Great Compline Served with the Canon of St Andrew

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Great Compline Served with the Canon of St Andrew Great Compline with the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete Priest: Blessed is our God, always now and ever and unto ages of ages. Reader: Amen. Glory to You, our God, glory to You. O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who are everywhere and fill and things. Treasury of blessings and Giver of Life, come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity and save our souls, O Good One. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. 3x Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins, O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Your Name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. All: Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Priest: For Yours is the Kingdom and the power, and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Reader: Amen. Lord, have mercy. (12x) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Come, let us worship God, our King! Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God! Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God! Psalm 70 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonour who desire to hurt me. Let those who say, "Aha, Aha!" turn back because of their shame. Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!" But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer, O Lord, do not delay. Canon of St. Andrew of Crete At the completion of the Canon, Great Compline continues: Reader: Psalm 4 Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer. How long, you people, shall my honour suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him. When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, "O that we might see some good! Let the light of Your face shine on us, O Lord!" You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound. I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for You alone, O Lord, make me to lie down in safety. Psalm 6 O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, or discipline me in Your wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror. My soul also is struck with terror, while You, O Lord-- how long? Turn, O Lord, save my life; deliver me for the sake of Your steadfast love. For in death there is no remembrance of You; in Sheol who can give You praise? I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eyes waste away because of grief; they grow weak because of all my foes. Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror; they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame. Psalm 13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all the day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, "I have prevailed"; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken. But I trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Glory to You, O God! 3x Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Psalm 25 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me. Do not let those who wait for You be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth, and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all day long. Be mindful of Your mercy, O Lord, and of Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O Lord! Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His decrees. For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Who are they that fear the Lord? He will teach them the way that they should choose. They will abide in prosperity, and their children shall possess the land. The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes His covenant known to them. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He will pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. Guard my life, and deliver me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles. Psalm 31 In You, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in Your righteousness deliver me. Incline Your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for Your name's sake lead me and guide me, take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for You are my refuge. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. I will exult and rejoice in Your steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction; You have taken heed of my adversities, and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away. I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbours, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. For I hear the whispering of many- - terror all around! - as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let Your face shine upon Your servant; save me in Your steadfast love. Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord, for I call on You; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
Recommended publications
  • OCTOECHOS – DAY of the WEEK Tone 1 – 1St Canon – Ode 3
    OCTOECHOS – DAY OF THE WEEK Tone 1 – 1st Canon – Ode 3 – Hymn to the Theotokos You conceived God in your womb through the Holy Spirit, and yet remained unconsumed, O Virgin. The bush unconsumed by the fire clearly foretold you to the lawgiver Moses for you received the Fire that cannot be endured. Monday – Vespers / Tuesday - Matins: Aposticha – Tone 1 O VIRGIN, WORTHY OF ALL PRAISE: MOSES, WITH PROPHETIC EYES, BEHELD THE MYSTERY THAT WAS TO TAKE PLACE IN YOU, AS HE SAW THE BUSH THAT BURNED, YET WAS NOT CONSUMED; FOR, THE FIRE OF DIVINITY DID NOT CONSUME YOUR WOMB, O PURE ONE. THEREFORE, WE PRAY TO YOU AS THE MOTHER OF GOD, // TO ASK PEACE, AND GREAT MERCY FOR THE WORLD. Tone 2 – Saturday Vespers & Friday Vespers (repeated) – Dogmaticon Dogmatic THE SHADOW OF THE LAW PASSED WHEN GRACE CAME. AS THE BUSH BURNED, YET WAS NOT CONSUMED, SO THE VIRGIN GAVE BIRTH, YET REMAINED A VIRGIN. THE RIGHTEOUS SUN HAS RISEN INSTEAD OF A PILLAR OF FLAME.// INSTEAD OF MOSES, CHRIST, THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS. Tone 3 – Wed Matins – 2nd Aposticha ON THE MOUNTAIN IN THE FORM OF A CROSS, MOSES STRETCHED OUT HIS HANDS TO THE HEIGHTS AND DEFEATED AMALEK. BUT WHEN YOU SPREAD OUT YOUR PALMS ON THE PRECIOUS CROSS, O SAVIOUR, YOU TOOK ME IN YOUR EMBRACE, SAVING ME FROM ENSLAVEMENT TO THE FOE. YOU GAVE ME THE SIGN OF LIFE, TO FLEE FROM THE BOW OF MY ENEMIES. THEREFORE, O WORD, // I BOW DOWN IN WORSHIP TO YOUR PRECIOUS CROSS. Tone 4 – Irmos of the First Canon – for the Resurrection (Sat Night/Sun Morn) ODE ONE: FIRST CANON IRMOS: IN ANCIENT TIMES ISRAEL WALKED DRY-SHOD ACROSS THE RED SEA, AND MOSES, LIFTING HIS HAND IN THE FORM OF THE CROSS, PUT THE POWER OF AMALEK TO FLIGHT IN THE DESERT.
