1. THE SERVICES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

Besides Divine Liturgy, the Orthodox Church has eight other regular services: Vespers, Complines, Midnight service (Nocturns), Matins, First Hour, Third Hour, Sixth Hour and Nineth Hour. On those days, when the Divine Liturgy ought not to be celebrated (or when, for some reason, the Divine Liturgy could not be celebrated) we celebrate the Typika (“Obidnytsia”). Each service is composed of unchanging elements (which we call the structure or the “order” of the service) to which changing elements are added, depending of the liturgical calendar.

Vespers are celebrated at sunset. The liturgical day begings with Vespers in accordance with the first chapter of the Book of Genesis, which states that the day begins in the evening. Prior to Vespers, the Nineth Hour is usually read. Matins should be celebrated early in the morning, but often, for practical reasons, are celebrated in the evening, after Vespers. After Matins, the First Hour is read. On the eve of great feast days and of Sundays, Verspers and Matins are united into one service called the All-night Vigil (Agrypnia / Vsenichna), which is concluded by the First Hour. (Prior to an All-night Vigil, the Nineth Hour is not read). In the Byzantine practice, Agrypnias are celebrated rarely, and thus, Matins are often celebrated in the morning, even on great feast days and on Sundays. In monasteries, Complines are read immediately after Vespers or after trapeza (the meal in the refectory) before going to sleep, and the Mid-night service is read early in the morning, before sunrise.

There are three types of Vespers: Small Vespers, Daily Vespers and Great Vespers. Great Vespers are celebrated before Sundays and great feast days, when the Typikon prescribes the Polyeleos at Matins, as well as on the evening of some major feast days. Daily Vespers are celebrated on the other days, when the Typikon does not prescribe Great Vespers. Small Vespers are celebrated, usually only in monasteries, in the afternoon, before an All-night Vigil.

There are four types of Matins: Daily Matins, Matins with Great Doxology, Matins with Polyeleos and Paschal Matins. Paschal Matins are celebrated on the day of Pascha and throughout Bright (Paschal) Week. Matins with Polyeleos are celebrated on Sundays and on those days, for which the Typikon indicates the singing of the Polyeleos (“Praise ye the name of the Lord”). Matins with Great Doxology are celebrated on those days, when the Typikon indicates the singing of the Great Doxology (“Glory be to God in the highest”), but does not prescribe the singing of the Polyeleos. Daily Matins are celebrated on those days, when the Typikon does not prescribe the Polyeleos nor the singing of the Great Doxology.

There are three types of Divine Liturgies: the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, of St. Basil the Great, and the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts. The Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts is celebrated during Great Lent, when it is forbiden to celebrate both Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and of St. Basil the Great on weekdays. It is served on the following days: on Wednesdays and Fridays of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th week; on Thursday of the 5th week; on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the Holy Week, and on the feasts of saints, for whom the Typikon prescribes the singing of the Polyeleos. The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated ten times a year: on the day of St. Basil, on the Eves of the Nativity of Christ and of Theophany (or on the day of these feasts, when the Eve falls on a Saturday or a Sunday), on Great Thursday, on Great Saturday, and on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Sundays of Great Lent. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated on all the other days of the year, with the exception of those days, for which the Typikon prescribes no Liturgy: Wednesday and Friday of the Cheesefare Week; Monday, Tuesday and Thursday throughout Great Lent; and Great Friday (with some exceptions, whenever the Meeting of the Lord, Annunciation or a feast with Polyeleos may fall on one of these days).

The unchanging parts of these services are found in the Horologwn (Chasoslov / Book of Hours). The changing parts of these services are found in the liturgical books related to the various liturgical cycles. The Typikon (Book of Rubrics, Ordo) indicates us how we should combine the changing parts with the unchanging parts of the services.

2. THE LITURGICAL CYCLES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

In the Orthodox Church, the celebration of the services is dependant on the interrelation of the various liturgical cycles. Due to this fact, we very rarely celebrate exactly the same service. For each one of the liturgical cycles, we have a liturgical book containing the proper hymns.

