Lamp Unto My Feet

On Sunday, April 16, 1961, the CBS Television Network showcased the richness of Holy Week services in the Orthodox Church featuring one of our Antiochian parishes. "Lamp Unto My Feet" filmed at St. George Church of Paterson (now Little Falls), New Jersey and captured the procession of the Cross on Holy Thursday, the Lamentations of Holy Friday, and the Resurrection (Rush) and Orthros Services of All-holy Pascha.

The weekly religious program (running from 1948-79) also captured the clarion voice of our primate at that time, Metropolitan Antony Bashir (1898-1966) of thrice-blessed memory and eternal repose. Now, for the first time, generations of Orthodox Christians will hear the voice of this important twentieth-century leader and pioneer of the Church in North America.

They will also hear the voices of two long-time priests of the Archdiocese: Fr. Michael Simon, at that time pastor of St. George Church, and Fr. Gabriel Ashie, at that time pastor of St. Anthony Church in Englewood (now Bergenfield), New Jersey. "Lamp Unto My Feet" also credits Professor Michael Hilko, a groundbreaking composer of sacred music in the Archdiocese; and Mrs. Christine Lynch, who guided CBS in the television production and led the choir. She reposed in the Lord in 2016 after decades of service to St. George Church and the Archdiocese.

A long-time member of the Archdiocesan Board of Trustees and a lifelong servant of the Orthodox Church, Mr. Robert S. Andrews, Sr., was organizing the library of his home parish of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Los Angeles when he came across the 56-year-old film. Mr. Andrews said it "smelled like vinegar" when he opened the canister, so he rushed to preserve it by having it digitized onto DVD. Antiochian.org is most grateful for his efforts and for sharing this presentation with a worldwide audience.