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90-572: The Presanctified is used on the weekdays of Great Lent , a season of repentance , fasting , and intensified prayer when the more frequent reception of communion is desirable; however, the full Divine Liturgy having a joyful character is not in keeping with the somberness of the season of repentance ( Eucharist literally means 'thanksgiving') and so the Presanctified is substituted. Although this service may be performed on any weekday (Monday through Friday) of Great Lent, common parish practice

180-519: A "collection of collections" relating to a pattern of life that lasted for more than a millennium. It is an example of Biblical wisdom literature and raises questions about values, moral behavior, the meaning of human life, and right conduct, and its theological foundation is that "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." Wisdom is personified and praised for her role in creation; God acquired her before all else and gave order to chaos through her. As humans have life and prosperity by conforming to

270-619: A few feast days, and fish is permitted on Palm Sunday as well as the Annunciation when it falls before Palm Sunday, and caviar is permitted on Lazarus Saturday , meat and dairy are prohibited entirely until the fast is broken on Easter . Additionally, Eastern Orthodox Christians traditionally abstain from sexual relations during Lent. Besides the additional liturgical celebrations described below, Christians are expected to pay closer attention to and increase their private prayer. According to Byzantine Rite theology , when asceticism

360-536: A place for Jesus in the heart ("I must abide at thy house"), overcoming gossip ("And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner"), repentance and almsgiving ("And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold"), forgiveness and reconciliation ("And Jesus said unto him, This day

450-530: A portion of them (their canon at Matins, and their stichera from "Lord I Have Cried" at Vespers) is chanted at Compline . In addition to the added readings from Scripture, spiritual books by the Church Fathers are recommended during the Fast. One book commonly read during Great Lent, particularly by monastics , is The Ladder of Divine Ascent , which was written in about the 7th century by St. John of

540-684: A quarter of the Akathist to the Theotokos . On the fifth Saturday, known as the Saturday of the Akathist, everywhere, the entire Akathist is sung at Matins. In “The Typikon Decoded”, Archbishop Job Getcha offers this comparison of the commemorations associated with the Sundays of Great Lent in the “Ancient Triodion”. These more ancient commemorations are retained in the hymnography still in use for

630-425: A spirit of idleness, despondency, ambition and idle-talking, give me not. But rather, a spirit of chastity, humble-mindedness, patience and charity, bestow upon me Thy servant. Yea, my king and Lord, grant me to see my own failings and refrain from judging others: For blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen. The public reading of Scripture is increased during Great Lent. The Psalter ( Book of Psalms ), which

720-491: A student or child, dramatic personifications of both Wisdom and Folly, and the "words of the wise" sayings, which are longer than the Solomonic "sayings" but shorter and more diverse than the "instructions." The first section ( chapters 1–9 ) comprises an initial invitation to young men to take up the course of wisdom, ten "instructions", and five poems on personified Woman Wisdom. Verses 1:1-7 constitute an introduction to

810-487: A transmissible human craft, until with 30:1–14, the "words of Agur," we return once more to the idea that God alone possesses wisdom. "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10 – the phrase implies submission to God's will). Wisdom is praised for her role in creation ("God by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding, he established the heavens" – Proverbs 3:19). God acquired her before all else, and through her, he gave order to chaos ("When [God] established

900-505: A wife of noble character. It is impossible to offer precise dates for the sayings in Proverbs, a "collection of collections" relating to a pattern of life which lasted for more than a millennium. The phrase conventionally used for the title is taken from chapter 1:1, mishley shelomoh , Proverbs of Solomon (the phrase is repeated at 10:1 and 25:1), and is likely more concerned with labeling the material than ascribing authorship. The book

990-538: Is a litany which was historically used at all liturgies at this time, and is for those who have completed their catechism (thus ceasing to be catechumens) but must wait until Holy Saturday to be received into the church. A different Cherubic Hymn to usual is used, and the Great Entrance takes place in a manner similar to that of the Divine Liturgy, except that the priest rather than the deacon carries

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1080-512: Is an anthology made up of six discrete units. The Proverbs of Solomon section, chapters 1–9, was probably the last to be composed, in the Persian or Hellenistic periods. This section has parallels to prior cuneiform writings. The second, chapters 10–22:16, carries the superscription "the proverbs of Solomon", which may have encouraged its inclusion in the Hebrew canon. The third unit, 22:17–24:22,