The Weekly Cycle is composed of the services for the seven days of the week, for which we have special commemorations: on Monday we commemorate the Angelic Powers, on Tuesday-St. John the Baptist, on Wednesdays and Fridays-the Holy Cross, on Thursdays-the Holy Apostles and St. Nicholas, on Saturdays-All Saints and the departed, and on Sundays-the Holy Resurrection. All the hymns for the Weekly Cycle are to be sung in a specific “tone” or “mode” (musical prototype). There are eight tones. The hymns of the Weekly Cycle are found in a book called the Oktoekhos. Thus, the Great Oktoekhos contains the hymns for each day of the week, for a period of eight weeks (corresponding to eight different tones). When we have completed the eighth tone (eighth week), we start again from tone one.

The unmovable yearly cycle is composed for 366 days of the year, each one of them commemorating the memory of one or more saint(s), or an event (feast). The hymns for this cycle are found in the Menaia. The Monthly Menaia contain the hymns for each day of the month. The Festal Menaion contains the hymns for the great feasts of the year. The General Menaion contains the general hymns for various type of saints, which are used whenever a specific service may not be found in the Monthly Menaion (or when we do not pocess a Monthly Menaion).

The movable yearly cycle is dependent on Pascha. Two liturgical books are related to this cycle: the Lenten Triodion which covers the period from the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee until Great Saturday, and the Pentecostarion which covers the period from Pascha until the Sunday of All Saints.

Thus, the celebration of a service is the result of the combination of these three cycles, and the Typikon gives us the key how to combine all the hymns contained in these various books in order to celebrate a service correctly.

3. THE ORDER OF VESPERS

Begings with “Blessed is our God”. If before Vespers (with the exception of the All-night Vigil) the Nineth Hour was not read, we say the beginning prayers (Heavenly King to Our Father).

SMALL VESPERS	DAILY VESPERS	GREAT VESPERS
Come, let us worship	Come, let us worship	Come, let us worship
Psalm 103	Psalm 103	Psalm 103
	Great Ektenia	Great Ektenia
	Reading of the Kathisma	Blessed is the man
Lord, I have called & stikhera	Lord, I have called & stikhera	Lord, I have called & stikhera
	Entrance, whenever specified.	Entrance
Gladsome Light	Gladsome Light	Gladsome Light
Prokimenon	Prokimenon	Prokimenon
	O.T. Readings during Great Lent	[Readings]
		Ektenia: Let us all say
Vouchsafe, O Lord	Vouchsafe, O Lord	Vouchsafe, O Lord
	Ektenia: Let us complete	Ektenia: Let us complete
		[Litya]
Apostikha	Apostikha	Apostikha
Now, let Thy servant depart	Now, let Thy servant depart	Now, let Thy servant depart
Trisagion-Our Father	Trisagion-Our Father	Trisagion-Our Father
Troparia	Troparia*	Troparia
Ektenia: Have mercy on us	Ektenia: Have mercy on us	[Blessing of the loaves]
Dismissal	Dismissal*	Dismissal

* During Great Lent: special ending: Troparia: Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos: Baptizer of Christ: Intercede for us, O Holy Apostles: Beneath Thy Compassion. Lord, have mercy (40 times). Glory: Both now: More Honourable: In the name of the Lord, Father give the blessing: Christ our God: O Heavenly King, establish: Prayer of St. Ephrem. Then, on Sundays: Glory to Thee, О Christ our God: and dismissal. On the other days: Trisagion-Our Father: Lord, have mercy (12 times): All-Holy Trinity: May the name of the Lord be blessed: Glory: Both now: I will bless the Lord (Ps. 33): Wisdom: It is trully meet: Most Holy Theotokos, save us: More Honourable: Glory to Thee, O Christ our God: Dismissal.

4. ORDER OF MATINS

Begins with “Blessed is our God”. If there was no other service before Matins, we read the beginning prayers. During the Paschal period, we begin by singing Christ is risen (thrice), and read immediataly the Hexapsalm.

