First day of Lent service in the temple. Features of worship in Great Lent

Great Lent begins seven weeks before Easter and consists of fortecost- forty days - and Holy Week- Weeks before Easter. Forty days was established in honor of the forty-day fast of the Savior, and Holy Week - in remembrance last days earthly life, suffering, death and burial of Christ. The general continuation of Great Lent along with Holy Week - 48 days.

Received with particular rigor observe the first and Holy Week

In the not very old historical centuries in Orthodox countries during Great Lent, the life of citizens changed dramatically: theaters, baths were closed, the meat trade was stopped, and on the first week of Lent, as well as on Holy Week, classes in educational institutions were stopped, all state institutions were closed so that believers can go to the temple for very important Lenten services. According to historians, pious people in Russia in the first days of Great Lent did not leave their homes unnecessarily.

Last Sunday before Lent called forgiven or "Syropustom" (on this day the eating of cheese, butter and eggs ends). At the liturgy, the Gospel is read with a part from the Sermon on the Mount, which speaks of forgiveness of offenses to our neighbors, without which we cannot receive forgiveness of sins from the Heavenly Father, about fasting, and about collecting heavenly treasures. In accordance with this Gospel reading, Christians have a pious custom to ask each other for forgiveness of sins, known and unknown offenses on this day. This is one of the most important preparatory steps on the way to Great Lent.

Received with particular rigor observe the first and Holy Week Great post. Great Lent implies the rejection of meat, dairy, fish food, as well as eggs, however, the measure of your fast must be agreed with the priest, in accordance with the state of health.

The first week of Great Lent is especially strict,
and Divine service - duration.

Holy Forty Day, which reminds us of the forty days Jesus Christ spent in the wilderness, begins on a Monday called clean. Apart from Palm Sunday, there are 5 Sundays in the whole of Forty Days, each of which is dedicated to a special remembrance. Each of the seven weeks is called, in order of occurrence: the first, the second, and so on. week of Great Lent.

The divine service is distinguished by the fact that, during the entire duration of the Holy Lent, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays there is no liturgy(unless there is a holiday on those days). In the morning, Matins, the Hours with some inserts, and Vespers are served. In the evening, instead of Vespers, is performed great compline. On Wednesdays and Fridays takes place liturgy of the presanctified gifts, on the first five Sundays of Great Lent - the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, which is also performed on Maundy Thursday and Great Saturday of Passion Week. On Saturdays during Holy Lent, the usual liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated.

In the first four days, (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) in Great Belief is read canon of St. Andrew of Crete with refrains to the verse: "Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me." This canon provides numerous examples from the Old and New Testaments, in relation to the moral state of the soul of a person mourning his sins, the Canon is called great both by the many thoughts and memories contained in it, and by the number of its troparia (about 250, while in there are about 30 of them in the usual canons).

Orthodox believers try not to miss these services with the reading of the canon.

Friday of the first week After the Liturgy of Great Lent, the consecration of “koliva” takes place - this is boiled wheat with honey, in memory of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tyrone, who provided beneficial assistance to Christians to maintain fasting. In 362, he appeared to the Bishop of Antioch, Eudoxius, and ordered that Christians be informed that they should not buy food defiled by the blood of the emperor Julian the Apostate, but would consume kolivo.

First Sunday of Great Lent referred to as " The triumph of Orthodoxy”, established under Empress Theodora in 842 about the victory of the Orthodox at the Seventh Ecumenical Council. During this holiday, temple icons are exhibited in the middle of the temple in a semicircle, on lecterns. At the end of the liturgy, the clergy perform prayer singing in the middle of the church in front of the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, praying to the Lord for the confirmation of Orthodox Christians in the faith and the conversion to the path of truth of all who have apostatized from the Church. The deacon then loudly reads the Creed and pronounces an anathema, i.e. announces separation from the Church of all who dare to distort the truths of the Orthodox faith, and "eternal memory" to all deceased defenders of the Orthodox faith, and "many years" to those who live.

On the second Sunday of Great Lent committed memory St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonite, who lived in the XIV century. According to Orthodox faith he taught that for the feat of fasting and prayer, the Lord illuminates the faithful with His grace-filled light, which the Lord shone on Tabor. For the reason that St. Gregory revealed the doctrine of the power of fasting and prayer and it was established to celebrate his memory on the second Sunday of Great Lent.

On the third Sunday of Great Lent at the Vespers after the Great Doxology the Holy Cross is carried out. All believers worship the Cross, at this time we sing: We worship Your Cross, Master, and we glorify Your Holy Resurrection. In the middle of Lent, the Church exposes the Cross to believers in order to strengthen those who are fasting to continue the feat of fasting as a reminder of the suffering and death of the Lord. The Holy Cross remains for worship for a week until Friday. Therefore, the third Sunday and the fourth week of Great Lent are called "worshiping the Cross."

On the fourth Sunday I remember the great ascetic of the VI century - Saint John of the Ladder, who, from the age of 17 to 60, labored on Mount Sinai and in his creation “The Ladder of Paradise” depicted the path of a person’s gradual ascent to spiritual perfection, as a ladder leading from the earth to eternally abiding glory.

Thursday in the fifth week the so-called " standing of St. Mary of Egypt”, on which the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, the same one that is read on the first four days of Great Lent, and the life of St. Mary of Egypt. The service on this day lasts 5-7 hours.). The life of St. Mary of Egypt, formerly a great sinner, who left the world and was bound to live in the wilderness in fasting and prayer, and through this acquired not only forgiveness from God, but also holiness, should serve as an example of true repentance for everyone and convince everyone of God’s inexpressible mercy to repentant sinners.

Saturday in the fifth week is done " Praise to the Blessed Virgin Mary”: the great akathist to the Mother of God is read. This service was established in Greece in gratitude to the Mother of God for Her repeated deliverance of Constantinople from enemies.

On the fifth Sunday of Great Lent succession is made venerable Mary of Egypt.

Saturday in week 6 Matins and Liturgy commemorate the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus Christ.

Sixth Sunday of Great Lent- the great twelfth holiday, on which a solemn Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem to free suffering. This one is called differently. palm Sunday, Week of Vai and Flower-bearing. On the eve of the All-night service, willow branches (vaya) are consecrated, with which believers come to church. Then candles are lit, with which the faithful stand until the end of the service, marking the victory of life over death.

Palm Sunday ends Lent and Holy Week begins.

