Choir “Oktoich” by the Orthodox Church of Wroclaw

The Choir of the Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army Garrison in Wroclaw “Oktoich” was established in September 1991 as a male ensemble at the Orthodox Parish of St. Cyril and Methodius in Wroclaw. In 1999, by decree of Archbishop Major General Miron Chodakowski – it was appointed to carry its ministry within the structures of the Orthodox Ordinariate of the Polish Army. The choir has recorded 9 CDs – including – Nominated for the Fryderyk Award – as well as TV programs.

In 30 years of activity, the ensemble has given hundreds of concerts in Poland and in renowned concert halls and philharmonic halls of Europe: London, Brussels, Budapest, Tbilisi, Chisinau, Bucharest, Prague, Berlin, Munich, Moscow, Hanover and the cathedrals of France;

It is a 4-time winner of the International Festival of Orthodox Music in Hajnówka (1st and 2nd place; 1992,1994, 2006, 2011 ). In 2004, the choir was honored with the National St. Brother Albert Award – for a lifetime of cultural, charitable and ecumenical activities.

Choristers of “Oktoich” are decorated by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, as well as the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Associations with medals “Meritorious for Polish Culture”, “Gloria Artis”, “Pro Memoria”, “Meritorious for National Defense” and others.

In September 2009, at the request of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, the ensemble recorded a CD entitled “Bo wolność Krzyżami się mierzy” (Because Freedom is Measured by Crosses) with patriotic and military themes, together with the SOW Representative Orchestra.

In 2011, the choir was awarded the Prince Konstantin Ostrogski Award for its contribution to promoting the culture of the Orthodox Church.

In 2012, the choir recorded a CD with multi-instrumentalist Jozef Skrzek entitled “Sermons of Swietokrzyskie – a verbal and musical performance”; it also collaborated with the GolecUorkiestra ensemble, in terms of CD recordings and concerts and TV programs.

In 2014, the choir released a CD entitled “Panichida Grunwaldzka – a funeral service for fallen knights and warriors,” which the choir performs in 15th-century Polish.

Since 2018, the choir has organized November patriotic concerts as part of the “History Memory Identity” program.

In 2019, the ensemble participated in the 300th anniversary of the coronation of the icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, and in 2021 the choir recorded 2 Akathists in honor of the Mother of God, commissioned by the Jasna Gora Monastery.

Since 2009, the ensemble has also performed with female voices.

The ensemble has been led from the beginning by Rev. Prot. Grzegorz Cebulski