DAILY MATINS	WITH DOXOLOGY	WITH POLYELEOS
Come, let us worship	Come, let us worship	Come, let us worship
Psalm 19 & 20	Psalm 19 & 20	Psalm 19 & 20
Trisagion-Our Father	Trisagion-Our Father	Trisagion-Our Father
Troparia	Troparia	Troparia
(Save, O Lord)	(Save, O Lord)	(Save, O Lord)
Ektenia, before the Holy Table	Ektenia, before the Holy Table	Ektenia, before the Holy Table
Hexapsalm	Hexapsalm	Hexapsalm
Great Ektenia	Great Ektenia	Great Ektenia
God is the Lord & troparia	God is the Lord & troparia	God is the Lord & troparia
Kathisma, Ektenias & Kathisma hymns	Kathisma, Ektenias & Kathisma hymns	Kathisma, Ektenias & Kathisma hymns
		Polyeleosl
		Megalinarion
		Ektenia
		Ypakoe or Kathisma hymn
		Gradual Antiphons
		Prokimenon
		Gospel Reading
Having beheld the Resurrection2	Having beheld the Resurrection2	Having beheld the Resurrection2
Psalm 50	Psalm 50	Psalm 50
		Stikhera
Save, O God, Thy people3	Save, O God, Thy people3	Save, O God, Thy people3
Canon	Canon	Canon
After the 3rd ode: Little Ektenia, (2nd kondakion + ikos), & kathisma hymn.	After the 3rd ode: Little Ektenia, (2nd kondakion + ikos), & kathisma hymn.	After the 3rd ode: Little Ektenia, (2nd kondakion + ikos), & kathisma hymn.
After the 6th ode: Little Ektenia, kondakion + ikos.	After the 6th ode: Little Ektenia, kondakion + ikos.	After the 6th ode: Little Ektenia, kondakion + ikos.
Magnificat4	Magnificat4	Magnificat4
After the 9nd ode: Little Ektenia,	After the 9nd ode: Little Ektenia,	After the 9nd ode: Little Ektenia, [Holy is the Lord, our God]5
Exapostilarion or Photagogikon	Exapostilarion or Photagogikon	Exapostilarion or Photagogikon
Praise the Lord from the Heavens	Let every breath praise the Lord	Let every breath praise the Lord
[Stikhera at Praises]	Stikhera at Praises	Stikhera at Praises
Doxology (read)	Great Doxology (sung)	Great Doxology (sung)
	Troparion	Troparion
	Ektenia: Have mercy on us	Ektenia: Have mercy on us
Ektenia: Let us complete	Ektenia: Let us complete	Ektenia: Let us complete
Apostikha
It is good to give praise
Trisagion-Our Father
Troparion*
Ektenia: Have mercy on us *
Ending 6 *	Dismissal	Dismissal

1)   On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, of Meatfare and of Cheesefare, after the Polyeleos, we sing the Psalm 136 (By the waters of Babylon), followed by the Evlo-gitaria {Blessed are Thou, O Lord).
2)   Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ: is sung once on Sundays only. But during the Paschal period, it is sung thrice on Sundays, and once on the other days of the week.
3)   The prayer: Save, O God, Thy people — is read at Daily Matins every day throughout Great Lent, with the exception of Saturdays, the Thursday of the Great Canon and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week.
4)   The Magnificat (More Honourable than the Cherubim) is not sung on those days, for which the Typikon prescribes the singing of refrains at the 9th ode, or that the 9th ode shall be sung immediately after the 8th ode.
5)   On Sundays only (and on Lazarus Saturday and Great Saturday), with the exception of: Palm Sunday, Pentecost, Transfiguration falling on a Sunday, and Exaltation falling on a Sunday.
6)   With the exception of Great Lent, Matins shall end in the following way: Wisdom!: Give the blessing: He Who is, is blessed, Christ our God: Establish, O God: and we read immediately the First Hour, without any dismissal at Matins.
*    During Great Lent, Matins shall end in the following manner: troparion — Standing in the temple of Thy glory: Lord, have mercy (40 times): Glory: Both now: More Honourable: In the name of the Lord, father bless: He Who is, is blessed, Christ our God: O Heavenly King, strengthen: Prayer of St. Ephrem: and the First Hour is read immediately, without any dismissal at Matins.

