Worship plans. Following the daily service

Part II. Diagram of the Liturgy of the Catechumens

1. Initial exclamations from the deacon and priest.
2. Great Litany.
3. Psalm 1 pictorial “Bless the Lord, my soul” (102) (first antiphon).
4. Small Litany.
5. The second pictorial psalm (145) - “Praise, my soul, the Lord” (second antiphon).
6. Singing the hymn “The Only Begotten Son and Word of God.”
7. Small Litany.
8. Singing the Gospel beatitudes and troparia “blessed” (third antiphon).
9. Small entrance with the Gospel.
10. Singing “Come Let Us Worship.”
11. Singing the troparion and kontakion.
12. The deacon’s cry: “Lord, save the pious.”
13. Singing of the Trisagion.
14. Singing prokimna.
15. Reading of the Apostle. Singing the alliluary.
16. Reading the Gospel.
17. A special litany.
18. Litany of the Catechumens.
19. Litany with the command for the catechumens to leave the temple.

Part III. Scheme of the Liturgy of the Faithful

1. Abridged Great Litany.
2. Singing the 1st part of the Cherubic Song and the priest reading the Great Entrance Prayer.
3. Great Entrance and Transfer of the Holy Gifts.
4. Singing the 2nd part of the Cherubic Song and placing the Holy Vessels on the Throne.
5. 1st Petitionary Litany (About the offered, honest Gifts): preparation of those praying for the consecration of the Gifts.
6. The deacon's instillation of peace, love and unanimity.
7. Exclamation: “Let us love one another, that we may be of one mind.”
8. Singing the Creed. (after the exclamation “Doors, let us open the doors of wisdom”).
9. The exclamation “Let’s become kind...”.
10. Eucharistic prayer (3 parts).
11. Consecration of the Holy Gifts (while singing: “We sing to you...”).
12. Glorification of the Mother of God (“It is worthy to eat...”).
13. Commemoration of the living and the dead (“And everyone, and everything...”).
14. 2nd Petitionary Litany (On the Consecrated Honorable Gifts).
15. Singing "Our Father".
16. Ascension of the Holy Gifts. ("Holy of Holies...").
17. Communion of the clergy at the altar and the “sacrament” verse.
18. The penultimate apparition of the Holy Gifts and Communion of the laity.
19. The exclamation “Save, O God, Thy people” and the chant “We see the True Light.”
20. The last appearance of the Holy Gifts and the chant “Let our lips be filled.”
21. Litany of thanksgiving for Communion.
22. Prayer behind the pulpit.
23. “Be the name of the Lord” and the 33rd Psalm.

Scheme of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (served only during Lent)

1. The cry of the deacon and priest: “Blessed is the kingdom”...
2. Reading Psalm 103: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”
3. Great Litany.
4. Kathismas.
5. Small Litany, or three small litanies (after each of the three kathismas), during which the transfer of the Holy Lamb from the Throne to the altar takes place.
6. “The Lord cried.”
7. Stichera “I cried to the Lord.”
8. Evening entrance with censer (or with the Gospel, if required according to the Charter).
9. “Quiet light”...
10. Reading the first proverb.
11. Shouts: “Wisdom, forgive me. The light of Christ enlightens everyone.”
12. Reading the second proverb.
13. Singing: “May my prayer be corrected.”
14. Reading the Gospel (if required by the Charter).
15. A special litany.
16. Prayer for the Emperor.
17. Litany of the Catechumens.
18. Litany for the Enlightened. Exclamation: “For You are our enlightenment” (From the 4th week of Lent).
19. Small litany of the faithful. The exclamation “As befits”...
20. The second small litany is about the faithful.
21. "Now are the powers of heaven."
22. Great Entrance with the Presanctified Gifts.
23. The second part of the prayer: “Let us approach by faith and love.”
24. Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian.
25. Litany of petition.
26. The Lord's Prayer "Our Father".
27. Exclamation: “The Holy One, Presanctified to the Saints.”
28. The penultimate appearance of the Holy Gifts (“I will bless the Lord”).
29. The last apparition of the Holy Gifts.
30. Thanksgiving for Communion.
31. Prayer behind the pulpit (“Lord Almighty”).
32. “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (three times) and Psalm 33.
33. The priest's last blessing.
34. Vacation.

Scheme of Vespers at the All-Night Vigil

1. Exclamation of the deacon and priest.
2. Opening Psalm 103 “Bless the Lord, my soul.”
3. Great Litany.
4. Psalm: “Blessed is the man who does not follow the counsel of the wicked.”
5. Small Litany.
6. “The Lord cried.”
7. Stichera on “I cried to the Lord”...
8. Dogmatist or Mother of God.
9. Evening entrance (with censer).
10. Singing the hymn: “Quiet Light.”
11. Prokeimenon of the day.
12. Reading paroemias (3 paroemias). (On the eve of great and temple holidays).
13. A special litany.
14. Prayer: “Lord grant”...
15. Litany of petition.
16. Stichera on lithium.
17. Lithium. (On the eve of great and temple holidays).
18. Poems on poems,
19. “Now you let go,” the Trisagion according to the “Our Father.”
20. Troparion or (on Sundays) “Virgin Mother of God.”
21. Blessing of the loaves. (On the eve of great and temple holidays.).
22. “Blessed be the Name of the Lord” and Psalm 33.
23. Blessing of the priest.

Scheme of Matins at the All-Night Vigil

1. Six Psalms (Psalms 3, 37, 62, 87, 102, 142).
2. Great Litany.
3. “God is the Lord and appear to us.”
4. Troparion for Sunday or holiday or Saint.
5. Reading kathisma.
6. Small Litany.
7. Polyeleos (“Praise the name of the Lord”).
8. Sunday “blameless” troparia (“Blessed art thou, O Lord”).
9. Greatness (on great holidays).
10. Small Litany.
11. Sedate (on the occasion of great holidays, antiphon 4 voices: “From my youth”)...
12. Reading the Gospel.
13. “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ.”
14. The deacon’s exclamation “Save, O God, Thy people”...
15. Canon (small litanies on the 3rd and 6th cantos).
16. “My soul magnifies the Lord.”
17. “Let every breath praise the Lord” and stichera on those who praise.
18. Theotokos: “Blessed are you, the Virgin Mary” (textbook of Hours).
19. Great Doxology.
20. Sunday troparion of dismissal or holiday troparion.
21. A special litany.
22. Litany of petition.
23. Vacation.
24. First Hour (see diagram of the Hours).