1170-693: Is appointed, it is read here. A series of litanies is then said. These take their structure from the full liturgy: the Litany of Fervent Intercession, the Litany and Dismissal of the Catechumens, the Litanies of the Faithful. After the fourth Wednesday in Lent, however, another litany is inserted between the ones for the catechumens and the faithful: the litany and dismissal of those awaiting illumination. This

1260-631: Is as close as biblical literature comes to Greek philosophy, of which it was a contemporary; it shares with the Greeks an inquiry into values and reflections on the human condition, although there is no discussion of ontology , epistemology , metaphysics , and the other abstract issues raised by the Greeks. The rabbinic college almost excluded the Book of Proverbs from the Bible in the late first century. They did this because of its contradictions (the result of

1350-426: Is defined as not consuming food until evening (at sundown). The Lenten supper that is eaten after the fast is broken in the evening must not include certain foods. Foods most commonly abstained from are meat , fish , eggs , dairy products , wine , and oil. According to some traditions, only olive oil is abstained from; in others, all vegetable oils . While wine and oil are permitted on Saturdays, Sundays, and

1440-464: Is headed "bend your ear and hear the words of the wise". A large part of this section is a recasting of a second-millennium BCE Egyptian work, the Instruction of Amenemope , and may have reached the Hebrew author(s) through an Aramaic translation. Chapter 24:23 begins a new section and source with the declaration, "these too are from the wise". The next section at chapter 25:1 has a superscription to

1530-413: Is increased, prayer must be increased also. The Church Fathers have referred to fasting without prayer as "the fast of the demons" since the demons do not eat according to their incorporeal nature, but neither do they pray. Great Lent is unique in that, liturgically, the weeks do not run from Sunday to Saturday, but rather begin on Monday and end on Sunday, and most weeks are named for the lesson from

1620-452: Is merely silly or playful (though see the words of Agur for a "fool" who has wisdom and could be seen as playful). For the most part, Proverbs offers a simplistic view of life with few grey areas: a life lived according to the rules brings reward, and life in violation of them is certain to bring disaster. In contrast, Job and Ecclesiastes appear to be direct contradictions of the simplicities of Proverbs, each in its own way all but dismissing

1710-743: Is moved to the nearest Saturday (excluding the Saturday of the Akathist), and in other churches, it is celebrated on the day of the feast itself. When some other important feast occurs on a weekday, such as the First and Second Finding of the Head of John the Baptist (February 24), the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (March 9), etc., it is usually combined with the Lenten service, and wine and oil are allowed at

1800-623: Is named for the Gospel theme of the Sunday which concludes it. In the Slavic tradition, with the addition of Zacchaeus Sunday, some regard the pre-Lenten period as lasting four weeks, but there are no liturgical indications that the week following the fifth Sunday before Lent (whether preceded by Zacchaeus Sunday or otherwise) is in any way Lenten, because Zacchaeus Sunday falls outside the Triodion ,

1890-438: Is no feast day or special observance on that day. Since the season of Great Lent is moveable, beginning on different dates from year to year, accommodation must be made for various feast days on the fixed calendar ( Menaion ) which occur during the season. When these feasts fall on a weekday of Great Lent, the normal Lenten aspect of the services is lessened to celebrate the solemnity. The most important of these fixed feasts

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1980-517: Is no public reading of the Epistles or Gospels . This is because the readings are particular to the divine liturgy, which is not celebrated on weekdays of Great Lent. There are, however, Epistles and Gospels appointed for each Saturday and Sunday. During the Great Fast, the church also increases its prayer for the dead , not only reminding the believer of his own mortality, and thus increasing

2070-672: Is normally read through once a week, is read through twice each week for the six weeks prior to Holy Week. Readings from the Old Testament are also increased, with the Books of Genesis , Proverbs and Isaiah being read through almost in their entirety at the Sixth Hour and Vespers . During Cheesefare Week, the readings at these services are taken from Joel and Zechariah , while during Holy Week they are from Exodus , Ezekiel and Job . Uniquely, on weekdays of Great Lent there

