Entertainment
Silent Monks’ Christmas Program Will Go Down In School’s History
This is absolutely hilarious.
Eduardo Gaskell
12.10.20

How do you inject humor in to a religious-themed performance?

Creativity. These high schoolers had the entire school laughing their heads off without once showing an ounce of disrespect for the faith. The students from South Kitsap High went on stage wearing hooded costumes all while holding signs.

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It would seem pretty creepy at first.

Apparently, they’re monks. And like monks that gave their vows of silence, so to did these students take those same vows for this act. There are other ways to get one’s message across. Even if it’s a song!

It turned out to be so brilliant and so funny, the video actually went viral.

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The song is George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. Everyone knows it and even if they’ve never heard the name or the title, they would recognize the song upon hearing it. Lots of Hallelujah! Hallelujah! shouted at the top of one’s lungs.

Handel reportedly told his servant,

“I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with His company of Angels.”

That’s saying something. And 278 years later, people still enjoy the piece.

Pixabay
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Pixabay

The Christmas season allows schools to host events and this was no different. But instead of going down the same road of singing and dancing, these students went to the divine comedy route.

Now being silent monks, they had to figure out a way to sing without uttering a single word. That’s where those signs come in. Each monk holds a sign with a particular word written on it for the audience to see.

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Handle’s masterpiece blasts across the auditorium and for each part heard on the speakers, a monk raises his sign in sync to the song. The monks in front flip their signs along to, “For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”

It’s really smart and funny!

The silent monks in the rear are in charge of the epic parts. Meaning Hallelujah.

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YouTube Screenshot

If not for the fact that it’s a bunch of high school kids, you would swear the church just came up with something unique to get their message across. But those parents chuckling in the crowd think otherwise.

Another viewer said,

“This is the most innocent and harmless form of comedy I’ve seen in a long time.”

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And he shall reign forever and ever…” has them alternating the signs. But it’s really impressive if you think about it!

Now these kids are something else. When certain parts of the song reach higher notes, they hold their signs up higher to emphasize that fact. Which poses a problem for the shorter guy…

So what does he do to get to the higher parts? He jumps of course! It’s brilliant comedy that still gets the point across.

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They’ve got nearly 21.5 million views. One of the guys in the act named Ryan commented,

It’s funny to think that almost 8 years since we did this at our school holiday concert, people are still watching it, and commenting on it. I’m the 3rd from the right on the bottom row. South Kitsap High School Vocal Music Department in Port Orchard Washington.”

Awesome work!

And it is pure genius. Even Handel would be laughing had he seen this. Great show!

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Watch these silent monks deliver their message below!

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