Scheme of Great Compline

Part I

1. The usual start.
2. “Come, let us worship” and Psalm 69 (See the Teachings of the Book of Hours).
3. Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (in the first 4 days of Lent).
4. Six psalms: 4, 6, 12, 24, 30, 90.
5. "God is with us".
6. Troparion: “The day is past, I thank You, Lord.”
7. Symbol of faith.
8. Prayer: “To the Most Holy Lady.”
9. Trisagion according to Our Father.
10. Troparion and Theotokos (Various by day of the week).
11. “Lord have mercy” 40 times; prayers of dismissal: “Glory even now”, “Most honorable Cherub”, etc.
12. Prayer “Lord, deliver us from every arrow that flies throughout the days.”

Part II.

1. “Come, let us worship” (three times), Psalms 50 and 101;
2. Manasseh's prayer: "Lord Almighty, God of our fathers."
3. Trisagion according to Our Father.
4. Troparion: “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us.”
5. “Lord have mercy” 40 times and the same prayers of absolution.
6. Prayer: “Sovereign God, Father Almighty”...

Part III.

1. “Come, let us worship” (three times).
2. Psalms 69 and 142 and the Great Doxology.
3. Trisagion according to Our Father.
4. Canon private.
5. Singing: “Lord of strength be with us.”
6. “Lord have mercy” 40 times. Prayer: “For every time and every hour” and the same prayers of dismissal.
7. “Lord and Master of my life”...
8. Prayer: “Undefiled, unblasphemous”...
9. “And grant us, O Master, our future sleep”..., “Glorious Ever-Virgin”, “My Father’s Hope.”
10. Great holiday. Reading sacred they say "The Lord is most merciful."
11. A special litany.

Introduction

IN Saint Orthodox Church Since the times of the apostles, the right to perform divine services and exercise spiritual leadership does not belong to all believers without exception, but only to specially chosen clergy who received it in the Sacrament of the Priesthood through the action of Divine Grace. The most numerous of them, both in ancient times and now, are priests (priests), who, together with or without deacons, perform divine services in parish and cathedral churches and are directly subordinate to their diocesan bishop. At the same time, each priest is obliged to perform his service in the temple not as he has to, but in accordance with the specific instructions of the liturgical Rules, for everything in the Church, according to the words of the Holy Apostle Paul, must be “decent and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40 ).

ABOUT However, recently ordained priests, due to the lack of certain practical skills and sometimes the necessary liturgical knowledge, when performing divine services often have a feeling of uncertainty about the correctness of their actions, coupled with very strong anxiety. As a result, the beauty and integrity of the divine service are lost, which in turn causes dissatisfaction among the worshipers and greatly upsets the priest himself. Not finding an answer to the questions that concern him in the condensed expressions of the Typikon and the Service Book, the newly ordained priest turns to various practical manuals, compiled, for the most part, in the last century, the instructions of which are quite contradictory and not always completely acceptable.

D This work is a practical guide for persons preparing to accept the priestly rank and contains a consistent and at the same time detailed description actions of the priest during the All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy, and not only St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom, but also the Presanctified Gifts. When considering various moments of the service, its statutory features are taken into account on the days of the great twelve holidays, as well as during the singing of the Lenten and Colored Triodion. Particular attention is paid to the ministry of a priest without a deacon.

P When writing the work, the works of such famous researchers in the field of Liturgics as Fr. Sergius Bulgakov, archimandrite. John (Maslov), Archpriest Konstantin Nikolsky, A.I. Georgievsky, as well as various pastoral manuals compiled both in the pre-revolutionary period and in our time.

I. Guide to the All-Night Vigil.

WITH According to the instructions of the Typikon (Typikon, Chapter 6), the All-Night Vigil should be celebrated in the evening, on the eve of Sundays, as well as great and temple holidays. In addition, it is prescribed to be performed on the eve of the days of remembrance of some especially revered saints. The All-Night Vigil includes: Great Supper, Polyeleos Matins and the first hour.

Great Vespers.

P According to the charter, each all-night vigil begins with Great Vespers. The exceptions are the holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany and Annunciation Holy Mother of God, when the all-night vigil begins with Great Compline, passing through the litia into Matins.

Entering the altar and vesting.

IN Having entered the temple and made three bows at the entrance, and on the weekdays of Great Lent - bows to the ground, the priest venerates the icon lying on the central lectern and other especially revered icons, after which he goes to the choir. Leaving his outer clothing there or in some other place designated for this purpose, he, making the sign of the cross and kissing the icon located on the southern door, enters the altar. Here he makes three bows to the ground, and during the period from Holy Easter to Pentecost, bows from the waist in front of the Holy See and kisses its edge. Having then given a blessing to the deacon and the laity serving at the altar, the priest begins to vest. Having made three bows together with the deacon to the high place with the words: “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me,” and blessing the latter’s vestments, he takes the stole and blesses it, saying, as when blessing the surplice and orarion to the deacon: “Blessed is God ours, always, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen". Having then kissed the cross depicted on the top of the epitrachelion, the priest places it on himself, after which he puts on the brace and phelonion in the same way. If a priest serves without a deacon, then immediately after vesting he removes the veil from the Throne and looks for the reading in the Gospel for Matins.

The beginning of the evening.

