost think I am in the wrong church...were that to be true.
I was working on typesetting the english words to it earlier but didnt finish.
here are the words to the same music there in latin:
1. Jo-seph, heavenly hosts thy wor-thiness proclaim,
And Christen-dom conspires to ce- le- brate thy fame,
Thou who in pur-est bonds wert to the Vir-gin bound;
How glo-ri-ous is thy name re-nowned.
2. Thou, when thou didst behold thy Spouse about to bear,
Wert sore oppressed with doubt, wert filled with won-der-
ing care; At length the An-gel's word thy anxious
heart re-lieved: She by the spi- rit hath con-ceived.
3. Thou with thy new-born Lord didst seek far E-gypt's land,
As wan-dering pil-grims ye fled o'er the de- sert sand;
That Lord, when lost, by thee is in the Tem-ple found,
While tears are shed, and joys a- bound.
4. Not till death's hour is past do o-ther men ob-tain
The meed of ho- li- ness, and glor-ious rest at- tain;
Thou, like to Angels made, in life com-plete-ly blest,
Dost clasp thy God un- to thy breast.
5. O Ho- ly Tri- ni- ty, Thy sup-pliant ser-vants spare;
Grant us to rise to heaven for Jo-seph's sake and prayer,
And so our grate-ful hearts to Thee shall ev- er raise
Ex- ul- ting can- ti- cles of praise. A-men
Written by Fr. Juan Escollar (d. 1700). METER: Asclepiadic and Glyconic.
Metrical English Translation: T.I. Ball
I had no idea there was controversy about the name. But it is true that I have never encountered a byzantine rite church by the name "Holy Family". I am not aware of why there necessarily must be a controversy for it, but am open to hearing explanations.
I think that it is true that it is a feast of recent origin. It is connected to and celebrated toward the octave of epiphany since the 17th c, and still is in the Orthodox western rites. Though the novus ordo calendar moved it to Dec. 30. for present time latin heterodox catholics.
"Veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Mgr François de Laval, a Canadian bishop who founded a Confraternity."
I do think there is some truth to the idea that St. Joseph's feast is a different development than in the East. There was a zealous greek man years ago who seemed to think there was a heresy involved. This idea against St. Joseph's feast is not new, it has been spread throughout the Greek Orthodox Church. I can't say I have taken the time to understand it, unfortunately.
Here are two other texts for the western feast which date between the 15th and 18th centuries are :
"1. Joseph, the praise and glory of the heavens,
sure pledge of life, and safety of the wide world,
as in joy we sing to thee, in kindness
list to our praises.
2. Thou by the world's Creator wert appointed
spouse of the Virgin; thee He willed to honor
naming thee Father of the Word and guardian
of our salvation.
3. Thou thy Redeemer, lying in a stable,
whom long ago foretold the choir of Prophets,
sawest rejoicing and thy God adoredst
humble in childhood.
4. God, King of kings, and Governor of the ages,
He at whose word the powers of hell do tremble,
He whom the adoring heavens ever worship
called thee protector.
5. Praise to the Triune Godhead ever-lasting,
Who with such honor mightily hath blest thee;
o may He grant us thy blest petition
joys everlasting.
Translation by Alan G. McDougall (1895-1964).
Sung to the Same meter as hymn above.
from Matins, the sung responsories:
R. The blessings of thy father prevailed over the blessings of his fathers, X so that the Desire of the everlasting hills should come.
V. Let them be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of the Nazarite among his brethren R. so that the Desire of the everlasting hills should come. Glory be to the Father....
R. The parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the passover; when they had fulfilled the days they returned the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem X And Joseph and his Mother knew not of it.
V. But they supposing him to have been in the company sought him among their kinsfolk and asquitances X And Joseph and his Mother knew not of it. Glory be to the Father....
R. The Mother of Jesus said unto him: Son why has thou dealt with us? X behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. V. And he saint unto them: How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? X. Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. Glory be to the Father....
Those are all from what are now considered the official texts of the Antiochian WRV from the Benedictine Divine Office booksl lancelote andrewes press sells