Redeeming the Time:The Daily Cycle of Services

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph 5:15-16)

The Church attempts to give purpose or meaning to every aspect of human existence

Chronos vs Kairos What I Intend to Cover Tonight (both the

what and the why):◦ Basic structure of the daily cycle◦ Details of each service within the daily cycle

Vespers, Compline, Midnight Office, Matins, 1st, 3rd, and 6th Hours, Liturgy, 9th Hour

Overview

“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Gen 1:3-5)◦ God defines “a day” ◦ Evening begins the day, followed by morning◦ Jews followed this custom (e.g., Sabbath begins at

sunset Friday evening)◦ Christians note significance in light ending the day

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.” (Is 9:2; Mt 4:16)

Structure of the Daily Cycle

Liturgical cycle of the church begins in the evening

At Vespers we begin the hymns for what, in modern times, is the next calendar day◦ e.g., Saturday evening hymns for the Resurrection

The daily cycle and commemorations continue through all the services, including the 9th Hour, and then “reset” again at Vespers

Structure of the Daily Cycle

hespera (Greek) or vesper (Latin) simply means “evening”

Service offered at the setting of the sun◦ Note: in ancient monastic tradition the time of the

service is movable based upon the setting of the sun (i.e. seasonal changes)

Inaugurates the beginning of a new day◦ Saint celebrated at Vespers would be on the next

calendar day of our civil calendar Historical connection to the ceremonial lighting

of the seven lamps in the Old Testament◦ Hence the seven prayers of the priest during Ps 103

May serve Great Vespers or Daily Vespers

Vespers

Structure of the service follows the biblical narrative (creation - fall - redemption)◦ Psalm 104 (“creation Psalm”/3rd account of

creation)◦ Psalm 141 (fallen humanity crying to the Lord),

followed by Pss 142, 130, and 117◦ Hymns of the Resurrection on Saturday evening

Hymns of saints combined with them on Saturday Hymns of daily commemoration/saints on other days

“O Gladsome Light”◦ St Basil the Great (d. 379) called this “an ancient

hymn of the Church” Old Testament Readings

◦ Used to be at the Divine Liturgy, but moved here

Vespers

Prayer at the Bowing of Heads◦ Protection for the approaching night/from evil

imaginations◦ “…the fearful Judge, who yet loves mankind…”

St Simeon’s Prayer◦ Luke 2:29-32

Tonsuring of Readers or Taper-Bearers Dismissal Hymn(s)

◦ Primary hymn(s) of the day

Vespers

apodipnon (Greek: “after dinner”) or completorium (Latin: prayers at completion of the day)

Word first used (to our knowledge) in St Benedict’s Rule

May be served as Great or Little Compline◦ Services are quite different, but each focus on

asking forgiveness for sins committed during the day, for peaceful/undisturbed sleep, and spiritual peace

Compline

Little Compline structure◦ Most days of the year Little Compline is served◦ Psalms 51, 70, 143◦ The Little Doxology (“Glory to God in the highest”)◦ The Nicene Creed◦ Troparia (varies by tradition)◦ Prayer of the Hours (“O Thou Who at all times…”)◦ Prayers to the Mother of God and Christ for rest

and protection◦ Prayer to Guardian Angel (in some traditions)◦ If served with a priest, a litany of intercessory

prayers

Compline

Great Compline structure◦ Primarily served during Great Lent

In parish tradition, primarily on Mondays May be served during other fasting seasons

◦ Psalms 4, 6, 13, 25, 31, 91 (the funeral Psalm)◦ “God is with us” (selections from Isaiah) by choir◦ Antiphonal intercessory prayers by choir◦ Various troparia◦ Prayer of St Basil before bed◦ Psalms 51 and 102◦ Prayer of Manasseh, King of Judah◦ Psalms 70 and 143◦ Little Doxology

Compline

Great Compline structure◦ “O Lord of hosts” (w/selections from Psalms) by

choir◦ Essentially conclude with the ending of Little

Compline Prayers to the Mother of God and Christ for rest and

protection

Compline

Essentially part of the Hours services◦ Inspired by Ps 119:62: “At midnight I will rise to

give thanks to You…”◦ Also inspired by Mt 25’s parable of the wise and

foolish virgins Sometimes prayed as a separate, midnight

service, but more often combined with Matins in modern-day monastic practice

Four different structures to the service; one each for weekdays, Saturday, Sunday, and Great and Holy Saturday

Midnight Office

Weekdays◦ Reading of Psalm 119, the longest in the Bible◦ Hymn: “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh at

midnight…” (used at Bridegroom Matins during Holy Week as well)

Saturday◦ Psalms 65-70 replace Psalm 119, which is read at

Matins instead Sunday

◦ Pslam 119 is replaced by a Canon to the Trinity◦ Service is shortened (or even omitted in Russian

practice)