IN standing before the Throne and having bowed three times together with the deacon, the priest, between the second and third bows, kisses the altar Gospel and the edge of the Throne. After this, the deacon, and if he is not there, then the priest himself opens the altar curtain (katapetasma) and the Royal Doors. Reading special prayer: “We offer a censer to You, Christ our God...”, the priest blesses the censer with incense given to him by the deacon or sexton, and then, preceded by the deacon with a candle, censes the Altar on four sides, the high place and all the icons in the altar. Having shown the icon located above the Royal Doors on the northern side of the half of the high place, and on the southern side - everyone in the altar, he again returns to the front of the Throne, while the deacon goes out through the Royal Doors to the pulpit. After the deacon’s exclamation “Arise,” the choir sings “Bless the Lord,” and the priest, standing in front of the Throne and depicting a cross with a censer, exclaims: “Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-Giving and Indivisible Trinity...” and at the end of the exclamation, censes the Throne in front. After this, the clergy in the altar sing four times: “Come, let us worship...”, and in the period from the day of Holy Easter to its celebration - “Christ is risen...” three times, and the third time the clergy begin to sing, and the choir finishes.

Z Then the priest, having opened the right and left wings of the Royal Doors, preceded by the deacon with a candle, goes out to the pulpit. When the choir sings selected verses of the 103rd (initial) psalm, he censes the Royal Doors from the solea, as well as the right and left sides of the iconostasis, after which he returns again to the Royal Doors, from where he censes the upper choir (if there is one), the right and left choirs, as well as all worshipers from the south side of the temple to the north. After this, the priest, following the deacon, descends to the festive icon lying on the lectern in the middle of the temple and, having touched it, then censes the entire temple and the worshipers from the right choir to the left. Having walked around the entire temple and again finding himself on the salt, he censes the Royal Doors, the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, after which he enters the altar through the Royal Doors and censes the Throne in front. Having then censed the deacon and given it to him, and if there is no deacon, then to the sexton, the censer, the priest, having performed three adorations, kisses the altar Gospel and the edge of the Throne, after which the deacon or the priest himself closes the Royal Doors.

D Next, when the deacon pronounces the peaceful litany, the priest, standing in front of the Throne, reads with his head uncovered the seven prayers of light and at the end of the litany pronounces the exclamation “As befits...”. When serving without a deacon, the priest pronounces the peaceful litany and exclamation in the altar in front of the Throne, and reads the luminary prayers there, immediately before the start of the service. As for the practice of reading the prayers of the lamp before the Royal Doors, it is currently preserved at the daily supper, when Psalm 103 is read and censing is not performed. After the peaceful litany, with the exception of the holidays of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross, the Ascension and Transfiguration of the Lord, the choir sings 1 antiphon of the first kathisma: “Blessed is the man,” and then the deacon, and if he is not there, then the priest pronounces a small litany, ending with the exclamation: “For Thy power... "

Evening entrance and prokeimenon.

IN The evening entrance is preceded by the singing of stichera on “I cried to the Lord,” during which incense is performed on the altar and the entire temple. If the priest serves without a deacon, then, having blessed with a special prayer: “We offer the censer to Thee, O Christ our God...” the sexton gives the censer and, taking it, censes the Altar, the high place and all the icons in the altar on four sides. Having then shown the icon above the Royal Doors on the left side of the high place, and on the right - everyone in the altar, he goes out through the northern door onto the soleya. Here he censes the Royal Doors, the right and left sides of the iconostasis, the choir and people, the festive icon in the middle of the temple, and then censes the entire temple in the same way as at the beginning of Vespers. Having completed the censing near the Royal Doors, the priest crosses himself and, entering the altar through the southern door, censes the Throne in front, after which he gives the censer to the sexton.

P When singing a dogmatist or a festive stichera on “And Now,” the deacon opens the Royal Doors. The priest, having performed three adorations together with the deacon, kisses the altar Gospel and the edge of the Throne, after which, blessing the censer in the deacon’s hands, he follows him to the high place. Here, having made the sign of the cross, after the deacon’s words: “Let us pray to the Lord,” he begins to read the secret prayer of entry: “Evening and morning...”, while continuing to follow the deacon through the northern door to the sole. Standing in front of the Royal Doors, the priest bows to the incense of the deacon standing in front of him, and then, following the call of the latter: “Bless, Master, the holy entrance,” he blesses the cross in the direction of the Royal Doors with the words: “Blessed is the entrance of Thy saints, always, now and ever and ever” and bows again in response to the deacon’s censing. After the deacon’s exclamation: “Wisdom, forgive,” he, making the sign of the cross, kisses the icon of the Savior located on the right pillar of the Royal Doors, after which, turning to the west, he blesses the priests, and then, kissing the icon of the Mother of God on the left pillar of the Royal Doors, enters the altar. Here he, together with the deacon, venerates the Throne and goes through the right side of the altar to the high place, where, having once again worshiped, he faces the people. At the end of singing “Quiet Light,” the deacon exclaims: “Let us attend,” and the priest blesses those praying with the words: “Peace to all,” after which the deacon pronounces the prokeimenon prescribed for vespers that day.

E If the evening entrance is performed by a priest serving without a deacon, then, having opened the Royal Doors and venerated the Throne, he immediately blesses and accepts the censer from the sexton, with which he goes to the upper place, and from there, reading the prayer of entry, goes out through the northern door to the salt . Here the priest, having shown the Royal Doors, as well as the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, transfers the censer to left hand and, just as when serving with a deacon, blesses the entrance. At the end of the dogmatist’s singing, he, depicting the cross with a censer, exclaims: “Wisdom, forgive,” and then, venerating the small icons of the Savior and the Mother of God on the pillars of the Royal Doors and blessing the priests, he enters the altar, where he censes not all four sides of the Throne, like a deacon, but only the front room, after which he immediately gives the censer to the sexton. Having kissed the altar Gospel and the edge of the Throne, he goes to a high place, from where he blesses those praying and pronounces the prokeimenon. At the end of the singing of the prokeimna, the priest closes the Royal Doors.

Proverbs.

IN On holidays, immediately after the pronouncement of the prokemna and the closing of the Royal Doors, in the middle of the temple, the psalmist reads paremias from the Menaion. each of them is preceded by the exclamation of the deacon, and if he is not there, then the priest: “Wisdom,” after which the reader pronounces the name of the proverb and “Vonmem,” after which he begins reading. During the reading of the proverbs, the priest sits in a high place on the right side of the Throne. on the days of memory of St. ap. John the Evangelist (September 26/October 9) and St. App. Peter and Paul (June 29/July 12), the proverbs are read not from the Old Testament, as usual, but from the New Testament, and therefore the Royal Doors remain open during the reading. The priest, in this case, no longer sits in a high place, but stands.