5. THE ORDER OF THE ALL-NIGHT VIGIL

Begins as follow: Deacon: Arise! O Lord, bless! Priest: Glory to the Holy, and Consubstantial, and Life-creating, and Indivisible Trinity, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Choir: Amen.

Come, let us worship	Usually sung by the Clergy in the Altar.
Psalm 103	Sung. Usually, only selected verses are sung.
Great Ektenia
Blessed is the man	First Kathisma. Usually, only selected verses are sung.
Lord, I have called & stikhera	(Ps. 140-141) Sung in the tone of the first stikhera.
	To the last verses, we add the stikhera from the Oktoekhos and/or Menaion.
Entrance
Gladsome Light
Prokimenon
Readings	On feast days.
Ektenia: Let us all say
Vouchsafe, 0 Lord
Ektenia: Let us complete
[Litya]	In parish practice, on feast days only.
Apostikha
Now, let Thy servant depart
Trisagion-Our Father
Troparia	On Saturday evening: Rejoice, o Virgin Theotokos.
[Blessing of the loaves]	Only if the Litya was celebrated.
Blessed be the name of the Lord… And the Psalm 33 (Only the first half, until: But they, that seek the Lord, shall not be deprived of any good thing).
Glory be to God in the highest…
Hexapsalm
Great Ektenia
God is the Lord	Sung in the tone of the first following troparion.
Troparia
Kathisma	Following each one: Little Ektenia & Kathisma hymns (Oktoekhos / Menaion)
Polyeleos
[Megalinarion]	On feast days only.
[By the waters of Babylon]	Sung of the Sundays of the Prodigal Son, Meatfare and Cheesefare.
[Blessed are Thou, O Lord]	Sung at Sunday All-night Vigils only (on Saturday evening).
Little Ektenia
Ypakoe or Kathisma hymn	From the Oktoekhos or the Menaion.
Gradual Antiphons	On Sunday: from the Oktoekhos.
	On feast days: Gradual Antiphon, tone 4: From my youth.
Prokimenon	Of the tone (Oktoekhos) or of the feast (Menaion).
Gospel Reading	On Sundays: of the Resurrection; on feast days: of the feast.
[Having beheld the Resurrection]	Sung on Sundays, and during the Paschal season only.
Psalm 50
Stikhera:	Glory: Through the prayers: Both now: Through the prayers: Have mercy on me, 0 God: and the stikhera of Sunday (Jesus having risen from the grave)or of the feast (cf. Menaion).
Save, O God, Thy people
Canon	From the Oktoekhos and/or Menaion.
After the 3rd ode:	Little Ektenia, (2nd kondakion + ikos), & kathisma hymns.
After the 6th ode:	Little Ektenia, kondakion & ikos.
After the 8th ode:	We praise, we bless: and the Magnificat (or the refrains of the 9th ode).
After the 9th ode:	Little Ektenia, [Holy is the Lord, our God – on Sunday Vigils only],
	Exapostilarion and/or Photagogikon (from the Oktoekhos and/or Menaion).
Let every breath praise the Lord	Sung in the tone of the first stikhera.
	Psalm 148-150.
	To the last verses, we add the stikhera at Praises (Oktoekhos and/or Menaion).
	On feast days: Glory: Both now: stikhera of the feast.
	On Sundays: Glory: stikhera of the Gospel:
	Both now: Most blessed are Thou.
Great Doxology	Sung.
Troparion	On feast days: troparion of the feast.
	On Sundays: one of the two dismissal troparia of the Resurrection.
Ektenia: Have mercy on us
Ektenia: Let us complete
Dismissal
Many years.
First Hour	At the end: the Priest reads the prayer (O Christ the True Light), after which the choir sings: To Thee, the Champion Leader.
Dismissal
Beneath Thy Compassion.