    [Show full text]
  • THO 3347 (H 2015) – Glossary of Terms
    THO 3347 (H 2015) – Glossary of Terms Akathist Literally, “not standing.” A hymn dedicated to our Lord, the Theotokos, a saint, or a holy event. Aposticha The stichera sung with psalm verses at the end of Vespers and Matins. These differ from the stichera at Psalm 140 (Vespers) and at the Praise Psalms (Matins), which are sung with fixed psalms, in that the psalm verses used (pripivs) vary with the day or feast, and do not end the singing of the whole psalm. See also stichery na stichovnych. Archieratikon Тhе book containing texts and rubrics for the solemn Hierarchical (a.k.a. Pontifical) Divine Liturgy. The Archieratikon also contains the sacrament of Ноlу Orders and special blessings and consecrations. Canon A system of nine odes (the Second Ode is sung only during Great Lent) sung at Matins after Psalm 50 and before the Praises. Each ode is connected traditionally with a scriptural canticle (see below for the nine scriptural canticles) and consists of an Irmos, a variable number of troparia and, on feasts, a katavasia. After the Third Ode a sidalen is usually sung, and after the Sixth Ode a kontakion and ikos, and after the Ninth Ode, the Svitelen is sung. The Canon has its own system of eight tones. Domatikon A theotokion sung after “Now…” (or “Glory… Now…”) at the end of Psalms 140, 141, 129, and 116 at Vespers on Friday and Saturday evenings, and on the eve of a Polyeleos saint or saints with a vigil in the same tone as the last sticheron of the saint (at “Glory…”).
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Palm Sunday Seafood Dinner 6:30 P.M
    Saint John the Baptist Orthodox Church, Rochester NY Great Lent, Holy Week, PASCHA: 2017 Schedule of Services First Week of Great Lent: Orthodoxy 27 February (Monday) 6:30 p.m. Compline & Canon of St. Andrew of Crete 28 February (Tuesday) 6:30 p.m. Compline & Canon of St. Andrew of Crete 1 March (Wednesday) 7:15 a.m. Daily Lenten Matins 6:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts 2 March (Thursday) 6:30 p.m. Compline & Canon of St. Andrew of Crete 3 March (Friday) 12:15 p.m. Akathist: To the Divine Passion of Christ 5:15 p.m. Akathist: In Preparation for Holy Communion 4 March (Saturday) 5:00 p.m. Great Vespers; General Confession 5 March (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great 5:00 p.m. Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers ~ Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Second Week of Great Lent: Saint Gregory Palamas 8 March (Wednesday) 7:15 a.m. Daily Lenten Matins 6:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts 10 March (Friday) 12:15 p.m. Akathist: In Preparation for Holy Communion 5:15 p.m. Akathist: To the Divine Passion of Christ 11 March (Saturday) 4:30 p.m. Panikheda (memorial) for the departed 5:00 p.m. Great Vespers; individual confessions 12 March (Sunday) 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great Third Week of Great Lent: The Veneration of the Cross 15 March (Wednesday) 7:15 a.m. Daily Lenten Matins 6:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts 17 March (Friday) 12:15 p.m.