Lithium.

P After this, according to the instructions of the Charter, Litia must be performed. But since “nowadays this rite has been completely abolished in the Church,” it is performed only on the eve of great and temple holidays, as well as days of remembrance of saints “possessed vigil.” In other cases, after the exclamation: “Be a power...” stichera are immediately sung in verse.

E If a litia has been laid, then during the singing of special lithium stichera (of a temple or holiday), the priest, dressed in an epitrachelion, brim and phelonion, having venerated the Throne together with the deacon and blessed the censer, which is in the hands of the latter, goes out through the northern door to the solea. Stopping in front of the Royal Doors and making the sign of the cross, he descends from the ambo and, preceded by the priests, heads to the central doors of the temple, entering the vestibule. Here the priest stops again and, turning his face to the altar, waits for the end of the singing, while the deacon censes the iconostasis, the holiday icon, the priest and all those praying (incense is not performed at the altar).

E If the priest serves without a deacon, then, having blessed the censer in the altar, he himself takes it from the sexton and, going out onto the solea, censes the Royal Doors, the right and left sides of the iconostasis, and then the icon of the holiday or saint lying on the lectern in the middle of the temple. After this, the priest returns to the solea, from where he censes the upper choir (if there is one), the right and left choirs, as well as all those praying. Then he again censes the Royal Doors, the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, the icon of the holiday and, having given the censer to the sexton, goes to the doors of the temple.

P At the end of the singing of stichera and censing, the deacon, and if he is not there, then the priest himself, says four litia prayers, and after the first prayer the choir sings “Lord have mercy” forty times, after the second - fifty times, and after the third and fourth - three times. At the same time, in the middle of the temple in front of the festive icon, a special lithium table is placed, on which there are five loaves, as well as separate vessels with wheat, wine and oil. The first four prayers of the litia end with the exclamation of the priest: “Hear us, O God...”, after which he, turning to the west, blesses those praying with the words: “Peace to all.” Then, after the deacon’s exclamation: “Let us bow our heads to the Lord” and the choir singing “To you, Lord,” the priest, turning his face to the altar, reads with his head uncovered (without a hood, kamilavka, etc.) the final prayer of the litia: “Master of the Most Merciful ...”, after which, together with the deacon, while singing in choir, the stichera on the verse moves to the middle of the temple, to the lithium table and the festive icon.

Polyeleos.

P After the choir sings the troparions and reads the kathisma prescribed for the given day at Matins, the deacon is in the pulpit, and if there is none, the priest in the altar pronounces a small litany, ending with the exclamation “For Thy power...”. Then, during the reading on the choir of the sedal, the deacon opens the Royal Doors, after which the priest and deacon, having venerated the Throne, go out while singing in chorus selected verses of Psalms 134, 135: “Praise the name of the Lord...” to the middle of the temple and stand in front of the lectern with the festive icon. Here the priest, having made the sign of the cross and answering the deacon’s bow, accepts a candle from the latter in his left hand, and a censer in his right, having previously blessed it. After this, if the vigil is festive, the clergy sing the magnification of the holiday or the saint, and then the priest, preceded by the deacon with a candle, while singing in chorus the verses of the chosen psalm and magnification, censes the icon on the lectern on four sides and enters through the Royal Doors into the altar. Here, as at the beginning of Vespers, he censes the Altar on four sides and the entire altar, after which, having opened the right and left doors of the Royal Doors, he goes out onto the solea, from where he again censes the Royal Doors, the iconostasis, the choir and those praying, and then performs the censing the entire temple. Having walked around the entire temple, the priest rises to the pulpit, from where he again censes the Royal Doors, the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, after which, returning to the middle of the temple, he censes the icon lying on the lectern and gives the censer to the deacon, having also censed it first. Following the choir, the clergy sing “Hallelujah” and magnification for the third time. If a Sunday vigil is performed and the magnification is not sung, then the incense begins immediately after the clergy leave the altar and continues while the choir sings special troparions for the Immaculates: “The Council of Angels...”.

D Next, the deacon, and if he is not there, then the priest, pronounces a small litany in the middle of the temple, ending with the exclamation: “For Thy Name is blessed...”.

Gospel.

IN During the reading in the choir following the exclamation of the small litany of ipakoi or sedalna of the polyeleos, the deacon enters the altar and, while the choir sings the sedate antiphon, brings out the altar Gospel through the Royal Doors. Stopping on the pulpit, facing the worshipers, he exclaims: “Let us attend. Wisdom. Let us hear,” and then pronounces the Sunday (glasa) or holiday prokeimenon. At the deacon’s exclamation: “Let us pray to the Lord” and the choir singing “Lord, have mercy,” the priest exclaims: “As you are holy, our God, and you rest among the saints...”. After this, the deacon says: “Let every breath praise the Lord” with the prescribed verses, and then, exclaiming: “And may we be worthy to hear the Holy Gospel...”, descends from the pulpit and goes to the middle of the temple to the priest standing there, who after the following the deacon’s exclamation: “Wisdom, forgive me. Let us hear the Holy Gospel,” turning to the west, he blesses those praying with the words: “Peace to all.” At this time, the deacon opens the Gospel, and the priest, having exclaimed: “Reading from Matthew (Mark, Luke, John) of the Holy Gospel,” reads with his head uncovered the Sunday or holiday Gospel conception laid down at Matins. Having finished reading, he makes the sign of the cross and, kissing the letters of the open Gospel, closes it. After this, if the vigil is festive, the deacon immediately brings the Gospel through the Royal Doors into the altar and places it on the Altar. If the vigil is Sunday, then he, having risen to the pulpit and turning his face to the worshipers, stands there while the choir or people sing “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ...” (from the week of Thomas until the celebration of Easter, it is sung three times), after which he returns to the middle of the temple and places the Gospel on the lectern instead of the icon of the Resurrection.

