"O Angel of Christ, my holy Guardian and Protector of my soul and body, forgive me all my sins of today.

     Deliver me from all the wiles of the enemy, that I may not anger my God by any sin.

     Pray for me, sinful and unworthy servant, that thou mayest present me worthy of the kindness and mercy of the All-holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ, and of all the Saints.

     Amen."

(Eastern Orthodox Prayer)

Yury Butsko is probably the most Russian of now living composers. Unlike people that are fixed on new forms and get further and further from what music is, Butsko directs his music to the world of firm faith and eternal ethical truth, to devotional melodism of ancient Russian chants. Butsko: "Over the time as I was living and working, I saw that there is misfortunate with my poor Fatherland. And then I became an Orthodox Russian. I have not been like this before. But later a have narrowed my searches to the country I'm living in, and which is having hardest times" This is his latest written composition, and latest that made it to performance. The text of the canon is an authentic text by Ioann (Ivan) IV The Terrible that reigned Russia more than 5 hundreds years ago. The canon is addressed to Archangel Michail as a repentance, where the despot confesses his sins and ask for forgiveness. The composition is liturgy-type. In the beginning it's mostly a capella, than sound becomes richer - two pianos, an organ (almost not noticeable), celesta are added - all instruments that could convey the idea of toll. The recording is made at its first performance in the end of year 2011 by Moscow Conservatory, the conductor is S. Kalinin. The picture is Archangel Michael by Andrei Rublev (ca. 1370-1430), Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

     There is a beautiful Russian tradition of collecting angel guardians. People give a guardian angel (Ангел-Хранитель, or Angel Guardian as we say it in Russian, ) as a gift to family members on birthday, Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, or any other holiday. Every angel you see in our collection carries an Angel Name from the Bible. Under every angel there is a short note about angel's virtues. The personification is helping to better understand the meaning of every angel. Get  the Angel-Guardian today for you and your children. Cherish them and they will always guard you in life!