    [Show full text]
  • Constructing the Underground Community: the Letters of Theodore the Studite and the Letter of Emperors Michael Ii and Theophilos to Louis the Pious
    Vladimir Baranov Novosibirsk, Russia [email protected] CONSTRUCTING THE UNDERGROUND COMMUNITY: THE LETTERS OF THEODORE THE STUDITE AND THE LETTER OF EMPERORS MICHAEL II AND THEOPHILOS TO LOUIS THE PIOUS The Le er of the Iconoclastic Emperors Michael II and Theophilos to Louis the Pious1 (dated to 824) contains a list of off ences that were allegedly commi ed by the Iconodules against what they considered the right practices of the Church. Their list includes the substitution of images in churches for crosses, taking images as godparents, using images to perform the cu ing of children’s hair and monastic habit, scraping paint of images to be added to the Eucharist or distributing the Eucharistic bread from the hands of images, as well as using panel images as altars for serving the Liturgy in ordinary houses and church- es.2 Of course, these might have been easily treated as fi ction and pro- (1) Emperor Theophilus (b. 812/813) was crowned co-Emperor in 821 by his Father Michael II (820–829), and this is why his name appears on the Let- ter. However, since in 824 he was only a 12-year old boy, for the Le er I will use the short title “Le er of Michael II.” (2) The Le er is preserved in the MGH, Leg. Sect. III, Concilia, tomus II, pars 2, Concilia aevi Karolini I (Hannover—Leipzig, 1908, repr. 1979) 475–480; Mansi, XIV, 417–422; the pertinent passage is translated in C. Mango, The Art of the Byzantine Empire 312–1453: Sources and Documents (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1986) 157–158.
    [Show full text]
  • A Concise Glossary of the Genres of Eastern Orthodox Hymnography
    Journal of the International Society for Orthodox Church Music Vol. 4 (1), Section III: Miscellanea, pp. 198–207 ISSN 2342-1258 https://journal.fi/jisocm A Concise Glossary of the Genres of Eastern Orthodox Hymnography Elena Kolyada [email protected] The Glossary contains concise entries on most genres of Eastern Orthodox hymnography that are mentioned in the article by E. Kolyada “The Genre System of Early Russian Hymnography: the Main Stages and Principles of Its Formation”.1 On the one hand the Glossary is an integral part of the article, therefore revealing and corroborating its principal conceptual propositions. However, on the other hand it can be used as an independent reference resource for hymnographical terminology, useful for the majority of Orthodox Churches worldwide that follow the Eastern Rite: Byzantine, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian et al., as well as those Western Orthodox dioceses and parishes, where worship is conducted in English. The Glossary includes the main corpus of chants that represents the five great branches of the genealogical tree of the genre system of early Christian hymnography, together with their many offshoots. These branches are 1) psalms and derivative genres; 2) sticheron-troparion genres; 3) akathistos; 4) canon; 5) prayer genres (see the relevant tables, p. 298-299).2 Each entry includes information about the etymology of the term, a short definition, typological features and a basic statement about the place of a particular chant in the daily and yearly cycles of services in the Byzantine rite.3 All this may help anyone who is involved in the worship or is simply interested in Orthodox liturgiology to understand more fully specific chanting material, as well as the general hymnographic repertoire of each service.
    [Show full text]
  • St. Mary Magdalene Weekly Bulletin
    February 19th to February 26th From the Desk of Fr. Gabriel St. Mary Magdalene Weekly E-Bulletin Meat Fest this Sunday! Don’t forget that this upcoming Sunday is Meatfare! We will be having our Agape meal following the Liturgy, so be sure to bring your Upcoming Schedule favorite meat dish, as we say farewell to meat until Great and Holy Pascha! +Wednesday, February 19th, Parish Family Memorial Service Compline, 6:00 PM. Metanoia, This coming Saturday at 3:30, we will be having a parish wise memorial 6:30 PM service, where we will be remembering all of the departed of our families. The memorial service will start at 3:30 PM, with Great Vespers and +Saturday, February 22nd, Parish Confessions immediately following the service. Memorial Service, 3:30 PM. Great Vespers and Confessions Firewood Available! to follow As was announced in Church this past Sunday, there is firewood available for anyone who would like to come and take it! Any wood that remains +Sunday, February 23rd, Hours from the trees that have fallen, will be removed sometime during Great and Divine Liturgy, 9:50 AM Lent, so please act now! MEATFEST SUNDAY! Psalm Group Email For those that have signed up for the Lenten Psalm Group, you should +Wednesday, February 26th, have received an email this past week. If you have not, please see Compline, 6:00 PM. Metanoia, Theophan (Bob) Forsyth, so that it can get corrected! There is still time 6:30 PM left to join our Lenten Psalm Group! All you need is an email, 10 minutes a day, and a bible! Birthdays 2 Week of Metanoia Class Remain! Andrew Auxier Don’t forget that we have 2 weeks of our Spring Metanoia Class Emmett Ballnik remaining! Tonight’s class is on the Creed and on Fasting! Next week is Nyomi Forsyth on the Church and the Virgin Mary! Join us for some great discussion before Great Lent Begins! Benjamin Wilkinson Ileana Bilas Deadline for Pilgrimage Sign up! The deadline to sign up for our pilgrimage to St.
