Bless, Father. How do we suffer well? How do we suffer without de-moralization? Without de-moralizing our children? What do we…
Glory to God for All Things – The Song
About Fr. Stephen Freeman
Fr. Stephen is a priest of the Orthodox Church in America, Pastor Emeritus of St. Anne Orthodox Church in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is also author of Everywhere Present and the Glory to God podcast series.
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15 responses to “Glory to God for All Things – The Song”
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This is a popular pilgrimage song in Russian.
Slava Bogu za vsyo! Slava Bogu za vsyo!
Slava Bogu za skorb i za radost’.
Glory to God for all things! Glory to God for all things!
Glory to God for sorrows and joy!It’s unfortunate that the rest of the song is not translated into English. It is very beautiful and spiritually rich. There is a CD of Russian pllgrimage songs recorded by some Belorussian nuns that is currently available. This is is the first song on the CD. I like the female voices even better.
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Val,
We need it in English – actually we need popular pilgrimages in America… -
Where is the temple, shown at 1:36, located? Thanks!
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nw I don’t know.
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There are certainly sites here in the United States which could become pilgamage sites. St. Herman of Alaska; St. Raphael; St. John of San Francisco. There actually is a regular pilgramage to St. Herman’s relic site already. Of the three it is the most difficult to get to and has room for the fewest people.
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Michael – you are indeed right – there are also miraculous icons, etc. St. Herman’s is indeed some great distance. I think that it is closer for me to go to Jerusalem from the Southeast US than to go to St. Herman’s shrine in Alaska. Of course, it’s saints that we need…
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Ah yes, but it is, perhaps, St. Herman who is best for the American soul. It is neither easy nor convenient to get to his shrine. The journey to Alaska is replete with many sites where saints lived, worshiped and ministered. A treasure, put the parishes are quite poor and in need of our help.
St John presents us with the most oxymoronic opportunity–a pilgrmage to venerate the incorrupt body of a modern wonderworking saint in the midst of San Francisco.
St. Raphael’s shrine and relics are at the Antiochian Village in Pennsylavannia for those who do not know. My late wife visited there many years ago and was impressed by the peace of his shrine (even before his official elevation to sainthood).
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Michael,
You are doubtless correct. All of the saints are of great value to us – though there is a unique value to those saints of one’s own land. There is a mystery here that I may write on sometime, though not soon. -
In Russia (even today)I when pilgrims set out on their pilgrimages to various monasteries or other holy places they often walk a portion of the way. It is when walking that such songs are commonly sung on their journey.
t’s a little long, but here’s a rough translation of the song: into English:
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!Somewhere far away, and once long ago
Lived a wise and experienced elder.
He so often said, and continually repeated:
Glory to God for sorrow and joy.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!If someone has said to you something mean ,
Or treated you harshly,
Know this my friend,
God’s will it is here,
We must reconcile ourselves with this.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!If you have become ill, and are seriously ailing,
And you cannot arise from your bed,
Then, so it is destined, for our sins it is given,
And we must not murmur and fear.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!If someone has slandered and complained about you,
Then do not be embarrassed by this.
Know that the Lord has sent this to you,
You must love all and be humbled.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!If someone has insulted you with something,
Do not try to justify yourself.
But rather before this, humble yourself and know
That the Lord is helping to save you.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!If perhaps your cross seems a bit too heavy,
And it seems that it is more than you can bear,
Know that the Lord would not send that which is beyond your strength,
Do not complain, but love and be humbled.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!Learn how to do, God’s will at all times
Perhaps we will someday be persecuted ourselves.
And with a pack on our back, with tears in our eyes
Our loved ones may even despise us.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!Should there be sadness and sickness and sorrows,
Should we have to suffer because of something,
Do not place blame on anyone, but always say,
All is sent to us sinners by God.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy!Our years they will pass, all our friends will move on,
Unnoticingly old age will come upon us.
But always stand firm and always just say,
Glory to God for sorrows and joy.Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for all things.
Glory to God for sorrow and joy! -
Thank-you for this, it’s an encouragment to me this day…
Nikolai
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Dear Nikolai I’m glad for you. May the song be an encouragement to all of us everyday!
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Val,
Thank you for a wonderful translation. May God grant many holy pilgrimages to the Christians of America -
Yes thank you Val, indeed thank you for this translation. My grandmother knew some Benedictine nuns (saints) that could pray like this too.
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Being able to go online and read books, listen to Holy Orthodox Hymns and share our thoughts in Christ is especially important since many visually impaired Orthodox Christians have more access than ever before to these precious resources. Thank you Father Stephen.
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I’d also like to express my appreciation to you, Val, for such a wonderful and humbling hymn. What we neeedhere in the U.S. is more Holy Monasteries, Hermitages, Shrines and Monastic Communities,, because it is through these elements that our Holy Faith can grow and thrive! We absolutely *must change our focus from being an ethnocentric faith to the Christocentric Faith, because it is only when we do this that we keep our faith in check. When we can teach our children through Christ-centered love and humility in the language of our current generation and lineage, we are equipping them with the necessary tools they need to practice our Faith as Christ would have us do as opposed to ethnocentric or political practices. Thank you.
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