2160-539: Is not exclusively for the "professional" religious, but for each layperson as well, according to their strength. As such, Great Lent is a sacred Institute of the Church to serve the individual believer in participating as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ . It provides each person an annual opportunity for self-examination and improving the standards of faith and morals in their Christian life. The deep intent of

2250-402: Is not for the sake of fasting. Rather, these are means by which and for which the individual believer prepares himself to reach for, accept and attain the calling of their Savior. Therefore, the significance of Great Lent is highly appraised, not only by the monks who gradually increased the length of time of the Lent, but also by the lay people themselves. The Eastern Orthodox lenten rules are

2340-565: Is practiced, both liturgically in the public worship of the church and individually. One difference between Eastern Christianity and Western Christianity is the calculation of the date of Easter (see Computus ). Most years, the Eastern Pascha falls after the Western Easter, and it may be as much as five weeks later; occasionally, the two dates coincide. Like Western Lent, Great Lent itself lasts for forty days, but in contrast to

2430-518: Is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham"), and the reason for the Passion and Resurrection ("For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost"). Book of Proverbs The Book of Proverbs ( Hebrew : מִשְלֵי , Mišlê ; Greek : Παροιμίαι ; Latin : Liber Proverbiorum , "Proverbs (of Solomon)") is a book in the third section (called Ketuvim ) of

2520-548: Is sometimes not done. In either case, the consecrated Lambs are reserved , often in a special pyx used only for this purpose. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was first documented by Pope Gregory I (540–604), who had been the papal legate to Constantinople ..This liturgy is also mentioned in canon 52 of the Quinisext Council , of 692 AD: On all days of the holy fast of Lent, except on

2610-530: Is structured much like other vesperal divine liturgies that are prescribed for strict fast days. After the normal opening of the Liturgy of the Catechumens ("Blessed is the Kingdom …") vespers proceeds normally until the kathisma , the three stasees (subdivisions) of which are treated as three antiphons with silent prayers of the antiphons analogous to those of the other Divine Liturgies. Normally this kathisma

2700-441: Is sung as usual. The Litany of Thanksgiving is said, and a unique ambon prayer ('O Master Almighty...') follows, a remnant of a time when each Liturgy and feast had its own ambon prayer. The dismissal follows, as usual at a liturgy, unless another service (such as the blessing of kolyva on the first Friday) take place beforehand. On the previous Sunday, additional Lambs ( hosts ) are prepared and consecrated , enough for all of

2790-468: Is the Great Feast of the Annunciation (March 25), which is considered to be so important that it is never moved, even if it should fall on the Sunday of Pascha itself, a rare and special occurrence which is known as Kyrio-Pascha . The fast is also lessened, and the faithful are allowed to eat fish, unless it is Good Friday or Holy Saturday. Whereas on other weekdays of Great Lent, no celebration of

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2880-519: Is the eighteenth, consisting of the Songs of Ascents , but different ones are appointed each day during the fifth week, to make up for the fact that only one will be sung at Matins on Thursday (when the Great Canon is sung). If the consecrated Lamb is already on table of prothesis , the priest puts it on the diskos , pours wine and water in the chalice, covers and censes them. Otherwise, during

2970-469: Is the most important fasting season of the church year within many denominations of Eastern Christianity . It is intended to prepare Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Pascha (Easter). Great Lent shares its origins with the Lent of Western Christianity and has many similarities with it. There are some differences in the timing of Lent, besides calculating the date of Easter and how it

3060-474: Is the season of repentance; let us begin it joyfully, O brethren..." ( Matins , Second Canon , Ode 8, Monday of Maslenitsa ). The making of prostrations during the services increases as well. The one prayer that typifies the Lenten services is the Prayer of Saint Ephrem , which is said at each service on weekdays, accompanied by full prostrations . One translation of it reads: O Lord and master of my life!

