That might seem odd, but it is consistent with an ancient principle principle in which Orthodox believe: lex orandi lex credendi. This Latin phrase literally means "the law of prayer is the law of faith". It means "that our rule of worship is nothing other than our rule of belief. Our prayer is shaped by and expresses our theology, just as our theology is illumined and deepened by our prayer." (http://holycrossoca.org/newslet/0710.html). Since our hymns are essentially chanted prayers, studying Orthodox hymns are a very good avenue to learn about Orthodoxy.
I plan to periodically upload to YouTube videos of my chanting Orthodox Prayers appropriate to the season. Today's music score comes from here: http://ematins.org/AMM/08-12.pdf. I have reproduced below the words to the prayers in today's video. Please worship with me our great God and Savior Jesus Christ who was transfigured on Mount Tabor!
You were transfigured on the Mount
Tabor, and demonstrated thus
the transformation mortal men
shall with Your glory undergo
at the fearful Second Coming of You our Savior.
Moses and Elias were conversing with You.
And You called together three of Your disciples there,
who gazed upon Your glory, O Master,
and were astounded by Your fulgurant light.
O Lord who then shined Your light upon them,
do also illuminate our souls.
You were transfigured on the Mount
Tabor, O Jesus our Lord,
and a shining cloud spread out
like a tabernacle
completely covering the Apostles with Your glory.
Whereupon they turned their gaze toward the ground,
unable to endure to see the radiance
of Your face's unapproachable glory,
O unoriginate Savior Christ.
Our God who then shined Your light upon them,
do also illuminate our souls.
O Logos, light unaltered
of light, unbegotten Father,
we have beheld light, the Father,
and light the all-holy Spirit
today in Your light appearing
upon Mount Tabor,
guiding with light all creation.
Praise Him with timbrel and dance, praise Him with strings and flute.
Before You went to Your precious Cross and Passion,
taking those holy Disciples You had specially
chosen, O Lord, You went up with them
into Mount Tabor,
wishing to show them Your glory as You did.
And when they beheld You thus transfigured and they saw
that You were shining more brightly than
the sun, they fell down
and were astounded by Your authority.
They cried aloud: You are the timeless light,
and the Father’s bright radiance, even though
as You willed You became flesh
without changing and were thus beheld.
Praise Him with resounding cymbals, praise Him with triumphant cymbals. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
The heavens belong to You, and the earth is Yours. You founded the world and all its
fullness.
O God the Word who exist before the ages,
who cover yourself with light as with a garment, O Lord,
You were transfigured before the eyes
of Your Disciples
and shined, O Logos, more brightly than the sun.
Moses and Elias stood by You betokening
that You are truly the Lord of both
the dead and living,
And they doxologized Your ineffable
mercy and dispensation and Your great
condescension by which You have saved the world
which was lost in transgressions
and was perishing because of sins.
Tabor and Hermon shall greatly rejoice in Your name.
When Your Disciples were there with You together,
the voice of the Father then explicitly declared
that You are His own beloved Son,
the same in essence,
sharing the same throne, in whom He is well pleased,
You who from a virgin cloud were born becoming flesh,
and were transfigured, O sovereign Lord,
upon Mount Tabor,
and were encompassed with a bright shining cloud.
Wherefore did Peter in astonishment
say, “O Master, it is well that we are here,”
not knowing what he was saying,
O Benefactor rich in mercy.
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