All of my interest in Sijena and the focus of the Cantrix Project began around 2010, during my process of admission to the Order of Malta, when I started discovering the heritage and spirituality of the Hospitaller Sisters.

 

As a graduate in medieval music, I could not overlook the prominent liturgical roles of the Cantrix, the Precentrix and the Paraphonista written in the Rule of Sijena. The Rule of Sijena and the Processional of Sijena, a source of Gregorian chants from the 15th century, established that music, processions, the sound of bells and the venerable singing of psalms were the ways in which the sisters prayer echos within the majestic walls of Sijena.

 

The famous Byzantine ceiling paintings of Sijena reveal the connection to the Holy Land and depth of the Hospitallers' spirituality. This makes Sijena an unique place of pilgrimage and contemplation. I was surprised to learn that the founder of the monastery, Queen Sancha, had a Polish mother named Rica de Polonia, which strengthens the internal ties I feel to this special place even more deeply..

 

I would like to express my gratitude to all those who made this project possible: the Order of Malta in Switzerland and Poland and the Ensemble Peregrina. This entire project scope would not have been possible without the support of my wonderful family in Poland and the US, and my dear friends from childhood, in the church, the Order and my work.

 

Thank you All.

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