On March 29, 2018 in the Orenburg regional philharmonic hall the oratorio by the Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Illarion (Alfeev) "St. Matthew Passion" was heard.

Have acted as performers of the oratorio the Orenburg municipal chamber choir under control of Olga Serebriyskaya and symphonic orchestra of Theatre of the musical comedy of Orenburg under the leadership of the conductor Valery Popov. The evangelical text was read by Denis Radchenko.

Before performance of the oratorio musicians and all present at the hall have sung "Imperishable memory" to the dead at the fire in shopping center "Winter Cherry" in Kemerovo on March 25.

At a premiere there was a head of the Orenburg diocese Metropolitan of Orenburg and Saraktash Veniamin, the vice governor - the Deputy Prime Minister - the chief of staff of the Governor and the Government of the Orenburg region Dmitry Kulagin, the head of diocesan department of culture archpriest Georgy Gorlov, numerous parishioners of the Orenburg temples.

Upon termination of the metropolitan Veniamin I have thanked musicians for professionalism, in particular having noted: "Thanks to wonderful performance of the oratorio of the metropolitan Illarion today all of us for an hour and a half as though have endured the Holy week. Before our eyes there have taken place Christ's arrest, trial of Him, his sufferings and God death. But together with this fine piece of music we have approached also for the sake of what the Lord suffered all these torments, – to his Light Revival!" Having once again thanked musicians, the bishop has presented to project managers Olga Serebriyskaya and Valery Popov flowers.

The concert hall has been crowded. After the thanksgiving words of the metropolitan Veniamin people long applauded, without releasing actors from a scene.

The oratorio "St. Matthew Passion" is written in 2006. The work is designed to give to the churched person the chance once again to comprehend and experience expiatory sufferings of the Lord our Jesus Christ, and far from Church – to tell story of our rescue in a classical form, and, above all – to assure of its importance for life of each person and the whole world.

The narration from the Gospel of Matthew devoted to sufferings and Jesus Christ's death is the basis for the piece of music of the metropolitan Illarion. Reading the Gospel alternates with musical numbers recitatives, choruses and arias which text is borrowed mainly from an orthodox church service of the Holy week. In the center of a plot – events from the Last Supper to death on the Cross.

During 2007-2008 "St. Matthew Passion" were executed in Moscow and Rome, Melbourne and Toronto. For 2007-2012 the oratorio sounded 48 times, including, in 14 cities of Russia, in various cities of Ukraine, Moldova, Greece, Hungary, Australia, Canada, Macedonia, Serbia, Italy, Turkey, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Switzerland, the USA. Music of lord Illarion is highly appreciated by performers, including conductors Dmitry Kitayenko, Vladimir Fedoseyev and Alexey Puzakov, the singer Evgeny Nesterenko.

Press service of the Orenburg diocese