Sacred Words, Profane Music? The Free Monks as a Musical Phenomenon in Contemporary Greek Orthodoxy

Abstract

The Free Monks (Eleftheroi) are a Greek Orthodox rock band of black-robed monks. Being the first of its kind in Greece, the group has produced popular musical albums and video clips with modem Greek and some English songs. Behind the attempt to modernize Greek Orthodoxy, revive popular religious life in Greece and enhance its appeal among young people, what is the social and religious significance of this musical group and a new type of Christian-Orthodox rock music? This paper explores the aesthetic aspects of this cultural phenomenon and analyzes the songs as a musical and secular expression of religious themes, looking closely at the music, as well as the accompanying vocals (lyrics in modem Greek) and visual effects (video clips). The group's means of self-promotion and dissemination (web site, publications, concerts, etc.), the appeal and resonance of this musical phenomenon in Greek society and its reception by the institution of the Church of Greece will also be examined. The Free Monks (Eleftheroi) are a Greek rock band of black-robed Orthodox monks who, through their music and other activities, have attempted to interact with Greek young people and to break away from the mould of Orthodox clergy as stiff and distant. The example of the Free Monks provides an instructive case study of current attempts to modernize Greek Orthodoxy and to enhance its popular appeal, particularly among young people.