Holy Week dedicated to the memories of suffering, death on the cross and the burial of Jesus Christ. Christians should spend this entire week in fasting and prayer. This period is mourning and therefore the robes in the church are black. According to the greatness of the remembered events, all days of Holy Week are called Great. Especially touching memories, prayers and chants of the last three days.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week are dedicated to remembering the last conversations of the Lord Jesus Christ with the people and disciples. The features of the divine services of the first three days of Passion Week are as follows: at Matins, after the Six Psalms and Alleluia, the troparion is sung: “Behold the Bridegroom is coming at midnight,” and after the canon, the song is sung: “I see Thy chamber. Save mine." All these three days the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served, with the reading of the Gospel. The Gospel is also read at Matins.

AT Great Wednesday Holy Week commemorates the betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas Iscariot.

Great Lent is a seven-week period of strict abstinence, repentance and prayer established by the church, a time of spiritual perfection. Great Lent in the church is presented as preparation for the meeting of the holiday, symbolizing the inner spiritual purification and resurrection of the soul of the believer.

Great Lent or Holy Forty Day is the most important and strict among the fasts. It begins seven weeks before the Feast of the Holy One and consists of Forty Days (forty days) and Holy Week (the week before Easter).
Forty days was established in imitation of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, who fasted in the wilderness for forty days, and Holy Week was established in remembrance of the last days of His earthly life, suffering, death and burial. Thus, the total duration of Great Lent, together with Holy Week, is 48 days.

Great Lent is preceded by three weeks, during which the Holy Church begins to spiritually prepare for it.
First week of prep- “The Week of the Publican and the Pharisee” is called “a continuous week”, because there is no fasting at the meal during it. On Sunday, during the Liturgy, the Gospel “About the Publican and the Pharisee” is read (Luke 18:10-14). With this parable, the Church teaches us true humility and repentance, without which fasting will be fruitless. Starting from this week and until the fifth week of Great Lent, during the all-night vigil, after reading the Gospel, a prayer is sung, which they listen to on their knees: “Open the doors for me of repentance ...”
Second prep week- “The Week of the Prodigal Son”, Wednesday and Friday are Lenten. On Sunday, at the Liturgy, a parable from the Gospel “About the Prodigal Son” (Luke 15:11-32) is read, which calls on the lost to repent and return to the Lord, with the hope of His mercy. This week, as well as the next two weeks, at the all-night vigil after the polyeleos, the 136th psalm is sung: , speaking about our sinful captivity and about the fact that we should strive for our spiritual fatherland - the Kingdom of Heaven.
Third prep week is called “meat-empty”, or “cheese”, and according to the folk - “Shrovetide”. You can't eat meat this week. Wednesday and Friday are not lean, it is allowed to eat milk, eggs, fish, cheese, butter. According to the old Russian custom, pancakes are baked for Shrovetide. Sunday of the “Meat-Feast Week”, according to the gospel reading, is called “The Week of the Last Judgment” (Matt. 25:31-46). With this reading, the Church calls on sinners to repent and do good deeds, reminding us that we will have to answer for all sins. With the beginning of this week, those who are married are required to abstain from marital relations.
Last thing Sunday before Great fasting is called “cheese-empty”: it ends the eating of eggs and dairy products.
At the Liturgy, the Gospel is read with a part from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:14-21), which speaks of forgiveness of offenses to our neighbors, without which we cannot receive forgiveness of sins from the Heavenly Father; about fasting and about gathering up heavenly treasures.
In accordance with this gospel reading, Christians on this day ask each other for forgiveness for the offenses they have caused and seek to reconcile with everyone. Therefore, this Sunday is called "Forgiveness Sunday."

The first and last (Holy) weeks of Great Lent are distinguished by their strictness, and their divine services by duration.
This is a time of special repentance and intense prayers. Believers, as a rule, attend the services of these weeks daily.
According to the charter, on Monday and Tuesday of the first week, the highest degree of fasting is established - complete abstinence from food; the first eating of food is allowed only on Wednesday, and the second time on Friday after the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
On these days, dry eating is prescribed, that is, food without oil.
Of course, for the weak, the sick, the elderly, pregnant and lactating women, these requirements, with the blessing of the confessor, are weakened. Starting from Saturday of the first week, you can eat lean food.
Fish is allowed only twice during the entire fast: on the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos (April 7), if the holiday does not fall on Holy Week, and on the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). On Lazarus Saturday (the Saturday before Palm Sunday), caviar is allowed. If you strictly follow the charter, then vegetable oil is allowed only on Saturdays (except Saturday in Holy Week) and Sundays.

Features of Lenten Divine Liturgy- celebration of liturgies only on Saturdays and Sundays; Liturgy is not performed on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesdays and Fridays, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated. The very name of this service indicates that communion with the Holy Gifts, consecrated on the previous Sunday, takes place there. In the temple - both black vestments, and a special chant of hymns - call for repentance, a change in sinful life. The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian “Lord and Master of my life…” constantly sounds, which all those praying make with earthly bows.

The first four days of Great Lent in the evening Orthodox churches the great penitential canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read - an inspired work that poured out from the depths of a contrite heart. Orthodox people they always try not to miss these services, which are amazing in their impact on the soul.
On Friday of the first week, after the Liturgy, the consecration of “koliva” (boiled wheat with honey) takes place in memory of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Tyron. This saint appeared in a dream to Bishop Eudoxius of Antioch. He revealed to him the secret order of the Emperor Julian the Apostate to sprinkle all food supplies with the blood of idolaters and commanded him not to buy anything in the market for a week, but to eat koliva.