P When serving without a deacon, the priest enters the altar to read the Gospel, also during the reading of the ipakoi or sedalna along the polyeleos, but not through the deacon's door, but through the Royal Doors. At the end of the singing of the sedate antiphon, he, standing in front of the Throne, pronounces the prokeimenon and all other exclamations, both priestly and those that were given to the deacon in the first case. Turning his face to the west, he, standing in the Royal Doors, blesses those praying, and then, without leaving the altar, reads the Gospel on the Throne. Having finished reading, the priest, if the vigil is a holiday, immediately returns to the middle of the church, and if it is a Sunday, then, going out with the Gospel to the pulpit, stands there while singing “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ,” and then carries it to the middle of the church and places it on lectern.

X Or at this time sings special choruses and a festive stichera or “Jesus has risen from the grave,” and in the period from the week of the tax collector and the Pharisee to the 5th week of Lent: “Open the doors of repentance.”

Canon.

P At the end of the singing, the deacon near the icon of the Savior on the sole, and in his absence, the priest in the middle of the temple, says the prayer: “Save, O God, Thy people...”, ending with the exclamation: “Grace and Generosity...”. If a litia was performed at Vespers, then, according to established tradition, the prayer: “Save, O God, Thy people...” is omitted at Matins and only its final exclamation is pronounced.

P After this, the reading of the canon begins on the choir, and the priest, having made three adorations and kissed the festive icon or Gospel lying on the lectern, cross-shapedly anoints his forehead with the oil consecrated at the festive vespers. Then he anoints the deacon and sextons and, after the latter go to the altar, standing to the left of the lectern (from the altar to the right), he anoints the worshipers. After the third and sixth hymns of the canon, the deacon is on the solea, and if he is not there, then the priest in the middle of the church pronounces small litanies with exclamations: “For you are our God...” and “For you are the King of the world...”.

Z Having completed the anointing of those praying with oil, the priest (at Sunday Matins) takes the Gospel from the lectern and, rising to the pulpit, makes a cross over the people with it, and then carries it through the Royal Doors to the altar and places it on the Throne. After this, he, having kissed the Gospel and the leading edge of the Throne, closes the Royal Doors.

IN During the reading of the eighth song of the canon, the priest, serving without a deacon, having blessed and accepted the censer from the sexton, censes the Altar and the entire altar, in exactly the same way as in all previous cases. When the choir sings the katavasia of the eighth song, he, going out through the northern door to the solea, censes the Royal Doors and the right side of the iconostasis, and then, standing in front of the icon of the Mother of God, proclaims, depicting the cross with a censer: “Let us exalt the Mother of God and the Mother of Light in songs.” Having then shown the left side of the iconostasis, the choir and the worshipers, the priest censes the entire church in the same sequence as during the singing of the stichera on “I cried to the Lord” (see: page 8).

P At the end of the last, ninth song of the canon, the deacon, and in his absence, the priest in the altar, pronounces another small litany with the exclamation: “For all the powers of heaven praise you...”. If the all-night vigil, with the exception of the services of the twelve feasts of the Lord, is celebrated on the eve of Sunday, then immediately after the exclamation of the small litany, the deacon or priest pronounces “Holy is the Lord our God” with special verses.

First hour.

IN At the beginning of the reading of the first hour, the priest, having removed the phelonion, stands before the Throne in the stole and vestments until the prayer: “And for all time...”. After which, having kissed the altar Gospel and the edge of the Throne, he goes out through the northern door onto the sole and stands in front of the Royal Doors. Having waited until the end of the first hour, he exclaims: “God has mercy on us, bless us, enlighten your face on us and have mercy on us,” and then, turning to the icon of the Savior, with his head uncovered, he reads the prayer of the hour: “Christ, the True Light...”. After singing in chorus “To the Chosen Voivode...”, and on the days of the twelve feasts and the period of their post-celebration - the festive kontakion, the priest proclaims: “Glory to Thee, Christ God, Our Hope, glory to Thee” and then, turning his face to the worshipers, says small (without mentioning the saints of the temple and day) vacation. Turning again to the Royal Doors, he waits for the end of the singing, after which, having said something regarding the subsequent services and having given everyone a general blessing, he enters through the southern door into the altar, where he once again kisses the Throne and is unmasked. If a priest serves without a deacon, then before unmasking he covers the Altar with a shroud and extinguishes the lamp standing on it.

IN standing near the right side of the Throne, the priest makes three bows from the waist (and in the interval between the second and third he kisses its edge), after which he leaves the altar, and then the temple.

Entrance prayers.

N Having properly prepared at home for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the priest, coming to the temple in the morning, makes three bows from the waist at the entrance, after which, venerating the icon lying on the central lectern and leaving his outer clothing on the choir and in some other place adapted for this , enters through the south door into the altar. Having made two bows before the Throne, and on weekdays - bows to the ground and kissed its edge, the priest makes a third bow, and then gives a blessing to the deacon and the laity serving at the altar. After this, according to the now widespread (but not reflected in the Missal) practice, he, having put on the epitrachelion, removes the shroud from the Throne, after which, once again venerating it together with the deacon, he goes out through the northern door to the solea and stands in front of the Royal gates.

P After the deacon’s words: “Bless, Master,” the priest pronounces the initial exclamation of the entrance prayers: “Blessed is our God...”. Next, the deacon reads “To the Heavenly King” and the Trisagion according to the “Our Father”, and at the exclamation of the priest: “For Thine is the Kingdom...” proceeds to read special penitential troparions: “Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us...”.