6. HOW TO READ RUBRICS

In order to celebrate a service according to the Typikon, the reader and the choir should have the following books: the Horologion (Book of Hours) – in which they will find the unchanging parts of the service), the Psalter (liturgical book of Psalms, divided into kathisma) – where they will find the kathismas, the Oktoekhos, the Menaion, the Lenten Triodion or the Pentecostarion – where they will find the changing parts of the service. Music books such as the Obykhod and the Irmologion may be helpful as well.

In order to know how to combine the different hymns found in the various liturgical books, one has to look into the Typikon or into the Liturgical Calendar to read the Rubrics. Rubrics usually indicate only which variable hymns to use. The order of the hymns found in the Rubrics and in the liturgical books follows the order of the service itself. Therefore, it is necessary to know the order of each service. For instance, the stikhera at Lord, I have called will always be found before the Apostikha in the Vespers’ part. Another example: the Canon is always found in the Matins’ part, after the stikhera following the Gospel reading. A third example: the troparion of the feast is to be found at the end of Vespers, since it is at this precise moment that we sing it for the first time during the service, and in the same way, the kondakion of the feast will be found after the 6th ode of the Canon, since it is at this precise moment that we sing it for the first time during the service. Therefore, singers, and especially cantors and choir conductors shall not only familiarize themselves with the order of the services, but with the contents of the liturgical books as well.

Rubrics usually indicate the following elements of the service:

A. At Vespers:

-At Lord, I have cried: This rubric concerns the stikhera which are sung (or read) after the singing of the psalm “Lord, I have cried”. “Lord, I have cried” has to be sung in the tone of the first following stikhera. On Saturday evening, we sing 10 stikhera; on the eve of great feast, we sing 8 stikhera; on the other days, we sing 6 stikhera. Therefore, we often find the indication: “stikhera on 10”, “stikhera on 8”, “stikhera on 6”. Prior to each stikhera, the appropriate verse, found in the Horologion has to be read. The stikhera are taken either from the Oktoekhos, from the Menaion, from the Triodion, or from the Pentecostarion. The rubrics indicate the number of stikhera to be taken, and from which book they shall be taken. For instance: “from the Oktoekhos (that is of the tone) – 7, and of the saint (that is from the Menaion) – 3″. We always start to figure the number of stikhera from the first one, and therefore, when 4 stikhera are to be taken from the Oktoekhos, we take the 4 first ones. When a certain number of stikhera has to be taken, but there is not a sufficient number of stikhera (for example, stikhera of the Menaion have to be sung “on six”, but there are only three), we repeat those that we have. Of course, when we ought to shorten a service, in such a case, we do not repeat them. The rubrics usually specify as well which stikhera have to be sung after “Glory” and after “Both now”. Usually, the last stikhera is a stikhera in honour of the Theotokos, and therefore is called a Theotokion. The first Theotokion of a Sunday (Resurrection) service, found after “Both now” at “Lord, I have cried”, is called a Dogmatic.

-The Prokimenon: usually, at Vespers, it is the daily Prokimenon, printed in the Horologion and in the Sluzhebnyk (Hieratikon). If a second prokimenon is to be sung, it shall be indicated in the rubrics.

-Stikhera at Litya: These stikhera are found in the Menaion (or in the Triodion, or the Pentecostarion). We sing (or read) them all, in the specified tones.

-Apostikha: These stikhera are found in the Oktoekhos, the Menaion, the Triodion or in the Pentecostarion. The rubrics indicate from which book the stikhera have to be taken. The verse which should be read between them is usually printed in these books. If there is no specific verse in these books, in such a case, we use the Apostikha verses printed in the Horologion.

-Troparia: These are the troparia to be sung at the blessing of the loaves, that is after “Now let Thy servant depart” and the Trisagion prayers. They are printed at the end of Vespers in the Oktoekhos, Menaion, Triodion and Pentecostarion. The rubrics indicate which troparia have to be sung, and in which specific order. On Sunday Vigils we sing only the troparion in the 4th tone: “Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos“, thrice, or combined with other troparia, depending on what the rubrics say.

B. At Matins:

-Troparia “at” (meaning after) God is the Lord: They are printed at the end of Vespers in the Oktoekhos, Menaion, Triodion and Pentecostarion. The rubrics indicate which troparia have to be sung, and in which specific order. The last troparion is sung after “Both now”, and it is usually in honour of the Theotokos, and therefore, it is called a “theotokion”. This theotokion has not to be confounded with the theotokion of the stikhera at “Lord, I have called” or at the Apostikha.

-Kathisma hymns: They are printed at the begining of Matins in the Oktoekhos, Menaion, Triodion and Pentecostarion. The rubrics indicate which kathisma hymns have to be sung. The indication “of the feast” or “of the saint” means: from the Menaion.

-Ypakoe or kathisma hymn, after the Polyeleos: “Ypakoe of the tone” indicates the ypakoe from the Oktoekhos, printed after the kathisma hymns, which follow each kathisma reading. “Kathisma hymn of the feast or of the saint” are taken from the Menaion.

-Gradual Antiphons: “Antiphons of the tone” means that the antiphons are taken from the Oktoekhos, for the current tone. On feast days, we sing the first gradual antiphon of the fourth tone of the Oktoekhos — “From my youth“.

-Prokimenon: On Sunday Matins, the prokimenon is taken from the Oktoekhos. (It is also printed in the Sluzhebnyk, since it is announced by the deacon, or by the priest). On feast days, we sing the prokimenon printed in the Menaion. After the prokimenon: Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: For Thou are holy. Choir: Amen. Deacon: Let every breath praise the Lord. And the choir sings the verse “Let every breath praise the Lord” in the tone (melody) of the prokimenon.

-After the Gospel: “Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ” is only sung on Sundays (once), and during the Paschal season (thrice on Sundays, once daily). Then the Psalm 50 is read. And then we sing (usually in the 6th tone): “Glory: Through the prayers of the Apostles (or of the commemorated saint): Both now: Through the prayers of the Theotokos” (or other specified verses for the feasts of the Lord): “Have mercy on me, O God“: and the stikhera of Sunday ( “Jesus having risen from the grave“) found in the Oktoekhos, or of the feast (cf. Menaion).

-Canons: At Matins, we always read several canons. The canon is composed of nine odes (except for some days of Great Lent when there is no second ode). Each ode begins with the singing of the irmos of the first canon. Rubrics usually indicate the irmos of the first ode of the canon, whose irmi are to be sung. Then the troparia of the various canons are read. Rubrics indicate us which canons shall be taken, and how many troparia from each canon have to be read. For example, when we read the indication: “Canon of the Resurrection on 4, of the Cross-Resurrection on 3, of the Theotokos on 3, and of the saint on 4”, that means that we read on each ode four troparia from the canon of the Resurrection from the Oktoekhos, three troparia of the canon of the Cross-Resurrection from the Oktoekhos, three troparia of the canon of the Theotokos from the Oktoekhos and four troparia of the canon of the saint from the Menaion. Troparia are read one after the other, and before each one, we say a special refrain: for the Resurrection canon: “Glory, O Lord, to Thy Holy Resurrection“; for the Cross-Resurrection canon: “Glory, O Lord, to Thy Precious Cross and Resurrection “; for the canon of the Theotokos: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us“; for a canon of a saint: “Holy Prophet / Apostle / Martyr / Hierarch Father / Venerable Father (name) pray God for us“; for a canon of a feast of the Lord: “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee“; for canons of repentance: “Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me“; or another refrain which would be specified. Before the last troparion of each canon, in honour of the Theotokos, we say: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us“. Before a troparion in honour of the Holy Trinity: “Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee“. Before the second troparion from the end of each ode we say: “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit” (at the 8th ode: “Bless the Lord: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit“); before the last troparion of each ode: “Both now, and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen“. At the end of each ode we sing the katavasia, that is the irmos of one the canons that was read, or of another canon. Rubrics indicate the first irmos of the series of irmi to be used as katavasia. Before the katavasia at the 8th ode, we sing: ” We praise, we bless, we worship the Lord, praising and supremely exalting Him unto the ages of ages “.

