The Recovering Choir Director

The Valaam Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration of the Saviour has recently been revived by the Russian Orthodox Church. The photo tour is recommended, as well as RealAudio sound clips from their CDs. (One would have to make a pilgrimage to the monastery to purchase their recordings, it seems.)

Notable quotation: “Art is passion, but I have to fight passion. Art has become my penance.”—Monk Savvaty

[Via Sacred Miscellany.]