P After reading the troparia, the deacon reads the prayer: “To Your Most Pure Image...”, during which the priest with his head uncovered (without a hood or kamilavka), making the sign of the cross three times, venerates himself to the icon of the Savior located on the right pillar of the Royal Doors. In the same way, when reading the following prayer: “Mercy is the source...” he makes three adorations and venerates the icon of the Mother of God located on the left pillar of the Royal Doors. After this, coming even closer to the Royal Doors and bowing his head, the priest, at the deacon’s exclamation: “Let us pray to the Lord,” secretly reads the prayer: “Lord, send down Your hand...”, and then out loud: “Loose, leave...” and covers his head. Having responded to the deacon’s bow, he turns to face the worshipers and, having bowed to them with the words: “Forgive and bless, fathers and brothers,” enters through the southern door into the altar, while reciting verses of Psalm 5: “I will go into Your house...”. Having, together with the deacon, worshiped three times before the Throne and after kissing the altar Gospel, the Cross and the edge of the Throne, the priest goes to the place designated for vesting and there removes the epitrachelion.

Vestment.

P After making three bows to the high place with the words: “God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me,” the priest gives a blessing for the vestment to the deacon. Then taking the vestment in his left hand, the priest blesses it with the words: “Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen” and, having kissed the cross depicted on it, puts on it, while reading the prayer: “My soul will rejoice in the Lord... (as when the deacon was vested in the surplice). Having then blessed the stole, he places it on himself while reading the prayer: “Blessed be God, pour out His grace on His priests.” If a priest is awarded a gaiter, then, according to established tradition, immediately after putting on the stole he blesses and puts it on with the prayer “Gird Your sword on Your thigh...”. After this, the priest, having blessed the belt and kissed the cross depicted on it, girds himself with it, while reading the prayer: “Blessed be God, gird me with strength...”. Then he puts on the right and left arms in the same way, and on the right one the prayer is read: “Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength...”, and on the left one: “With Thy hand create me...”. and finally, having blessed the phelonion and kissed the cross located in its upper part, the priest dresses in it with the prayer: “Thy priests, O Lord, will be clothed with righteousness...”. Having completed his vestments, he goes to the altar laver and, while reading Psalm 25: “I will wash my innocent hands...” washes his hands.

Proskomedia.

IN About the time of the priest's vestments, and even better, before the start of the entrance prayers, the deacon prepares everything necessary for performing the proskomedia. If it is not there, then the priest himself, having removed the shroud from the Altar, lights a lamp on it, places the Paten to his left, and the Holy Chalice (Chalice) to his right, in front of them on a special tablet he places a spear and a spoon, and also prepares a star, two small cover, a large cover called air, and five large prosphoras.

P about the completion of vestments and washing of hands, the priest, standing together with the deacon in front of the Altar, performs threefold adoration with the words: “God, cleanse me a sinner, and have mercy on me,” after which he reads the troparion of the Great Heel: “Thou redeem us...”, accompanying him kissing the Eucharistic vessels. So, when pronouncing the words: “Thou hast redeemed us from the legal oath,” he kisses the Paten, “with Thy honorable Blood” - the Holy Cup, “nailed on the cross” - the star, “and pierced with a spear” - the copy, and, finally, with the words : “You exuded immortality from man. Our Savior, glory to You” - a liar.

P After this, in response to the words of the deacon: “Bless, Master,” the priest exclaims: “Blessed is our God...”, simultaneously marking the beginning of the proskomedia and reading on the choir for 3 and 6 hours. However, to avoid haste, especially when large quantities When prosphoras are served, it is considered more convenient to perform the proskomedia before the reading of the hours begins. In this case, the priest does not pronounce the initial exclamation loudly, but as quietly as during the entrance prayers.

Z Then, taking the largest (lamb) prosphora in his left hand, and a large copy in his right hand, he marks the prosphora seal on top three times with a cross, saying each time: “In remembrance of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” After this, the deacon says: “Let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy,” and the priest, with the words: “Like a sheep being led to the slaughter,” cuts off the right (away from himself - the left) side of the prosphora with a copy, and for convenience, he can first turn the prosphora with the right side towards his right hand. Following this, he returns the prosphora to its original position and, saying: “And like a lamb without blemish, the one who cuts Him straight is mute, so he does not open his mouth,” cuts off its left (from himself - right) side. Further, with the words: “In His humility His judgment will be taken,” the upper side is separated and “Whoever confesses His generation” is the lower side. It should be remembered that each of these actions, as in the first case, is preceded by the words of the deacon: “Let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy".

P After separating the four sides of the prosphora, the deacon says: “Let us pray to the Lord. Take it, Master,” and the priest, with the words: “As His belly rises from the ground,” cuts off the last, lower part and, taking the resulting Lamb (trapezoidal in shape), places it on the Paten with the seal down.

D Next, he follows the words of the deacon: “Let us pray to the Lord. Devour, Master,” makes a deep (before the seal) cross-shaped incision on the underside of the Lamb, while saying: “The Lamb of God is being devoured, take away the sins of the world, for the worldly belly and salvation.” Then the priest turns the Lamb's seal upside down and after the deacon's words: “Let us pray to the Lord. Pierce, Master,” he pierces the right (from himself - the left) side of the Lamb with a copy with the words: “One of the warriors pierced His rib with a copy...”. After this, he blesses a mixture of wine prepared in a special ladle (crust) with a small amount of water, which is then poured by the deacon, and if he is not there, then by the priest himself, in the required amount into the Holy Chalice.

Z Having finished preparing the Lamb, the priest takes the prosphora with the image of the Theotokos and, saying: “In honor and memory of our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos...”, removes one large particle from the base of her seal, which after that, with the words: “The Queen appears at Your right hand...” places it on The paten is to the right of the Lamb (to your left), close to its middle.