Midnight Office

Great and Holy Saturday◦ Usually the only time parishes serve Midnight

Office◦ Last service of the Lenten Triodion (service book

for Great Lent and Holy Week)◦ After Ps 51, chanting of the Canon of Great and

Holy Saturday (“the harrowing of Hades”)◦ After the dismissal, all lights in the church are

extinguished until the Paschal candle is brought out

Midnight Office

orthros (Greek: “early dawn/daybreak”) or matutinum (Latin: “of the morning”)

Service offered at the rising of the sun◦ Note: in ancient monastic tradition the time of the

service is movable based upon the rising of the sun (i.e. seasonal changes)

◦ Sunrise coincides with the Doxology: “Glory to Thee who has shone us the light…”

May serve Daily or Festal Matins In Russian tradition, Festal Matins is served

as part of the Vigil service on Saturday evening instead of being served on Sunday morning

Matins

We will look closely at the structure of Festal/Sunday Matins

Psalms 19 & 20 (the “Royal Psalms”)◦ Usually omitted, with only the “Royal Troparia”◦ Apolytikion, Kontakion, & Theotokion of the Cross

“Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial…” Six Psalms (Pss. 3, 38, 63, 88, 103, 143)

◦ These recall the Final Judgment◦ During the Psalms the priest reads 12 prayers

“God is the Lord…” and daily troparia◦ Portions of Ps 118

Matins

Kathisma (readings from the Psalter)◦ In Greek, literally means “seat”; so named because

sitting allowed during these readings On Sundays: Evlogetaria

◦ “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes…”◦ Selections from Ps 119

Hypakoe, Anavathmoi, Prokeimenon◦ Preparation for the Gospel◦ “Hearken,” “Hymns of Ascent,” “that which

precedes” Matins Gospel

◦ Sundays: Eothinon (pertaining to the dawn; 11 resurrection stories)

◦ Feasts: the reading pertains to the feast itself

Matins

Psalm 51 (preceded by “In that we have beheld the Resurrection…” on Sundays)

Great Intercessory Prayer (“O God save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance…”)

The seasonal Canon The Magnificat of Luke 1:46-55 (or seasonal

replacement) The exapostilaria (“being sent out”) of the

Gospel or feast The Praises (Pss. 148-150) w/hymns &

doxastikon (“Glory hymn”) The Great or Small Doxology

Matins

Special Forms of Matins◦ Lenten: penitential hymns; Alleluia replaces “God

is the Lord”; biblical canon/odes; prayer of St Ephraim

◦ Great and Holy Friday: Twelve Passion Gospels◦ Great and Holy Saturday: Lamentations◦ Paschal: unique to Pascha and Bright Week; all

penitential aspects replaced with hymns of the Resurrection

Matins

Correspond to the Jewish hours of prayer◦ Acts 3:1: “Now Peter and John went up together to

the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”◦ Acts 10:9: “Peter went up on the housetop to

pray, about the sixth hour.” Basically the same structure at each service

◦ Three Psalms open the service (5, 90, 101; 17, 25, 51; 54, 55, 91; 84, 85, 86)

◦ Troparia/Theotokia/Kontakia of the day◦ The “Prayer of the Hours”: “O Thou who at all

times”◦ Final prayer of the Hour

1st: Christ as the “True Light”; 3rd: Christ as Teacher 6th: Suffering of Christ; 9th: Christ Hanging on the Tree

1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th Hours

Four primary liturgies in use today◦ St John Chrysostom: most

Sundays/feasts/weekday◦ St Basil the Great: Sundays of Lent/some feasts◦ St Gregory the Great/Pre-Sanctified◦ St James the Brother of God: October 23 in some

places Opening Blessing Dialogue between clergy/people addressed

to God◦ Great Litany◦ Many of the deacons’ parts are calls to worship to

which the people respond

Divine Liturgy

Antiphons◦ So named because of antiphonal singing◦ Addition to the ancient liturgy proper◦ Russian tradition: taken from Typika◦ Greek tradition: taken from other services◦ Both have 2nd conclude with hymn from the 6th

century ascribed to Emperor Justinian Little Entrance

◦ Origination◦ Significance today◦ “O come let us worship…”

Divine Liturgy

Troparia/Kontakia Trisagion/Anti-Trisagion

◦ “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal”◦ “As many as have been baptized…” (Gal 3:27)◦ “Before Thy Cross we bow down in worship…”

Scripture Readings◦ Epistle◦ Gospel◦ Sermon

Cherubic Hymn◦ “We who mystically represent the cherubim…”◦ Holy Saturday: “Let all mortal flesh keep

silence…”

Divine Liturgy

Great Entrance◦ Origination◦ Significance today

Nicene Creed Anaphora

◦ See presentation from 1/7/2015 Lord’s Prayer & Bowing of Heads “Holy Things are for the Holy”

◦ Important response Communion Hymns/Prayers/Reception Thanksgiving & Dismissal

Divine Liturgy

The services are literally filled with Scripture◦ Many Psalms◦ Several extended passages from both OT and NT◦ Specific, designated readings for day/season

With all of these services, Orthodoxy attempts to penetrate every aspect of our being◦ Every time/season/hour is given a spiritual

consideration◦ We hope to add meaning and significance to our

day/week/month/year

Conclusions