Lord, now lettest Thou

The all-night vigil is celebrated on the eve of the main feasts of the Orthodox Church. The purpose is to show a sense of beauty in the setting sun and give the congregation a chance to consider the spiritual light of Christ, the new light of the coming day and the eternal light of the heavenly kingdom. The vigil consists of three separate services: Great Vespers, Matins (at midnight) and the First Hour or Prime (in the morning).
Vespers: Perhaps the most famous and certainly the most extraordinary of the Vigil movements, this setting of the Song of Simeon (Luke 2:29-32) is the high point of Vespers.
Classic FM Magazine: 'Both intimate and powerfully atmospheric, shedding new and memorable light on what usually comes across as a massive choral spectacular'.