Daily worshipApr 06, 2020
Morning prayers
Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!
General Hymn 160 (Hymns Ancient & Modern Revised)
Canon of St Andrew of Crete - Evening of Holy and Great Monday
Matins of Great and Holy Tuesday
Sixth hour of Holy and Great Monday
Matins of Holy and Great Monday
Let us quote this wonderful troparion:
"Behold, the Bridegroom is coming in the middle of the night, and blessed is the servant whom He finds watching. And again unworthy is he whom he shall find careless. See to it, my soul, that sleep does not overcome you, lest you be given over to death and are locked out of the kingdom. But arise and cry out: Holy, Holy, Holy are You our God, through the Theotokos have mercy on us."
Most beautiful as well is the following troparion:
"I see Your Bridal Chamber adorned, O my Saviour, and I have no wedding garment, that I may enter therein; O Giver of Light, make radiant the vesture of my soul, and save me."
Synaxar of the Holy and Great Monday
On this day we remember Joseph (son of the patriarch Jacob and grandson of Abraham), who is foreshadowing our Lord Jesus Christ. Joseph, the beloved son of his father, was at first thrown into a pit to be murdered by his brothers, but then was sold for twenty gold coins to merchants and by them to Potiphar who was the chief cook of the Pharaoh of Egypt. Joseph was a most handsome young man and for this reason the wife of Potiphar wanted to sin with him. Having refused her advances she slandered him to her husband, saying that he harassed her. Potiphar believed the slander and the innocent Joseph was cast into prison. At one point Pharaoh saw a strange dream and he wanted this dream to be interpreted. He was then told that there was a Hebrew young man in prison who had once interpreted the dreams of his fellow captives. Joseph, by order of Pharaoh, was brought before him, and being enlightened by God he interpreted the dream of Pharaoh, and told him how seven years of plenty are coming upon the land followed by seven years of hunger and famine. Then Pharaoh, fascinated by the divine wisdom of Joseph, clothed him in a royal robe, making him the general ruler of Egypt. Joseph administered his authority with admirable wisdom, and later, when famine came, due to the fruitlessness of the earth (in our contemporary case a pandemic could cause that) he opened the storehouses (this theme is connected with the eschatological theme of the Gospel; in case of a pandemic or a war we should be ready for the coming of the Kingdom of Christ which is not of this world). Joseph is considered a type and foreshadowing of the Lord, because He too, the beloved Son of the Father, was slain by those of His fellow race, namely the Jews, sold by His disciple, tortured, and thrown dead into the dark tomb. Then He rose gloriously and nourishes us through the Bread of life, that is, through His all-holy Body.
The 3rd stance of Midnight service
1st and 2nd stance of Midnight service
Vespers on Palm Sunday evening
Vespers on Friday evening
Vespers on Thursday evening of Sixth week of the Great Lent
1st part of Divine Liturgy and a sermon on Archangel Gabriel
Holy God
Rehearsal
Lauds
Life of St Porphyrios
Homily on St Porphyrios
Prayer rule 500
With the exception of the first prayer to the Trinity, this rule is following the structure of Optina monastery (nicknamed as Optina 500).
"Imagine the cloud of the Saints who are praying with you and prostrate at the same time with you in the end when you reach the final knot and say: Lord have mercy, All Saints pray for us"
St Nectary of Optina to nun Thecla.
When you wake up
Vespers on Wednesday evening Sixth week of Lent (no Liturgy)
Matins final and Lauds
Matins 2 Sessional hymns and Canon
Matins 1
Ninth hour & Typica
The office of tersext (τριθέκτη)
This office was primarily celebrated when there was no eucharistic Liturgy. During Great Lent, this office served for the preparation of the catechumens, whence the biblical reading of Isaiah inserted in the sixth hour and followed by a sermon.
Vespers on Monday evening: Tuesday of the 6th week of Great Lent
Vespers continuing straight from the 9th hour and the Typica, without the psalter.
It is divided into three parts; part 1, introductory psalm - part 2, Lord, I have cried unto Thee, Part 3, dismissal prayers.
Prayer from Εὑχολόγιον ἐπί λοιμοῦ
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, I have decided to pray an ancient prayer for those who are sick or have died.
Oh Lord, be with the families of those who are sick or have died. May they regain their strength and health through your mercy. Defend us and have mercy on us from illness and despair. Heal us from our fear, which prevents us from solidarity. Heal us from our pride.
For You are a Merciful and Loving God, and to You, we give glory, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen