The Indian Orthodox Church (The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church) Ahmedabad Diocese “Each liturgical feast renews and in some sense actualizes the event of which it is a symbol; it takes the event out of the past and makes it immediate... The liturgical year is, for us, a special means of union with Christ” (Fr. Lev Gillet) As a remembrance and a means of union with Christ, “celebrate a special grace that flows from Christ, for The liturgical Calendar of the oriental orthodox 3) 12 AM- Midnight prayers (vigil) the liturgical year becomes a source of grace. With its their sanctity is but an aspect, a shining ray of the Church begins on ‘koodhosh-Etho’ (Sanctification 4) 6 AM- Morning prayers (prime or Matins) succession of feasts and fasts it commemorates on holiness of Christ” (Fr. Lev Gillet). The festal calendar of the Church) Sunday, which fall on the 8th Sunday 5) 9 AM- Third Hour prayers (Terce) the one hand events in the life of our Lord, His Mother, is a result of continuous development. Begun in before Christmas, the Feast of the nativity of our 6) 12 pM- noon prayers (Sext) St. John the Baptist and also all those men, women Christian antiquity, it is always “in progress.” Each Lord. So this will be the Sunday after 29th of october 7) 3 pM- ninth Hour prayers (none) and children who have achieved sanctity. Each feast age adds to its own significant ecclesiastical events every year; for instance 1st of nov. in 2020. However, for convenience of community worship, brings into focus a special aspect and meaning of the and its own martyrs and witnesses of the faith, who Like we have seen liturgical hours per day such as: the 9th hour of the previous day along with the divine order. The feasts of the saints, beginning with in the purity of their hearts have seen the invisible 1) 6 pM- Evening (vespers) Evening and compline are combined together as those of the Theotokos and ending with those of God as in a mirror, and through whom divine grace 2) 9 pM- retirement to sleep (Compline) Evening prayers and likewise the night, Morning, the most recently glorified members of the Church has richly flowed to us. 3rd Hour and noon are combined in the Morning prayers; for the seven days of the week. h Apr Arc il M LITURGICAL HOUR iOD res LITURGICAL WEEK er 21 28 4 ur E p 14 11 re t c V en 7 29 18 t E l 22 5 iO 15 12 n S N 25 28 8 19 I y 30 p 23 6 e U N r 16 13 26 2 r M A 21 1 A G u 9 20 i N 24 31 7 3 9 O y r 14 27 b 22 2 17 D e 14 10 21 C F 1 4 10 RESURRECTION 23 25 8 28 O 15 3 18 15 16 22 11 M 7 11 5 17 16 24 26 2 9 29 P D 4 16 8 19 12 L 12 23 6 18 23 M O 17 25 i 31 3 30 I 9 5 27 10 17 13 24 20 19 O N r 1 24 7 18 26 13 e 10 25 E 6 1 14 20 30 y 2 N p 24 19 8 26 r 11 27 31 25 3 15 21 A 27 REPENTANCE y 1 26 12 20 M u 4 22 J n 17 28 2 I n 27 6 u 5 13 18 3 D A A 28 29 7 p n J 19 6 4 8 T N e h 29 e 20 9 5 I 1 10 n p 10 21 30 13 U 2 11 14 G i 11 22 15 t 0 12 12 H 16 p 13 23 E 2 17 e 14 T 18 e 15 19 c 16 20 3 21 4 REPENTANCE 22 5 23 O 6 24 7 25 26 8 9 M s O t 1 30 2 29 28 27 27 28 29 3 30 2 31 1 W R p N 10 E 26 e 9 I 25 24 8 23 7 r 22 N 6 21 5 20 D 17 4 G 19 i 16 r 18 O 15 e 17 THE THEOTOKOS 14 24 16 b J 13 D 12 15 23 u 12 14 D 11 M 11 31 13 22 l 5 10 e y 9 21 O 30 c rd 4 i 3 7 T 8 20 e 29 28 3 7 H r 19 6 14 D 6 28 H 2 18 O 27 e 21 5 21 13 27 1 U p 26 U 4 20 20 14 R 26 28 12 30 20 25 7 n 3 25 19 29 4 THE HOLY APOSTLES, SAINTS 13 30 11 27 24 19 O 11 2 23 6 i 18 18 16 10 25 9 23 3 12 2 1 t 29 18 26 10 17 22 5 A 22 9 N 17 i 11 F 15 17 2 24 8 25 28 1 16 O r t c 8 4 9 21 e r O 10 R 16 n 16 b 15 1 14 24 A 27 23 N 7 30 u M 3 A 9 n 8 20 I 15 e u n 31 23 15 s v 26 13 g 22 n 6 2 F 8 O 29 u THE HOLY CROSS, MARTYRS, CONFESSORS 7 19 i A n g s 22 30 14 25 t u 12 1 0 21 5 r 28 2 18 6 0 A 29 th 24 2 t 13 9 S 11 i 20 O 4 s 27 H 17 5 s n O A p O 12 r e 10 c r 19 U 3 i y O 26 l D T O p h R e F r O i s O D e r p e t b e O M t THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED c b e O r LITURGICAL CALENDAR THE LiTurGiCAL yEAr iS ALSo dividEd inTo SEvEn SEASonS or pEriodS. EACH pEriod oF An yEAr, EACH dAy oF A WEEk And EACH Hour oF A dAy HAS SoME CoMMonALiTy in THEir THEME! THE SEvEn SEASonS /pEriodS ArE: Period of Annunciation: Period of Epiphany : Period of Great Lent : Period of Resurrection: Period of Pentecost: Period of Transfiguration: Period of Holy Cross : it begins from the Begins with Eldho and it commences with the Begins with the Feast of resurrection This season begins with the Feast it begins with the Feast of it begins from Sep. 14th to koodosh Etho upto the extends to the beginning Great Lent/Monday upto the Feast of pentecost/ of pentecost upto the Feast of the Transfiguration and the next koodhosh-Etho/ extends upto the Feast of feast of nativity of our of the Great Lent. it refers night: ...and covers Wednesday/ Morning: it refers the the Transfiguration (Aug. 6th) Saturday and refers to the and refers to the time of the the Holy Cross (Sep. 14th)/ Lord. it refers to the time the time from the birth the time of His public time that our Lord was with us in His futuristic period as affirmed Growth of the Church through Friday/ noon: it refers to the from the beginning of the of our Lord till His public Ministry; it refers, resurrected state. it covers the forty in the last part of the nicene the preaching of the Gospel by growth of the faith in Jesus creation till the nativity ministry. it covers the that Jesus ministered, days till His ascension and the ten the Apostles, prophets, Martyrs and focuses on those who Creed: “we look forward for the of our Lord. it covers the thirty years in the life of mainly those who days that the Apostles and believers and Holy Fathers, doctors and suffered for the kingdom of resurrection of the dead and entire old Testament. our Lord. believed in Him. await the Holy Spirit. departed of the Church. God and who will be glorified. the life eternal to come”. it is arranged in such a beautiful way by the Fathers. So as to lead us to While Sunday, being the first day according to the creation The Holy Scripture itself begins from the Creation story, “in the a Christ-centered spiritual life and for personal meditation that this account of the Holy Scripture, represents the beginning beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1), commences in every year we begin from with the beginning of the creation of Creation, when we reach to Saturday being the seventh preparing the way for our Lord through the old Testament and in of the world upto the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, then we grow with day Saturday. it represents Sabbath a day of rest and hence the new Testament it further explains that the ‘Word of God’ became Him, becoming disciples, follow Him in His public Ministry. We participate the Church remembers all the departed souls on Saturday! Man in Christ, through his redemptive works. He paved the way for in His suffering, death, resurrection, ascending into heaven, experience Likewise, while the Evening time represents the start of humanity, founded the Holy Church as His own Bride and made her the descend of the Holy Spirit, growth of the Church and finally looking Creation, the 9th hour, the last canonical hour of each to await on His second coming, the Last-Judgement and promised forward the Last Judgement and Second-coming.