3150-563: Is to celebrate it only on Wednesdays, Fridays, and a feast day on which the polyeleos is sung that falls on a weekday. The Typicon also prescribes the Presanctified on the Thursday of the Great Canon (the fifth Thursday of Lent), and on first three days of Holy Week . The following outline is in part extracted from the Liturgicon (priest's service book). The Presanctified Liturgy, aside from having no anaphora (eucharistic prayer)

3240-595: Is two days before Ash Wednesday. Fasting continues throughout the following week, known as Passion Week or Holy Week , and does not end until after the Paschal Vigil early in the morning of Pascha (Easter Sunday). The purpose of Great Lent is to prepare the faithful to not only commemorate, but to enter into the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus . The totality of the Byzantine Rite life centers around

3330-755: The Gospel which will be read at the Divine Liturgy on its concluding Sunday. This is to illustrate that the entire season is anticipatory, leading up to the greatest Sunday of all: Pascha. During the Great Fast, a special service book is used, known as the Lenten Triodion , which contains the Lenten texts for the Daily Office (Canonical Hours) and Liturgies. The Triodion begins during the Pre-Lenten period to supplement or replace portions of

3420-732: The Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament traditionally ascribed to King Solomon and his students. When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms: in the Greek Septuagint (LXX), it became Παροιμίαι ( Paroimiai , "Proverbs"); in the Latin Vulgate , the title was Proverbia —from which the English name is derived. Proverbs is not merely an anthology but

3510-597: The Liturgy of St. James from which it descended is widely extinct nowadays. In the Anglican Communion, the Book of Common Prayer for the United States provides likewise for the consecration of the reserved sacrament on Maundy Thursday and its reception at the special liturgy of Good Friday. The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is also used at some occasions in the Assyrian Church of

3600-660: The Mass of the Presanctified : the rite of Commemoration of the Lord's Passion. Because there is no consecration of the gifts in that liturgy, it is not a Mass, being instead reception of Holy Communion from the reserved sacrament which was consecrated at Mass on Holy Thursday . The Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts is also practiced in the Malankara Rite of the Indian Orthodox Church although its practice in

3690-585: The Paschal Vigil , at which time it is replaced by the Pentecostarion , which begins by replacing the normal services entirely (during Bright Week ) and gradually diminishes until the normal services resume following the Afterfeast of Pentecost . On the weekdays of Great Lent, the full Divine Liturgy is not celebrated, because the joy of the Eucharist (literally "Thanksgiving") is contrary to

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3780-486: The liturgical book which governs the pre-Lenten period and Lent itself. In the Slavic liturgical traditions, Zacchaeus Sunday occurs on the fifth Sunday before the beginning of Great Lent (which starts on a Monday). Though there are no materials provided in the Lenten Triodion for this day, it is the very first day that is affected by the date of the upcoming Pascha (all the preceding days having been affected by

3870-532: The Colossians calls Jesus "...image of the invisible God, first-born of all creation...", while the Gospel of John identifies him with the creative word ("In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"). In the 4th century, when Christianity was caught up in heresies and still developing the creeds which would define its beliefs, Proverbs 8:22 was used both to support and refute

3960-471: The Divine Liturgy is permitted, there is a Liturgy (usually the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom ) celebrated on Annunciation—even if it falls on Good Friday . When the feast day of the patron saint of the parish church or monastery falls on a weekday of Great Lent, there is no liturgy (other than the Presanctified), but fish is allowed at the meal. In some churches the feast of a patron saint

4050-577: The East . Great Lent Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: Great Lent , or the Great Fast ( Greek : Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή, Megali Tessarakosti or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, Megali Nisteia , meaning "Great 40 Days", and "Great Fast", respectively),

4140-597: The Gospel if a Gospel reading is appointed later on (during Holy Week and on certain feasts in the Menaion). ' O Gladsome Light ' is sung as usual. Following this, the evening Prokimenon (based on a cycle of the Psalms used through Lent and Holy Week) is sung, and the first reading is read, normally from the Book of Genesis but during Holy Week from the Book of Exodus , followed by another Prokimenon. The priest then emerges from

4230-584: The Ladder when he was the Hegumen (Abbot) of Saint Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai . The Ladder is usually read in the trapeza (refectory) during meals, but it may alternatively be read during the Little Hours on weekdays so that everyone can hear. Many of the laity also read The Ladder privately during Great Lent. The theme of The Ladder is not Great Lent itself, but rather it deals with

4320-476: The Lord!"), wisdom appeals to human reason and observation. The pre-Exilic (i.e. pre-586 BC) Old Testament allowed no equals to YHWH in heaven, despite the continued existence of an assembly of subordinate servant-deities . The post-Exilic writers of the Wisdom tradition developed the idea that Wisdom existed before creation and was used by God to create the universe: "Present from the beginning, Wisdom assumes