    [Show full text]
  • Small Compline with Canon and Akathist Hymn (Third Friday in Great Lent)
    Small Compline with Canon and Akathist Hymn (Third Friday in Great Lent) Presbyter: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader: Amen. Glory to thee, our God, glory to thee. O heavenly king, the comforter, the Spirit of truth; who art everywhere and fillest all things; treasury of blessings, and giver of life; come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O good one. Holy God, holy mighty, holy immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. O most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O master, pardon our transgressions. O holy one, visit and heal our infirmities, for thy name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. (3 times) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. Presbyter: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
    [Show full text]
  • The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
    THE GREAT CANON OF SAINT ANDREW OF CRETE ON MONDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF GREAT LENT DURING THE GRAND COMPLINE, WE BEGIN THE FIRST SECTION OF THE GREAT CANON AFTER THE READING OF PSALM 69 (70). THE REFRAINS ARE SUNG AFTER EACH TROPARION. AT EACH REFRAIN WE MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS AND A FULL PROSTRATION. ODE 1 TONE 6 Irmos: A helper and a protector, He has become my salvation. This is my God, I will glorify Him, my father’s God will I exalt, for gloriously has He been glorified. Refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. TROPARIA Where shall I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? How shall I begin, O Christ, to relieve my present tears? But as Thou art deeply compassionate, grant me forgiveness of sins. Come, O wretched soul, and together with thy body confess to the Creator of all so that henceforth, thou shalt abstain from thy past foolishness and offer tears of repentance to God. Having rivaled the first-formed Adam by my transgressions, I have found myself stripped naked of God, of the everlasting kingdom and all of its delights, because of my sins. Woe is me, O wretched soul, for thou art become like the first Eve! For thou hast looked in wickedness and wast bitterly wounded; for thou hast touched the tree and rashly tasted the forbidden fruit. In the place of the physical Eve, the temptation of Eve hath taken flesh in my mind, showing me what seems to be sweet; but making me taste and swallow bitterness.
    [Show full text]
  • Great Lent 2019 2
    Great Lent 2019 Great Lent 2019 2019 LENTEN SCHEDULE MARCH Saturday 9th 6:00 pm Vespers Sunday 10th 9:30 am Divine Liturgy, Forgiveness Sunday / Rite of Forgiveness Monday 11th 6:30 pm Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, Poklony, Tuesday 12 th 6:30 pm Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, Poklony Wednesday 13 th 6:30 pm Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, Poklony Thursday 14 th 6:30 pm Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, Poklony Friday 15th 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy Saturday 16th 9:00am Divine Liturgy, St. Theodore Saturday 6:00 pm Vespers Sunday 17th 9:30 am Divine Liturgy, Sunday of Orthodoxy/ Icon Procession Lenten Breakfast in support of OCMC 5:00 pm Lenten Vespers St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church Wednesday 20th 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy, Pot Luck dinner Friday 22nd 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy Saturday 23 rd 9:00 am Divine Liturgy, Memorial Saturday (Turn in your updated memorial books at this time) 6:00 pm Vespers Sunday 24th 9:30 am Divine Liturgy, Sunday of St Gregory Palamas 5:00 pm Vespers, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, McKeesport Wednesday 27th 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy, Pot Luck Dinner Friday 29th 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy Sunday 31 st 9:30 am Divine Liturgy, Veneration of the Holy Cross 5:00 pm Vespers, St Alexander Nevsky OCA Cathedral, McCandless APRIL Wednesday 3rd 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy, Pot Luck Dinner Friday 5th 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy Saturday 6th 6:00 pm Grand Compline, Annunciation Sunday 7th 9:30 am Divine Liturgy, Annunciation, St John of the Ladder 5:00 pm Vespers, Sts Peter
    [Show full text]
  • Exegesis of Biblical Theophanies in Byzantine Hymnography: Rewritten Bible?