IN Having then taken the third prosphora, he sequentially, in the form of three vertical rows, removes nine particles from it, which then, as they are removed, he places in the same order on the Paten to the left of the Lamb (to his right). The priest removes the first particle in honor and memory: “The Honest Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John”, the second - “The Holy Glorious Prophets Moses and Aaron... and all the holy prophets”, the third - “The Holy Glorious and All-praised Apostles Peter and Paul and all the rest holy apostles", the fourth - "Like our holy fathers, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian... and all the holy hierarchs", the fifth - "The Holy Apostle Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen... and all the holy martyrs and martyrs", the sixth - "Reverend and God-bearing our father... and all the holy fathers and holy reverend mothers", the seventh - "Saints and miracle workers, the unmercenary Cosmas and Damian... and all the holy unmercenaries", the eighth - "The holy and righteous Godfather Joachim and Anna (saints of the temple and day) and all the saints, with whose prayers you have visited us, O God,” the ninth - “Like in the saints of our Father John, Archbishop of Constantinople, Chrysostom” or “Basily the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia (if his liturgy is celebrated). After this, the priest takes the fourth prosphora, from the upper part of which, at the lower corners of the seal, he removes two large particles and places them in the lower part of the Paten under the Lamb. At the same time, removing the first particle, he says: “Remember, O Lord, Lover of Mankind, every Orthodox bishopric, His Holiness Patriarch (name)... even as Thou hast called into Thy communion by Thy benevolence, O All-Blessed Master,” and when withdrawing the second: “Remember, Lord, our God-protected country and its Orthodox people.” After this, the priest removes from the upper part of the same prosphora with the words: “Remember, Lord,” smaller particles for the living (relatives, etc.), which he then also places on the Paten, but slightly lower than the first two particles.

N Finally, taking the fifth prosphora, he takes out one large particle in the middle of the lower part of the seal, while pronouncing: “On the memory and remission of sins of the most holy patriarchs, the blessed creators of this holy temple” (here the bishop who ordained the priest is commemorated, if he has already died). Having completed the removal of small particles for the repose of the departed, the priest says: “Remember, Lord, and all in the hope of the resurrection, eternal life and Your communion of the departed Orthodox father and our brothers, O Lord who loves mankind,” after which he places them on the Paten next to the large funeral particle, that is, under those taken out for the living. Then he again takes the fourth prosphora, from which, with the words: “Remember, Lord, my unworthiness and forgive me every sin, voluntary and involuntary,” he takes a small piece for himself. After this, the priest pronounces the initial exclamation of the hour: “Blessed is our God...” and blesses (with a special prayer: “We offer the censer to Thee...”) offered by the deacon, and if he is not there, then by the sexton, the censer with incense, which the latter holds with the upper part raised. at the level of the Altar. At the words of the deacon, “Let us pray to the Lord, Lord, have mercy,” he takes the open star and, saying: “And the star came from above, where the Child was,” he holds it over the smoking censer, and then places it on the Paten. The deacon says: “Let us pray to the Lord. Cover, Master,” and the priest, having become fragrant while reading the psalm “The Lord reigns, clothed in beauty...” with censer smoke, covers the first cover with it and covers the Paten. He acts in the same way with the second cover, with which he covers the Holy Chalice, saying at the same time: “The heavens have covered Your virtue, O Christ, and the earth has filled with Your praise.” The “belts” were then censed with air, the priest, with the words: “Cover us with the shelter of Thy wing, drive away from us every enemy and adversary...” covers the Paten and Chalice (Holy Chalice) with it on top of the covers. Having accepted the censer from the deacon, he censes the front of the Altar three times, saying each time: “Blessed is our God, who is well-pleased, glory to Thee,” and in the absence of the deacon, constantly adding: “Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.” Amen". After the deacon’s exclamation: “For the honest gifts offered, let us pray to the Lord,” the priest reads aloud the prayer of the Offer: “God, our God...”, and then proclaims: “Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee” and says the dismissal: “( Risen from the dead) Christ, our true God, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother, like our holy Father John, Archbishop of Constantinople, Chrysostom (Basily the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappodacia), and all the saints, will have mercy and save us, as He is Good and Lover of Mankind.” After this, having once again shown the Altar and the deacon standing next to him, he gives the censer to the latter.

D Next, during the reading of the hours, the priest commemorates the living and the dead, taking out particles with a small copy from the prosphora, according to the notes given, and then placing them on the Paten.

Great Vespers (in conjunction with Matins)

The royal gates open.
Every altar.
Deacon: Rise up. God bless.
Priest: Glory of the Saints...
Come, let's worship... (three times).
Ceremony of the entire temple.
Chorus: Bless the Lord, my soul... (psalm 103rd).
The royal gates are closing.
Lamp prayers (secretly read by the priest).
Great Litany: Let us pray to the Lord in peace.
As befits You... (exclamation).
Singing of the 1st antiphon of the 1st kathisma.
Small Litany: Packs and packs...
For Your power is...
Lord, I cried and stichera on the Lord, I cried. (Censing of the entire temple.)
And now. The Mother of God dogmatist or stichera.
The royal gates open.
Entrance with censer.
Sveta Quiet
Prokeimenon.
The royal gates are closing.
Parimia (if any).
Litany of extremes: Rtsem all...
Yako the Gracious and Lover of Humanity...
Vouchsafe, Lord...
Litany of petition: Let's do it evening prayer ...
Yako Blag and Lover of Humanity...
Lithium (if available).
Stichera on verse.
Now you let go... The Trisagion. Our Father...
For Yours is the Kingdom...
The royal gates open.
Troparion. (Censing of bread, if there was a litia.)
Blessing of the loaves (if there was a litia).
Be the Name of the Lord...
I bless the Lord... (Psalm 33), ending with the words: ... will not be deprived of any good.
The blessing of the Lord is upon you...
Amen.
The royal gates are closing.

Matins (with polyeleos)