Week One of Great Lent dedicated to the Triumph of Orthodoxy. This celebration was established on the occasion of the final victory of the Holy Church over the iconoclastic heresy. On this day, after the liturgy, a special rite is performed in the temple - the rite of the triumph of Orthodoxy. With this rite, the Church anathematizes, that is, excommunicates heretics, enemies of Orthodoxy, from unity with herself, and glorifies its defenders.
Second Week of Great Lent honors the memory of St. Gregory Palamas. He is known as the exposer of the heresy of Barlaam, who rejected the Orthodox teaching about the uncreated light.
Week Three of Great Lent- Cross. This week the holy Cross of the Lord is glorified. For worship and spiritual reinforcement of those undergoing the feat of fasting, the Cross is taken out of the altar to the middle of the temple. The week following the Adoration of the Cross bears the same name, and is also called the Week of the Cross, since Great Lent reaches its middle on Wednesday.
Fourth Week of Great Lent offers us a lofty example of fasting life in the person of St. John of the Ladder, the author of The Ladder.
On Wednesday, in the fifth week, an all-night vigil is performed with the reading of the Great Penitential Canon of Andrew of Crete and the life of St. Mary of Egypt. For this feature, it is called St. Andrew's standing, or the standing of Mary of Egypt.
On Saturday of the same week, the singing of the akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is performed, which was established in gratitude for Her deliverance of Constantinople from enemies.
Fifth Week of Great Lent dedicated to the glorification of the exploits of the Monk Mary of Egypt.
The Saturday before the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem is called Lazarus. On this day, we remember the resurrection of the righteous Lazarus, which the Lord Jesus Christ performed as proof of His Divine power and as a sign of our resurrection. The resurrection of Lazarus served as a pretext for condemning the Savior to death, therefore, from the very first centuries of Christianity, it was established to perform the memory of this great miracle just before Passion Week.
Sixth Week of Great Lent is called “Week of Vay”, colloquially – Palm Sunday” (or Flower-bearing), and the “Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem” is celebrated. The branches of the vay (palm branches) are replaced by willows, since the willow buds earlier than other branches. The custom of using vayi on this holiday has its basis in the circumstances of the very event of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem. Prayers, as it were, meet the invisibly coming Lord and greet Him as the Conqueror of hell and death, holding in their hands the “sign of victory” - flowering willows with burning candles.

During Great Lent, in church and at home, the penitential prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read:
"Lord and Master of my life, the spirit of idleness, despondency, lust and idle talk, do not give me. The spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love, grant me to Your servant. Yes, Lord King, grant me to see my sins, and do not condemn my brother For blessed art thou unto the ages of ages, amen."
Three Saturdays - the second, third and fourth weeks of Great Lent are set to commemorate the dead: Lenten Parental Saturdays. Just like on Saturday, meat-fare, these days intensified prayers are made and memorial services are served for already deceased relatives and acquaintances, and not acquaintances either - those for whom there is no one to pray.

According to the established tradition, Unctions are held during Great Lent, the schedule of which is compiled separately in each church.

Today is an Orthodox church holiday:

Tomorrow is a holiday:

Holidays expected:
15.03.2019 -
16.03.2019 -
17.03.2019 -

Fasts are established by the Church as a special time, singled out from everyday life, when a Christian works hard to cleanse his soul and body, praying, confessing his sins, partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. Fasting abstains from fast food - meat, milk, eggs, sometimes fish.

Post history

Fasting existed in the times of the Old Testament, but Christians began to fast from the very foundation of the Church, following the example of the Lord Himself and the apostles. The oldest church writers claim that the apostles established the first 40-day fast in imitation of the prophet Moses and the Savior, who fasted for 40 days in the wilderness. Hence the name of Great Lent - Lent.

Some church scholars believe that the fast at first consisted of 40 hours. Ancient Christian books (II, III centuries) tell us about the custom of fasting for two days. Fasting before Easter was 6 days, as Dionysius of Alexandria tells about it.

Thus, Great Lent (Holy Forty Day) in the form in which it exists today developed gradually. Church historians believe that it finally took shape when it became customary to baptize new converts at Easter and prepare them for the reception of the Sacrament by a long fast. Out of a sense of brotherhood and love, all believers began to participate in this fast with them.

Already in the 4th century, Great Lent existed in the Church everywhere, but it did not begin everywhere at the same time and did not last 40 days everywhere. The post was very strict. The ancient Christian writer Tertullian says that only bread, dried vegetables and fruits were allowed, and then not until the evening. This was called dry eating. They didn't even drink water during the day. In the East, dry food lasted until the 12th century, then not only vegetables, but also fish, and even some birds began to be considered lean.

Any joy and fun was considered a violation of the fast. General rule consisted of abstaining from stimulating foods and moderate use of even permitted foods.

In subsequent times, heresies appeared, some of which considered fasting to be the main duty of a Christian, others, on the contrary, completely denied its significance. The church rules, which summarized the experience of the first centuries, punish not only anyone who, without the need for health, violates the established fast, but also those who claim that eating meat is a sin even on holidays, and condemns the use of meat food at the permitted time.

During Lent, all kinds of spectacles were forbidden in Christian countries, baths, shops, trade in meat and other fast products were closed, only essential items were sold. Even court hearings were stopped. Christians were involved in charity work. During these days, slaves were often set free or released from work.

Posts are divided into one-day and multi-day. Multi-day posts include:

1. Great Lent, or Holy Forty Day.
2. Petrovsky post.
3. Assumption post.
4. Christmas post.

One-day posts include:

1. Weekly fasts on Wednesday - in memory of the betrayal of the Savior by Judas and on Friday - in memory of the suffering and death of the Savior.
2. However, there is no fast on Wednesday and Friday of some weeks. These are: Easter week, which is revered as if for one bright day; week after Trinity; the so-called Christmas time, that is, the time from Christmas to Epiphany Eve; Week of the publican and the Pharisee before Great Lent (so that we do not become like the Pharisee, who boasted of his piety); Maslenitsa (although during it there is a ban on meat).
3. Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - 27 September.
4. The day of the beheading of John the Baptist is September 11.
5. Epiphany Christmas Eve, that is, the day before Epiphany - January 18th.

great post

Great Lent consists of: 40 days (Fourteen days); two public holidays(Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday), as well as Holy Week - a total of 48 days. It is called Great not only because of its duration (it is longer than all the others), but also because of the great significance of this post in the life of a Christian.

In addition to 7 weeks of fasting itself, the charter prescribes another 3 preparatory weeks for it. They begin with the Sunday of the publican and the Pharisee. From the beginning of the 3rd week until its end, there is no longer any meat at the meal, it will appear only at breaking the fast during the Easter meal. The whole week is also called Cheese, or Shrovetide, because the main food during it are dairy products, fish, eggs, cheese.

3 weeks before Lent, on Sunday, when the gospel text of the parable of the publican and the Pharisee is read at the liturgy, the Lenten Triodion, a book of liturgical texts that defines the features of worship during Great Lent, begins to be used in the service.

On Sunday, which received the name of the Week of the publican and the Pharisee, in the morning they sing a special penitential prayer from the 50th psalm: "Open the doors of repentance to me ..." This is the beginning of preparation for fasting. The singing of the prayer of repentance continues at Matins on Sundays (Weeks) of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks of Great Lent inclusive.

The Week of the Prodigal Son is the second preparation week. On Sunday, at the liturgy, the Gospel is read with the parable of the prodigal son. At Matins, a new penitential hymn sounds: "On the rivers of Babylon ..." (Psalm 136).