4410-522: The Presanctified Liturgies that will be celebrated in the coming week. The exact same ceremonies and actions accompany the preparation and consecration of the extra lambs, as the one which will be used that day at the Divine Liturgy. After the consecration , just before the communion of the clergy, the rubric calls for the consecrated Lamb to be intincted with the consecrated Blood of Christ ; however, depending on local practice, this

4500-478: The Resurrection. Great Lent is intended to be a "workshop" where the character of the believer is spiritually uplifted and strengthened; where their life is rededicated to the principles and ideals of the Gospel; where fasting and prayer culminate in deep conviction of life; where apathy and disinterest turn into vigorous activities of faith and good works. Lent is not for the sake of Lent itself, as fasting

4590-742: The Sabbath [i.e., Saturday], the Lord's Day [Sunday], and the holy day of the Annunciation , the Liturgy of the Presanctified is to be served. Although the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is associated primarily with the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Catholics , it is known in other churches . In the liturgy of the Roman Rite on Good Friday , there is a similar rite that has been unofficially called

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4680-463: The Triodion can be divided into three sections: (1) the Pre-Lenten period, (2) the Great Forty Days, and (3) Holy Week. Before the forty days of Great Lent commence, there is a three-week Pre-Lenten season, to prepare the faithful for the spiritual work they are to accomplish during the Great Fast. During this period many of the themes which will be developed in the liturgical texts of the forty days are introduced. Each week runs from Monday to Sunday and

4770-437: The West, Sundays are included in the count while Holy Week is not. Great Lent officially begins on Clean Monday , seven weeks before Pascha ( Ash Wednesday is not observed in Eastern Christianity), and runs for 40 continuous days, concluding with the Presanctified Liturgy on Friday of the Sixth Week. The next day is called Lazarus Saturday , the day before Palm Sunday . Thus, in case the Easter dates coincide, Clean Monday

4860-409: The altar carrying a candle and censer, proclaiming, 'The Light of Christ illumines all,' while the congregation make a prostration. The second reading is then read, normally from the Book of Proverbs but during Holy Week from the Book of Job . Following this, the priest and choir enter into the dialogue 'Let my prayer arise', after which the Prayer of Saint Ephrem is said. If an Epistle and/or Gospel

4950-409: The ascent of the soul from earth to heaven. That is, from enslavement to the passions to the building up of the virtues and its eventual theosis (union with God), which is the goal of Great Lent. Besides the Ladder , in some monasteries the Paradise of the Holy Fathers by Palladius and the penitential sermons of St. Ephrem the Syrian are read during Matins . Liturgically, the period of

5040-417: The assumptions of the "wise". Noteworthy also is the fact that the "mighty acts of God" ( the Exodus , the giving of the Torah at Sinai, the Covenant between God and Israel, etc.) which make up Israel's history are completely or almost completely absent from Proverbs and the other Wisdom books: in contrast to the other books of the Hebrew Bible, which appeal to divine revelation for their authority ("Thus says

5130-406: The attitude of repentance which predominates on these days. Since it is considered especially important to receive the Holy Mysteries (Holy Communion) during this season, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts —also called the Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist — may be celebrated on weekdays. This service starts with Vespers during which a portion of the Body and Blood of Christ , which

5220-409: The believer during Great Lent is encapsulated in the words of Saint Paul : "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" ( Philippians 3:13–14 ). Through spending more time than usual in prayer and meditation on the Holy Scripture and the Holy Traditions of the Church,

5310-513: The believer in Christ becomes through the grace of God more godlike. The emphasis towards this period differs somewhat from Western Christianity- the Eastern focus is less on repentance and more of an attempt to recapture humanity's original state. Observance of Great Lent is characterized by fasting and abstinence from certain foods, intensified private and public prayer, self-examination, confession , personal improvement, repentance and restitution for sins committed, and almsgiving . Fasting

5400-447: The book's origins as not just an anthology but an anthology of anthologies). The reader is told, for example, both to "not answer a fool according to his folly," according to 26:4, and to "answer a fool according to his folly", as 26:5 advises. More pervasively, the recurring theme of the initial unit (chapters 1–9) is that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but the following units are much less theological, presenting wisdom as

