Dr. Dimitri Conomos discusses Early Christian and Byzantine Music: "The answer to this question is not unique to the Christian Church. Nearly all religions have built their services around the communal repetition of sacred texts - not silent repetition, but sounded repetition, through which the holy words could be heard, mouthed and absorbed by all. And for such 'sounded repetition', singing has seemed more natural than speaking. Apart from the tediousness and sheer ugliness of communal speaking, the rhythm of song - even when it is a comparatively free rhythm - keeps everyone together and allows for audibility. And the melody of song helps people to remember the words."