The Week of the Last Judgment is the third preparatory week. On Sunday the Gospel of the Last Judgment is read. This Sunday is also called meat-fare, as it is the last day of the meat-eater. From Monday to Easter meat can not be eaten.

On the eve of meat-fare Sunday - Ecumenical (meat-fat) parental Saturday. On this day, the memory of all the departed Orthodox Christians is celebrated.

The week following this Sunday is called Maslenitsa.

Week of remembrance of Adam's exile - Forgiveness Sunday. On this Sunday, the gospel passage is read about the forgiveness of offenses and fasting. Adam's exile is mentioned in many liturgical texts. In the evening, everyone gathers in the temple for the rite of forgiveness. The service is already sentry, the vestment is black, bows and penitential singing. At the end of the service, a sermon is read about forgiveness of offenses, about fasting, and a prayer with a blessing for Great Lent. The clergy, starting with the eldest, ask the people and each other for forgiveness. Then everyone approaches the priests in turn, bows, asks for forgiveness and forgives them all their sins and insults, while kissing the cross and the Gospel as a sign of the sincerity of what is being said. Parishioners ask for forgiveness from each other. Such forgiveness of mutual insults is an indispensable condition for the purification of the heart and the successful celebration of Great Lent.

Lent is distinguished from the rest of the year by special services.

Firstly, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, the Divine Liturgy is not served (except for a few holidays), on Wednesday and Friday the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served, and on Sundays the Liturgy of Basil the Great.

Secondly, in worship the volume of texts read from the Psalter increases, singing becomes much less.

Thirdly, the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read with 16 bows, waist and earthly. Special prayers with bows and kneeling are added to the divine service.

All these differences determine the special spiritual atmosphere of fasting, which is not characteristic of the whole year. Orthodox more often than always visit the temple, so as not to miss special services.

First week of Great Lent

Reading of the Great Canon of Andrew of Crete on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Great Compline. Wednesday morning the first Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. On Friday morning, after the liturgy, a moleben with the consecration of the koliva (in remembrance of the miracle of the great martyr Theodore Tyron). Kolivo is a boiled grain with dried fruits, most often rice with raisins. The consecrated kolivo is distributed to those present in the temple and is consumed on an empty stomach on the same day. The first week ends with Week One, that is, the first Sunday of Lent. This Sunday, the Triumph of Orthodoxy is celebrated - the restoration of icon veneration at the 7th Ecumenical Council.

Second week

Saturday is the commemoration of the dead. On Sunday evening, the first Passion is served in many churches - worship of the sufferings of the Savior. This is a service with an akathist to the Passion of Christ. The remaining three Passions are served on subsequent Sundays. Although the Passion is not a statutory service, it has already entered into a pious tradition.

third week

Saturday is the commemoration of the dead. The week ends with the Third Week, the Adoration of the Cross. On the eve, at the Sunday Vigil, the Cross of the Lord is brought to the middle of the temple for worship. Such worship is performed to the singing of "We worship Thy Cross, Master, and we sing and glorify Thy Holy Resurrection." The cross remains in the center of the temple all week.

Fourth Week, Holy Cross

This week is a stricter fast than the second and third. Wednesday is the middle of Great Lent, that is, its middle. On all days of the week, the worship of the Cross is performed. On Friday at Vespers, the Cross is taken to the altar. Saturday is the commemoration of the dead. The week ends with the fourth week, dedicated to memory Saint John of the Ladder, hegumen and strict ascetic.

Fifth week

Thursday morning - Mariino standing. The service is dedicated to St. Mary of Egypt. At this service, the Great Canon of Andrew of Crete is read in full. The Saturday of the fifth week is called the Saturday of the Akathist, or Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos; in the morning, the Akathist to the Theotokos is read with special festive hymns. But fasting on this day is not weakened.

sixth week

On Friday of this week, Forty Day ends. On Saturday, the memory of the righteous Lazarus, resurrected by Jesus Christ on the 4th day after his death, is Lazarus Saturday. This week ends with Palm Sunday (Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem).

Holy Week

Strict post. Worship services are all special.

During the first three days, special hymns are sung: "Behold the Bridegroom is coming at midnight..." and "Thy Chamber...". This is a reminder of our upcoming meeting with Christ, the Heavenly Bridegroom of our souls, in His Kingdom — the beautiful Hall. These days the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served.

On Wednesday evening, confession is for everyone who wants to lighten their souls before Easter. On Maundy Thursday, the Last Supper is remembered, at which the Lord established the Sacrament of Communion - the Eucharist. On this day, everyone who can partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

In the evening service to the Passion of Christ. Twelve selected gospel passages are read on it, telling about all the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. These "12 Gospels" constitute the main feature of the service. During the reading, everyone stands with candles. A candle that burned during the readings of the "12 Gospels" is called "Thursday" and is taken home unextinguished to light the lamp, to draw a cross with a flame over the door jamb.

Liturgy is not served on Good Friday. In the morning, the Royal Hours are performed. In the middle of the day, the Shroud is taken out - an embroidered icon of the Savior, taken down from the Cross and prepared for burial. The shroud is placed in the middle of the temple, surrounded by flowers. Everyone bows to her and kisses. In the evening of the same day, the Shroud is buried. At the end of the service, the shroud with the procession is carried around the temple.

On Great Saturday in the morning, the hours, vespers and the liturgy of Basil the Great are celebrated. At Vespers, 15 parimias are read, that is, readings from the Old Testament, which contain prophecies about Christ and His Resurrection. At the beginning of the Liturgy, all vestments change from black to white.

On this day, the consecration of Easter dishes begins in the morning - Easter cakes, Easter eggs, eggs. The consecration can be continued at Easter.

This concludes the Divine Liturgy of the Lenten Triodion; Lent itself ends.

petrovsky post

Otherwise it is called apostolic. The beginning of this fast depends on the time of the celebration of Easter, and therefore it is sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. Lent begins a week after the Trinity and ends on July 12 with the feast of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The longest possible duration of Petrovsky Lent is 6 weeks, the shortest is 8 days. His the beginning is coming from ancient times, it was commanded in the apostolic decrees, but it is especially often mentioned from the 4th century.

Assumption post

Fasting in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos lasts 2 weeks - from August 14 to 28, until the feast of the Assumption. This fast resembles the Great Fast in severity, but is weakened on Sundays, as well as on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on August 19.