    Theological Studies 68 (2007) EXEGESIS OF BIBLICAL THEOPHANIES IN BYZANTINE HYMNOGRAPHY: REWRITTEN BIBLE? BOGDAN G. BUCUR The article discusses the interpretation of biblical theophanies in Byzantine hymns associated with the so-called Improperia tradition. After presenting the exegesis of specific theophanies as exemplified in hymns, the author argues that this type of exegesis is difficult to frame within the categories commonly used to describe patristic exegesis. He suggests that patristic scholars should instead consider the category “Rewritten Bible” current among scholars of the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. HE INTERPRETATION OF BIBLICAL THEOPHANIES holds an important T place in the polemical and catechetical articulation of early Chris- tianity’s religious claims. While considerable attention has been given to the exegesis of theophanies in the New Testament and other early Chris- tian (especially pre-Nicene) writings, the use of theophanies in Christian hymns has received far less attention. This is unfortunate, because by the very nature of its performative character, hymnographic material has en- joyed a wider circulation and reception than most patristic writings. The following pages will take into consideration Byzantine hymns of a distinct type, whose roots stretch back to the early patristic era, and that are stillin use in Eastern Orthodox worship. I will first discuss the hymnographic exegesis of specific biblical theophanies (e.g., God’s manifestation to Abra- ham, Jacob, Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel) and then attempt to “categorize” this type of exegesis. As will become apparent, the biblical exegesis present in these hymns is difficult to frame within the categories commonly used to describe patristic exegesis. Perhaps surprisingly, it appears that the closest parallels can be drawn to the category “Rewritten Bible,” current among scholars who investigate the biblical interpretation of the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha.
    [Show full text]
  • Kassia: a Female Hymnographer of the 9Th Century SPYROS PANAGOPOULOS
    Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 111 Kassia: A female hymnographer of the 9th century SPYROS PANAGOPOULOS Introduction For over 1.000 years many men and a few women wrote hymns in Byzantium. Their contribution to world literature and to Greek letters constitutes a vast and priceless treasure of sacred poetry. It’s impossible to exaggerate the value of this hymnography, since it expresses, as nothing else can, the spiritual riches, faith and beauty of Eastern Christendom. Some of these hymns are still chanted today in many languages in Orthodox Churches in every part of the world. Others remain unknown. Hidden in manuscripts stored in monastic libraries, they wait to be discovered and to be edited.78 It’s obvious that the Byzantine female hymnography was not flourished especially in Byzantium. We have the names of hundreds male hymnodists who came from all parts of the oikoumene, from Greece, Italy, Palestine, and Syria, as well as from the islands of Cyprus, Crete and Sicily. These hymnodists came of all classes of Byzantine society, from the obscure man who signed his hymn ὁ ἀμαρτωλός (the sinner) to the Emperor Justinian (527‑565), who wrote in imperial red ink the troparion ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός, and then ordered its insertion into the Divine Liturgy. Despite the great number of male hymnodists, we know only six feminine names that composed hymns: Γρηγορίς, Μάρθα, Θεοδοσία79, Θέκλα80, Κασσία and Παλαιολογίνα.81 The fame of Kassia the Melodist outshines by far all other women writers in both medieval and Modern Greek writers. 78 For an introduction in Bzyantine Hzmnography there is a vast bibliography.
    [Show full text]
  • I – the Triodion
    I – The Triodion ON THE ISLAND OF ZAKYNTHOS a unique ceremony takes place at the beginning of the Triodion. The book of the Triodion is placed on a stand before the icon of Christ. Before the first hymn from this book is chanted, the volume is presented to the bishop. He venerates it as if it were an icon, followed by all the clergy. Then the book is presented to the chanter who intones the first hymn. The time of the Triodion has begun. The term Triodion refers to the ten weeks leading up to Pascha as well as to the book which contains the hymns, readings and prayers proper to this season. Triodion literally means “three odes” and refers to the canons at daily Orthros which contain three rather than the usual nine odes. The Triodion as we have it today was organized by Studite monks in ninth-century Constantinople. They drew chiefly on texts from the Patriarchate of Jerusalem by a number of outstanding hymnographers, including Andrew of Crete, Cosmas of Maiuma and John of Damascus – some twenty composers in all. In general the prayers and services of the Triodion may be considered a great catechesis for the faithful, setting forth the entire scope of divine revelation through the reading of several books from the Old Testament and allusions to many others in the Great Canon and other hymns as well as patristic homilies and chants based on still other sacred texts. This catechesis is not about imparting information but about motivating us to embrace the great task of the season: repentance and the renewal of our life in Christ.
    [Show full text]