The third ode is followed by a little ektenia, after which we sing (or read) the kathisma hymn from the Menaion, and sometimes, just before it, we read a second kondakion (with its ikos), as indicated by the Rubrics. In the same way, the sixth ode is followed by a little ektenia and the singing/reading of the kondakion (and its ikos). Before the nineth ode, we sing the Magnificat (My soul shall magnify the Lord) with its refrain (More honourable than the Cherubim). When, according to the Typikon, the Magnificat shall not be sung, the Rubrics indicate that we sing the refrains to the nineth ode, or the nineth ode directly. Similarly to the third and sixth ode, the nineth ode is followed by a little ektenia. Then we read (or sing) the exapostilarion or photagogikon, as indicated by the Rubrics. On Sundays, we read the exapostilarion related to the Matins’ Gospel reading. Since there are eleven Matins’ Resurrection Gospel Readings, there are also eleven Resurrection exapostilaria. These Resurrection exapostilaria are found ar the end of the Oktoekhos. Each Resurrection exapostilarion has its own theotokion.

On Sundays (and on Lazarus’ Saturday and Great Saturday), with the exception of Palm Sunday and Pentecost, and those Sundays on which Transfiguration and Exaltation may fall, prior to the reading of the exapostilarion, that is right after the little ektenia, we sing: “Holy is the Lord, our God” (thrice). But “Holy is the Lord, our God” is never sung on other days.

-Praises: This rubric concerns the singing of the stikhera following the psalm “Let every breath praise the Lord“. This psalm is sung in the tone of the first following stikhera. The last few verses of the psalm are used to introduce each one of the stikhera. These verses are printed in the Horologion with the indication: “if there be six stikhera”, etc. But when there is not a sufficient number of verses, we use other verses (often printed for the apostikha) and rubrics indicate that we sing such stikhera “with their own verses”. The stikhera are taken either from the Oktoekhos, or from the Menaion, or from the Triodion, or from the Pentecostarion. The rubrics indicate the number of stikhera to be taken, and from which book they shall be taken. For instance: “from the Oktoekhos (that is of the tone) – 4, and of the saint (that is from the Menaion) – 4″. We always start to figure the number of stikhera from the first one, and the 4 first ones. When a certain number of stikhera has to be taken, but there is not a sufficient number of stikhera (for example, stikhera of the Menaion have to be sung “on six”, and there are only three), we repeat those that we have. Of course, when we ought to shorten a service, in such a case, we do not repeat them. The rubrics usually specify as well which stikhera have to be sung after “Glory” and after “Both now”. Usually, on Sundays, after “Glory” we sing the Gospel Stikhera. Gospel Stikhera are related (as the Resurrection exapostilaria) to the eleven Resurrection Gospel readings, and therefore there are eleven such stikhera. They are found at the end of the Oktoekhos, with the Resurrection exapostilaria. On Sundays, after “Both now”, we sing the theotokion: “Most blessed are Thou “, which may be found either in the Horologion, either in the Oktoekhos. Rubrics will specify if there ought to be any changes. If the Gospel Stikhera shall not be sung at “Glory”, in this case, we sing it right after the dismissal, prior to the reading of the First Hour.

-The Dismissal Troparion, after the Great Doxology: Rubrics indicate which troparion has to be sung after the Great Doxology. Usually on feast days, we sing the troparion of the feast with its theotokion. On Sundays, we sing one of the two dismissal Resurrection troparia, related either to even tones or odd tones; they may be found at the end of Matins in the Horologion and in the Oktoekhos as well.

C. At Hours and at the Liturgy:

Rubrics also indicate all the particularities for the reading of Hours and for the Divine Liturgy. Concerning the reading of troparia and kon-dakia at the hours, see note 6 of “General Information Concerning Rubrics”. Concerning the “usual” order of troparia and kondakia at the entrance of the Liturgy, consult the note 8 of the “General Information Concerning Rubrics”. With regards to the singing of two prokimena and Alleluia verses, read note 7 of the “General Information Concerning Rubrics”. At the Divine Liturgy on Major Feast days, and during the afterfeast seasons, we sing instead of “It is trully meet” the refrain and the irmos of the nineth ode of the canon from the Matins of the feast. Rubrics also mention this.