In the Ancient Church, it was called autumn. There were disagreements about its duration, some allowed themselves to eat meat already on the Transfiguration. But the church rules that have been in force since the 12th century do not allow this.

Christmas post

It begins 40 days before the Nativity of Christ and therefore, like Great Lent, is sometimes called the Forty Day. It is also called Filippovsky, because on the day of its beginning, November 28, the memory of the Apostle Philip is celebrated.

This fast is not as strict as Great, fish is allowed. But a few days before the Nativity of Christ, abstinence intensifies; on Christmas Eve, the last day before Merry Christmas, do not eat anything until the evening star, in memory of the star that appeared over Bethlehem at the Nativity of the Savior.

The Nativity Fast has been mentioned in church books since the 4th century, in modern form it was adopted by the Church in the 12th century.

Discussion

Comment on the article "The Posts of the Orthodox Church"

Practice is clear the stump is now at the post and does not look here. 1. In the cookbook under And was there / is there the same multi-day fast in other countries, with the same restrictions? 1. In the Greek Orthodox monasteries, seafood was not considered (and it seems that even now it is not ...

Poll about food in fasting, just call it "Food in fasting". Because fasting is not food at all. according to my concepts, fasting is not a diet at all, and since I am not going to fast in a non-food sense, I see no reason to limit myself in food.

Discussion

Poll, IMHO, incorrect. Poll about food in fasting, just call it "Food in fasting." Because fasting is not food at all. Well, not just food. This is both prayer and abstinence (from marital intimacy to watching entertainment programs on TV), work on spiritual and human qualities, first of all.
For example, according to your survey, I would like to answer “I try to comply as much as possible”, meaning prayer and work on myself, but at the same time I eat everything. Only this year I plan to eat lean food in the last week of fasting.

so christian or orthodox? Orthodox - or rather, some especially blinkered believers - do not celebrate because they fast, apparently they are sure that a holiday is to get drunk from the belly, and it’s contraindicated to rejoice in fasting (although Fasting on NG is exclusively for Orthodox.

Discussion

Maybe she meant Christmas? Familiar Czech Catholics (also Christians) do not celebrate in any way. Their children were very surprised that in our country all the gifts are mainly for New Year's Eve, and then for another 5 minutes they meticulously asked why New Year's Eve is so important to us?

so christian or orthodox?
Orthodox - or rather, some especially blinkered believers - do not celebrate because they fast, apparently they are sure that a holiday is to get drunk from the belly, and it’s contraindicated to rejoice in fasting (although why? There is a joyful event ahead - birth, in contrast to Lent before Easter )
but that's their problem
and the rest of the Christian world also notes how
moreover, this has nothing to do with religious beliefs at all - a secular holiday, everyone has fun
believers and those who have joined them solemnly celebrate Christmas
and NG is a fun party

Great Post. YES someone is going to comply with it in full? When I found out that I was pregnant for the third time, Great Lent was in progress, which my husband and I observed in full. See other discussions: Church fasting and conception.

Discussion

pregnant women should not fast in the full sense of the word, there is no need to even try. all this is discussed with the priest, who allows certain indulgences ...

When I found out that I was pregnant for the third time, Great Lent was in progress, which my husband and I observed in full. I approached the priest in church and said that I had started fasting, and now I found out that I was pregnant, what should I do? He didn’t even let me finish, he immediately said, eat everything that is supposed to be pregnant :) In parallel with this, I registered with the LCD and passed the tests, it turned out that I had a very low hemoglobin, less than 80 was. This was another confirmation that fast food restrictions are not for pregnant women. I started eating boiled veal and hemoglobin returned to normal :) So a strict fast (in terms of food) for pregnant women is not needed and even harmful, you need to eat fully and correctly.

Christmas Eve (sochevnik) - there is the eve of the holiday. Christmas Eve is the last fast day of Advent. According to the Church Charter, sochivo is eaten in the evening after complete abstinence from food throughout the day. Cooking Ingredients

Discussion

I tell you how my Khokhlyatskaya grandmother cooked (for Christmas). You need a pestle from a mortar, preferably a brass one, a heavy one, and a bowl or clay pot. From products - poppy, raisins, walnuts, sugar and rice (although she said that they used to make kutya from wheat). Then everything is simple - pour the poppy seeds into a bowl, pour a little boiling water to the state of a liquid slurry, add sugar and grind everything with a pestle. Boil the rice until tender, cool slightly, add raisins, slightly chopped walnuts (you can use the same pestle to grind) and poppy seed gruel with sugar, mix everything and cool. It’s also good to cook a compote of dried fruits (a boil is called) and drink kutya with it ... Oh, already saliva flowed.

Kutya is prepared for the wake. And sochivo - for Christmas.

Our son was conceived during the fast that happens before Easter. And nothing, thank God, he is a healthy child! By the love of a husband to his wife :) And God is love and only love ... It would not be worth it to specially plan for a post, but if it happened, then don’t worry.

Discussion

Everything is done by faith. If you approach Communion with faith and reverence and fear, then it is impossible to get infected from other communicants, but you can only be healed. For several years of our constant church life, my children never fell ill after Communion, but to recover, they recovered.
As for whether it is possible to receive communion if one is ill with some kind of infectious disease, I don't know. I once had such a case, my goddaughter had just been ill, and before taking communion, I asked the priest for blessings.
In your case, the children will receive communion according to the faith of the godmother, who made vows for them during the sacrament of baptism. Therefore, with her, you can safely let them go to Communion.
Another thing is that when parents are not believers, it is almost impossible to raise children in the faith. Or very difficult. This is a heavy burden for your godmother, because she has a huge responsibility for your girls, so she tries to fulfill her duties to the best of her ability.

I am a Catholic and was raised in a religious family. My godmother was just like your children, she often took me to the church. Catholics, however, do not receive communion, but at the age of 11-12 children go through the First Communion - a very beautiful, solemn holiday, before that they confess for the first time, and then stand at Mass separately from adults, elegant, decorated with branches of myrtle or rue. We receive communion only with bread, but not with thick prosphora, but with a wafer of unleavened dough the size of a large coin and as thick as a sheet of paper. By the way, during baptism, they don’t lower them into the font, but draw crosses with holy water on their foreheads and on their chests. They are not applied to icons, because they are rarely used by Catholics. In general, everything is very hygienic.
Personally, I think that it is not necessary to take children to communion if the mother has doubts. To what it. Without the sacrament, children will not grow up less happy, and it is not worth claiming that you are denying them something vital in this way.
Faith should be in the soul of a person, and not in the observance of rituals. You can go to Communion as much as you like, but at the same time be an envious, vile person - then the observance of the canons turns into hypocrisy. 1. Great Lent from March 14 to April 30.
2. Petrov post from June 27 to July 11.
3. Assumption fast from August 14 to August 27.
4 Advent fast from November 28 to January 6.
It is also not blessed to live sexually on Wednesday, Friday and on major church holidays (any Sunday is also a holiday).
But these are recommendations to believers, church-going laity, if you don’t go to church, don’t confess and don’t take Communion, then there’s no point in abstaining these days. Everything is interconnected.