Six Psalms (Psalms: 3, 37, 62, 87, 102 and 142).
Morning prayers (the priest reads secretly).
Great Litany.
For all glory is due to You...
God the Lord, and appear to us...
Tropari.
Kathismas.
Small Litany.
The royal gates open.
Polyeleos. Praise the Name of the Lord...
Magnification (if any).
Ceremony of the entire temple.
At the Sunday all-night troparion: Cathedral of Angels surprised...
Small Litany.
For Your name is blessed...
Degrees (antiphons).
Taking out the Gospel.
Prokeimenon.
Reading the Gospel.
At Sunday Vigil: Having seen the Resurrection of Christ...
Psalm 50.
Glory. Through the prayers of the Apostles...
And now. Prayers of the Mother of God...
Have mercy on me, God... (1st verse of the 50th Psalm)
Stichera (holiday or Sunday)
Save, O God, Thy people...
With mercy and bounty...
The royal gates are closing.
Canon.
After the 3rd song of the canon there is a small litany.
For You are our God...
After the 6th song of the canon there is a small litany.
You are the King of the world...
According to the 8th song of the canon:
Let us exalt the Mother of God and the Mother of Light with songs.
Ceremony of the entire temple.
My soul magnifies the Lord...
According to the 9th song of the canon, the small litany
As if all the powers of heaven praise You...
Exapostilary (luminous).
Every breath...
Stichera on praise.
And now. Theotokos.
The royal gates open.
Glory to You, who showed us the light.
The doxology is great.
The Troparion of Dismissal and the Theotokos.
Litany of extremes: Have mercy on us, God...
Yako the Gracious and Lover of Humanity...
Litany of petition: Let's do morning prayer...
Like the God of mercy and bounty...
Wisdom. Bless. Sy blessed...
Establish, God...
Holy Mother of God, save us.
Most honorable Cherub...
Glory to You, Christ God... Glory, and now, Lord, have mercy(three times). Bless.
Great release.
Many years.
The royal gates are closing. 1st hour reading.

According to its structure, Matins can be of 2 types - everyday or everyday and holiday.

According to the Rules, daily Matins must be performed in the morning. In modern practice, it (with the 1st hour) is served in the evening. Matins is added to the daily Vespers after “Confirm, O God...”, and it begins immediately with the Six Psalms. This practice is due to the conditions modern life when it is not possible to come to church for worship in the evening. In monasteries and churches, zealous for the fulfillment of the Rule, they return to ancient practice, since the content and nature of the chants and prayers really correspond to the beginning of the day.

Metropolitan Benjamin speaks about it this way: “He’s still a fresh person, so the services are longer and there are more psalms: you need to gain a spiritual supply for the whole day. In the morning, the birds sing, but in the evening they fall silent. And the man praises the Lord. And with him all creation praises: the sun, clouds, fish, ... animals, birds, kings and common people, old and young. And the ascetics prepare for prayer and to fight the enemy. ...The Six Psalms also speaks of the same struggle, with alternating cries to God and hope for His help and glory to Him. ...So, Matins - service of joyful feat».

If the liturgical theme of Vespers is the history of the Old Testament - the creation of the world, the Fall, the hope of redemption, then Matins is the New Testament, the appearance of the Messiah.

In cases where daily Matins is served in the morning, then it begins a little differently than if it is performed in the evening in conjunction with Vespers:

After the priest’s exclamation “Blessed is our God...” the reader: “Amen. Trisagion according to Our Father. Lord, have mercy 12 times, Come, let us worship...” (if the Midnight Office was served before Matins, then after the exclamation comes “Come, let us worship...”). Then the double psalm is read - Psalms 19 and 20 (at this time the priest censes the altar and the temple), “Glory, and now... the Trisagion of Our Father,” the troparion is read, “Save, O Lord, Thy people..., Glory... Ascended to the Cross..., And now... A terrible intercession...", then the abbreviated, intense litany "Have mercy on us, O God...", the exclamation "For you are merciful...", chorus: "Amen. Bless in the name of the Lord, Father,” then the exclamation of Matins, “Glory to the Saints...”

The procedure for performing daily Matins is set out in Chapter 9 of the Typikon, where, as in the sequence of Vespers, instructions for non-fast service (with “God is the Lord”) and fast service (with “Alleluia”) alternate. This order can also be traced through the Book of Hours and the Octoechos.

Brief outline of daily matins

Six Psalms – Ch, immutable

Great Litany – Sl

“God is the Lord...” and troparia – Sl, Ch, immutable, M, changeable

Kathismas - Ps

Canon - O, M, changeable

Psalms of praise - Ch, immutable

Everyday doxology - Ch, immutable

Litany of Petition – Sl

Stichera on verse - Oh, changeable

Tropari - M, changeable

Sublime Litany – Sl

Detailed diagram of daily (weekday) Matins

Priest: "Glory to the Saints..."

Six Psalms

Great Litany

"God the Lord..." with verses

Troparion to Saint Menaion twice

Glory, even now: Theotokos (according to the voice of the troparion to the saint from the 4th appendix of the Menaion)

* If the service is for 2 saints, then: troparion to the 1st saint sung twice, “Glory...” Troparion to the 2nd saint, “And now...” Theotokos ( according to the voice of the last troparion from the 4th appendix)

Kathisma ordinary, sedalny (Octoecha)

Psalm 50

Canon: two canons of Octoechos and one canon of Menaion

* If the service is to two saints, then: one canon of Octoechos and two canons of Menaion

Katavasia - irmos of the last canon - after the 3rd, 6th, 8th, 9th cantos

according to the 3rd canto, the litany of the small, sedalen of the Holy, Glory, and now: Theotokos

according to the 6th song of the litany of the small, kontakion and ikos to the holy Menaion

according to the 8th song "The most honest..."

on the 9th song after the chaos, “It is worthy to eat” is sung (to the voice of chaos)

Litany small

Svetilen (in the Oktoeha app, by day)

Glory, even now: Theotokos Octoechos

* If there is a luminary for the saint in the Menaion, then: luminary Octoechos, Glory: luminary to the saint in the Menaion, And now: Theotokos in the Menaion (on Wednesday and Friday Octoechos is the Theotokos of the Holy Cross)

Psalms of Praise

Everyday doxology read

Litany of petition

Stichera on verse (Octoechos)

Glory, even now: Theotokos (Octoeche)

* If there is Glory to a saint in a poem, then: after the 3 stichera of the Octoechos - Glory: to the holy Menaion, And now: Theotokos (according to the voice of Glory from the 2nd appendix of the Menaion)

“It’s good to have a confession...”

Trisagion according to Our Father:

Troparion to Saint Menaion,

Glory, even now: Theotokos (according to the voice of the troparion to the saint, from the 4th appendix of the Menaion)

* If the service is to two saints, then: Troparion to the 1st saint, Glory: to the 2nd saint, And now: Theotokos (according to the voice of the last troparion from the 4th appendix of the Menaion)

Litany