"When do we have posts?" You have - who has it, sorry? Judging by the fact that you don’t even know about these posts, the question arises - is it necessary? All signs work only for those who believe in them!

conception in fasting ... I find it difficult to choose a section. A child from 1 to 3. Raising a child from one to three years: hardening and development There are several fasts a year, so it's ridiculous to talk about some kind of "thickening of pathologies" ... Or is it just statistics on Orthodox mothers and children?

Discussion

Fasting is not only abstinence in food, but also the observance of bodily cleanliness.
According to medical statistics, the thickening of pathologies occurs in children conceived during late winter / early spring, i.e. just in time for Lent
So draw your own conclusions

If it's a sin, then it's very sweet (in reg).

Features of the Liturgy of Great Lent

I omit the specifics of the Divine Services of the Preparatory Weeks, including the Syrny Week. The first thing to note is that all fasting features are canceled on Saturday and Sunday. These days, almost nothing reminds us that Great Lent is underway. There are some features - for example, at the Sunday all-night vigil for reading the Gospel, “Open the doors of repentance to me ...”, but these are already some small things. The last time Lenten features are present on the heels of each week after Vespers (on Saturdays). This Vespers, as a rule, joins the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

But Great Compline on Friday evening is already celebrated without Lenten features - without prostrations and not in black vestments. By the way, the black vestment at the everyday services of Great Lent is a rather late tradition that came to us from Roman Catholics around the 18th century. Prior to that, they served in dark (usually dark purple) vestments, but not in black. One way or another, the vestments of the priests and deacons at the everyday services of Great Lent always differed from the vestments, say, on Sundays.

1. The most important feature of Lenten Divine Liturgy is the absence of a full Liturgy on weekdays. As for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, firstly, it is not celebrated every day, and secondly, it is not a Liturgy in the full sense of the word. We will talk about this in a little more detail later. On all Saturdays and Sundays, a full Liturgy is served. On the other days of Great Lent, the full Liturgy can only be celebrated in one case: when the feast of the Annunciation falls on St. Mother of God on any of the weekdays of Great Lent.

2. The following peculiarity of Lenten Divine Liturgy: on some weekdays, a special service is performed, which is never performed outside this period. This is the so-called Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

3. On the first five Sundays of Great Lent, the Liturgy is served not of John Chrysostom, but the Liturgy of Basil the Great. It must be said that the Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated only ten times a year: on the first five Sundays of Great Lent, on Great Thursday, Great Saturday, on Christmas Eve and Epiphany Eve, or on the very feasts of the Nativity of Christ and Theophany, if these holidays fall on a Sunday or Monday. That is, if Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, then on Christmas Eve the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated, and on the very holiday - the Liturgy of Basil the Great. January 1, the day of St. Basil the Great, the Liturgy of Basil the Great is also performed (in New Year old style).

4. The fourth feature of Lenten Divine Liturgy is that the very order of the services of the daily cycle changes somewhat.

Pictorial in the absence of the Liturgy are performed not after the 6th, but after the 9th Hour.

(Question: where is the charter on vestments placed and what do various colors sacred robes?)

Answer: there is no statute about the color of vestments anywhere, this is an unwritten tradition. Apparently, there was no such problem before - what color to serve in a riza. The robes were brocade, embroidered with metal thread, and the color was not decisive. Now the tradition is as follows: to celebrate the everyday services of Great Lent in black robes, the services of the Colored Triodion - until Easter - in red, the services of the Lord's holidays - in white (in addition, funeral services are performed in white robes), as well as the sacraments that have passed into the category of treb : baptism, wedding, unction, funeral service, tonsure. The services of the Mother of God feasts are performed in blue robes. In green vestments - services of the monks, as well as the feast of the Trinity (Monday of the Holy Spirit - already in white). Palm Sunday is served either in gold (like Lazarus Saturday) or in white vestments, since this is the Lord's feast.

As for the golden, or yellow, robes, hierarchal services are served in them, as well as, according to established tradition, ordinary everyday services. In general, as a rule, the color of the chasuble corresponds to one or another celebration only starting from the polyeleos service: if polyeleos or a vigil, then according to the color of the holiday; if the service is up to and including the doxology, then in golden robes. In particular, Sunday services are served in golden robes. Martyr services - in red robes.)

5. Each of the services of the daily cycle undergoes some changes in its rank. The most characteristic feature is the reading at the end of each service of the daily circle of prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian with bows. In general, one of the characteristic features of the Divine Services of Great Lent is the abundance of prostrations. By the way, prostrations to the ground rely not only on “Lord, Lord of my life…”

(Question: what is the meaning of celebrating the Liturgy of Basil the Great on Sundays, and on Saturdays - the Liturgy of John Chrysostom? Why not vice versa?

Answer: we must not forget that, according to church tradition, the Liturgy of John Chrysostom is a shortening of the Liturgy of Basil the Great. Therefore, on those days when intense prayer is required of us, the Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated. It is clear that Sunday is in every respect superior to the Sabbath day, therefore, on the Sundays of Great Lent, the Liturgy of Basil the Great is served, and on Saturdays, the full “ordinary” Liturgy, i.e., the Liturgy of John Chrysostom. And on Palm Sunday, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated. Why? Because Palm Sunday is by no means included in Great Lent.)

6. Another important feature that does not relate to this service of the daily circle, but to the entire daily circle as a whole: a special rule for reading the Psalter. For now, I will only say that during Great Lent, not 20, but 40 kathismas are read during the week, that is, the Psalter is read not once, but twice per week.

This is achieved due to two reasons: - not two, but three kathismas are read during Lenten Matins; - kathismas are read on almost all Clocks.

By the way, on Saturdays and Sundays the charter of kathismas does not change, which also confirms the absence of Lenten features on Saturday and Sunday.

7. The next feature is to change the rank of each of the services of the daily circle.

We will talk about this in more detail, but for now I will only say that Vespers is served during Great Lent earlier than on the days of Great Lent. She joins the Hours, according to our established practice (however, allowed by the Typicon). And since Vespers is celebrated during the day, and not in the evening, then in the evening on the days of the week, not small, but great Compline is served. Great Compline is also celebrated on Friday evening, but without Lenten features. The Ustav calls this Compline "great Compline without prostrations."

8. On Sunday evening during Great Lent (on the first five Sundays, as well as on the cheese week) Vespers is served with an entrance and a great prokeimenon. The two great prokimens are spoken alternately.

(Question: where did the tradition come from to serve the passion on the resurrection?

Answer: from the same place, where the tradition to serve in black robes comes from. Actually, "passion" (the Latin word) means "suffering". This service is not statutory; it spread among us during the synodal period. By the way, the rank of passion is nowhere to be found, and in different churches it is performed in different ways. There are rare temples where it is not performed, but the statutory service is performed.

Strictly speaking, the Passion is a Great Lenten Monday Vespers with an entrance and a great prokeimenon, with a prayer service for dismissal troparia, with a canon (sometimes an akathist) and a reading of the Gospel. Moreover, passions are performed four times: on the second, third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Great Lent. Why four? Because there are four evangelists: in the first passion, the passion according to Matthew is read, in the second - the passion according to Mark, in the third - the passion according to Luke, in the fourth - the passion according to John.) Last time we described the common features of all Lenten Divine Services. Today we will study the specific features of those or other services of the daily circle sent during Holy Great Lent.

It must be said that the Typicon devotes a rather significant part of its volume to Lenten Liturgy - this is Chapter 49, which occupies several dozen pages. This chapter is called "Following the Holy Forty Days".

I will present the features of the services of the daily circle not in the order of the liturgical day, but in the order of the astronomical day.

Midnight Office (daily) Let me remind you that Midnight Offices are divided into daily, Saturday and weekly (Sunday). And if we are talking about the features of the Lenten Midnight Office, then they can only apply to the daily Midnight Office, since there are no special features of Lenten on Saturday and Sunday.

At the exclamation of the priest: "God, have mercy on us and bless us ..." - the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian with 16 prostrations. This is the only feature of the Lenten Midnight Office. According to the current version of the statute, 3 earthly bows, 12 waist bows with a brief prayer "God, cleanse me a sinner" and 1 earthly bow (in total 16) are supposed. Before the liturgical reform of Patriarch Nikon, the prayer of Ephraim Smirin was performed differently (at least in Russia): 16 bows of the earth were supposed, and short prayers were different. The text of the prayer itself in that edition was also somewhat different from the current one: “Lord, Master of my life, the spirit of despondency, neglect, idleness and arrogance, ban me from me” (and not “don’t give me”). From a theological point of view, such a formula is irreproachable: the Lord cannot give us anything stubborn. Another thing is that we can ask God to separate, “unmarry” from us that which is not appropriate for us to grow. True, there is another example: "Lead us not into temptation" in the Lord's Prayer. This is also a conditionally understood place: do not allow temptations to prevail over us. It is also necessary to understand “do not give me” in the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.

Matins (without polyeleos) This service is extensive, so we have a right to expect many peculiarities.

Matins, as you know, are different: everyday, with doxology and polyeleos. So when we talk about Matins, we need to specify what kind of Lenten Matins we are talking about. in question: without doxology, with doxology or polyeleos.

Let me say right away that there can be no hymns with doxology during the days of Great Lent. On the weekdays of Great Lent, the Great Doxology is never sung - even on the feast of the Annunciation.

But polyeles can be, although extremely rare.

1. Initial Trisagion. Upon the exclamation “Blessed is our God” at Matins outside Great Lent, the reader immediately begins: “Amen.

Come, let us worship…” and two psalms. Great Lent adds the Trisagion according to the Our Father. Then - the exclamation of the priest and the continuation common beginning to the double psalm. Then everything goes on in the usual order: two psalms with incense, troparia, a small and a severe litany, six psalms. According to the charter, the priest proceeds to read the morning prayers not at the beginning of the 4th psalm of the Six Psalms, but at the beginning of the 5th. Hence the conclusion: during Great Lent, the six psalms are read more slowly, drawn out, than outside Great Lent, so that they have time to read 12 morning prayers while reading only the last two psalms.

2. Instead of "God is the Lord" with verses, "Allely" is sung with their own verses. These verses are taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 26. In fact, they are part of the 5th prophetic song, which, according to the charter, is supposed to be combined with the 5th song of the canon of every Matins.

Why is it not sung "God is the Lord and appear to us", but "Allely" is sung? The exclamation "allily" can be translated as praise to the Lord, "glory to God." The service for “God is the Lord” presupposes the Divine Liturgy as the pinnacle of its fulfillment. During Great Lent, however, the Liturgy is not celebrated on weekdays (there is a special discussion about the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts). And since the Divine Liturgy is not performed, then God and the Lord will not appear to us with His Most Honorable Body and Blood, therefore, singing “God is the Lord” at Matins would not be entirely appropriate. A different doxology, of a more general nature, is sung. Accordingly, the allilary’s verses are more penitent than joyful in nature: “From the night my spirit wakes up to Thee, O God…” (At the Polyeleic Matins, there is “God the Lord,” but the whole structure of the service changes there. The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is appointed there for the sake of the saint, it is extraordinary. Just as there is an ordinary apostolic gospel reading, and there is a festive one. For the sake of the festive reading, an additional prokeimenon is appointed, and here too: for the sake of an additional, extraordinary Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the reading "God is the Lord" is appointed. In addition, any service is integral and it would be illogical sing the penitential verses of Isaiah at Matins, and then the polyeleos. That is, the polyeleos, as it were, goes in one connection with “God the Lord and appear to us” - psalm 118 echoes the polyeleos psalms 4 and 135. But this is rather an exception - there are only two such services during fasting when there is no full Liturgy for “God is the Lord”: 40 martyrs and the Finding of the Head, and even then not always.)

3. Instead of troparions on “God is the Lord”, Trinity voices are sung. In essence, these are also troparia, but of a somewhat special nature. It is pointed out that the Octoechos during Great Lent, generally speaking, is not canceled, although the popular opinion says that during Great Lent on weekdays the Oktoech is not sung. This is so and not so. Indeed, for the performance of the Divine Service, the book called Oktoechos is not needed. But this does not mean that the Octoechos is not sung - some of its texts are still used during Divine services. Firstly, these are the Trinity voices, secondly, they are sedal according to the first verse of Matins (that is, after the 1st kathisma of Matins), and thirdly, the luminous voices at the end of the canon. But since these texts are few, it would be expedient to include them in the Lenten Triodion, which is done: they are printed as an appendix in the Lenten Triodion. In other words, some texts of the Octoechos are used, although the book itself is not needed at Lenten services.

In each voice there are three Trinities. The first is sung simply, the second on "Slavy", the third - on "And now". The first Trinity has a variable ending, which is determined by the current day of the week. Trinity Monday ends: “Represents the incorporeal, have mercy on us”, on Tuesday: “Through the prayers of Your Forerunner, have mercy on us.” On Wednesday and Friday: "By the power of Your Cross, save us, Lord." It is clear that the ending of the first Trinity of any voice depends on the day of the week.

In the second Trinity, all the saints are prayerfully called: “Through the prayers of all the saints, have mercy on us” (in any voice, on any day of the week). In the third Trinity, we turn to the Most Holy Theotokos: "By the prayers of the Theotokos, save us." That is, the usual logic is observed: the last hymn of this Matins is somehow addressed to the Most Holy Theotokos, or at least Holy Mother of God is mentioned in this chant. So it would be fair to call the third Trinity the “Trinity of the Theotokos” (by the type of the Mother of God of the Cross), although there is no such term. That is, this is a kind of hymn in which both the Most Holy Trinity and the Most Holy Theotokos are glorified.

Why are troparia not sung to "God is the Lord"?

Usually, at Matins, the troparion of the holy day (twice), “Glory, and now,” is sung to “God is the Lord,” one or another of the Theotokos. Well, it is clear with the Theotokos: the third Trinity can be conditionally called the Theotokos. But why are the troparia of the holy day not sung? How is the saint “guilty” that his memory fell into the Lenten period?

The fact is that at the end of the second Trinity, all the saints are called to intercede for us, and therefore the saint given day. This is why the singing of a separate troparion to this particular saint is redundant. So everything is justified in the liturgical rule.

4. Kathismas are read according to a special custom, different from the one described earlier. The service is simple, without doxology, which means that there are no small litanies on kathismata. However, there are always sedals at Matins according to kathisma: after the 1st kathisma, there are sedals of Octoechos (see Appendix to the Triodion); after the 2nd and 3rd kathisma are the sedals of the Triodion of the given day.

That is, in order to find the sedals after the 1st kathisma, it is necessary to look at the end of the Lenten Triodion and find in the Appendix the necessary sedal in accordance, firstly, with the voice of Oktoechos, and secondly, in accordance with the day of the week. But the sedals of the second and third verses are in the main text of the Triodion, and not in the Appendix.

After Psalm 50, which is always read at the end of the kathisma of Matins, the first litia prayer “Save, O God, Thy people” is read (the deacon reads it before the icon of the Savior, and if there is no deacon, then the priest). The choir then sings "Lord have mercy" 12 times. The exclamation of "Mercy and bounty."

We are accustomed to the fact that such a section of worship is characteristic of holidays - on weekdays this is not the case during Great Lent. But if the matins are polyeleic or Sunday, it appears. Here, as it were, an overturning of our usual concepts takes place: the service is by no means festive, rather the opposite, and nevertheless - “Save, O God, Thy people” and “By mercy and bounty.” The fact is that this prayer goes back to the litia, which is performed at the all-night vigil (or sometimes at the great vespers), and we have already said that the litia is by no means a festive part of the service, not the second polyeles, but on the contrary - a prayer of repentance, but it is especially appropriate on the weekdays of Great Lent. On holidays, on polyeleos days, "Save, O God, Thy people" appears only as a "repetition" of lithium. After all, if anointing with oil is due to the vigil, then it is performed after the dismissal of Matins, in accordance with the typikon. After the anointing with oil, the concluding prayer litia is pronounced: “Master the Many-Merciful,” that is, it turns out that the entire canon of Matins, laudatory stichera, doxology, etc. constitute, as it were, some kind of one big litia, beginning with “Save, O God, Thy people” and ending with “Master the Many-Merciful » before the 1st Hour.

5. The next most important feature is the special order in which the canons of the Menaion and the Triodes of the Triodion are read. A detailed discussion of this is a little further.

6. At the end of the canons, instead of the usual exapostilaries of the Octoechos (the day of the week) or the luminaries of the Menaion, special luminary tones are read (see Appendix to the Triodion), which are sometimes called Trinity luminaries, because they echo those Trinity tones that were sung instead of troparia on “God Lord." In essence, in each voice one is luminous, but it is read or sung three times during the service: the second time on “Glory”, the third time on “And now”. And every time with different endings. The same thing can be said about the difference in the endings of the lamps of the voice, as was said about the difference in the endings of the three Trinity voices: the end of the first lamp is determined by the day of the week, the end of the second lamp is always addressed to all the saints, and the end of the third - to the Most Holy Theotokos.

7. Doxology is always read, not sung.

8. Instead of the verse stichera of the Octoechos, the verse stichera of Triodi.

9. “It is good to eat” on the weekdays of Great Lent is read twice (outside of Lent - once).

Next, at the non-fasting matins, the Trisagion usually goes, according to the “Our Father” - an exclamation, the troparion of the Menaion, “Glory, and now”, the Theotokos, the end of the matins. But there is no troparion of the Menaion - as we have already pointed out, it is not sung, so there must be something else.

10. Instead of the troparion of the Menaion - "In the temple of those who stand Thy glory ...". Always the same constant troparion. Instead of an extreme litany - "Lord have mercy" (40 times). The deacon and the priest are silent at this time. Apparently, this feature dates back to the times when hermits left St. cloisters and labored separately. The services were performed by them without fail, but the priest was not with them. In the absence of a priest, it is customary to replace the litany with the 40-fold "Lord have mercy", and the exclamation - with "Glory, now." An echo of this order also found its way into the modern charter.

11. According to the exclamation “This is blessed” - the prayer “Heavenly King, confirm faith ...” (not to be confused with “King of Heaven”). According to the rules, this prayer is spoken by the primate (rector or elder from the priesthood).

As you can see, Lenten Matins has a lot of features.

Rather than enumerate the features of the Hours and Vespers, focus on revealing the features of Matins in more detail.

Let's start with the rule about kathismata, and then we'll talk about the order of reading the canons at Matins, and after that we'll move on to the Hours, if there is time.