5490-402: The chalice. Those portions of the reserved Lamb which will be used to give communion to the faithful are placed in unconsecrated wine in the chalice. Local opinion varies as to whether or not this unconsecrated wine must be thought of as the Blood of Christ (even if the bread was intincted ). The only practical effect of this variety is that the celebrant (priest or deacon ) who must consume all

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5580-473: The claims of the Arians . The Arians, assuming that Christ could be equated with the "Wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:24), argued that the Son, like Wisdom, was "created", and therefore subordinate to the Creator; their opponents, who argued that the relevant Hebrew word should be translated as "begot", won the debate, and the Nicene Creed declared that the Son was "begotten, not made", meaning that God and Christ were consubstantial . Online translations of

5670-412: The collections as follows: "Proverb" is a translation of the Hebrew word mashal , but "mashal" has a wider range of meanings than the short, catchy saying implied by the English word. Thus, roughly half the book is made up of "sayings" of this type, while the other half consists of longer poetic units of various types. These include "instructions" formulated as advice from a teacher or parent addressed to

5760-435: The date of the upcoming Pascha, the readings of the preceding weeks are either skipped (if Pascha will be early) or repeated (if it will be late) so that the readings for the 32nd Sunday after Pentecost always occur on the Sunday preceding the Week of the Publican and the Pharisee. In the Byzantine ("Greek") liturgical traditions, the Gospel reading for Zacchaeus remains in the normal lectionary cycle and does not always fall on

5850-427: The day from the Triodion (on the first four Fridays, these are further stichera to the martyrs in the tone of the week); and three (the first being repeated) being stichera of the feast from the Menaion , concluding with the theotokion (or, on the fifth Thursday, stavrotheotokion) from the Menaion or, on Fridays, the Octoechos . There are, however, variations on this: on the fifth Wednesday, thirty stichera are sung,

5940-442: The diskos, he holds it higher than the chalice, and the entrance is made in absolute silence, while everyone makes a full prostration . The Prayer of Saint Ephrem is then said once again. The Evening Litany is said, followed by the Lord's Prayer. The elevation takes place similarly to at a usual Liturgy. When it comes time for Holy Communion, the clergy make their communion as normal, except that no words accompany their drinking from

6030-456: The divine liturgy is not celebrated on weekdays, the Typica occupies its place in the canonical hours , whether or not a liturgy is celebrated at vespers. On Saturday and Sunday the Divine Liturgy may be celebrated as usual. On Saturdays, the usual Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated; on Sundays the longer Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is used. The services of the Canonical Hours are much longer during Great Lent and

6120-403: The effect that the following proverbs were transcribed "by the men of Hezekiah", indicating at face value that they were collected in the reign of Hezekiah in the late 8th century BCE. Chapters 30 and 31 (the "words of Agur," the "words of Lemuel," and the description of the ideal woman) are a set of appendices, quite different in style and emphasis from the previous chapters. The "wisdom" genre

6210-430: The fifth Sunday before Lent. In fact, it usually falls a few weeks before, and the fifth Sunday before Lent is known as the Sunday of the Canaanite Woman after the story in Matthew 15:21–28 . The Lenten significance of the Gospel account of Zacchaeus is that it introduces the themes of pious zeal (Zacchaeus' climbing up the sycamore tree; Jesus' words: "Zacchaeus, make haste"), restraint (Jesus' words: "come down"), making

6300-422: The first antiphon the Lamb is placed on the diskos, which is covered and censed. During the second antiphon, the priest, preceded by a deacon with a lighted candle, processes round the holy table thrice, each time censing it in the form of a cross. During the third antiphon the priest prostrates before the gifts which he then places on his head and carries, preceded by the deacon with lighted candle and censer, to

6390-463: The heavens… when he drew a circle on the face of the Deeps … when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him" – Proverbs 8:27–31). Since humans have life and prosperity by conforming to the order of creation, seeking wisdom is the essence and goal of the religious life. Wisdom, or the wise person, is compared and contrasted with foolishness or the fool, meaning one who is lacking in wisdom and uninterested in instruction, not one who

6480-740: The meal. Regardless of the rank of the feast being celebrated, the Lenten hymns contained in the Triodion are never omitted, but are always chanted in their entirety, even on the feast of the Annunciation. On the Saturdays, Sundays, and a number of weekdays during Great Lent, the service materials from the Triodion leave no room for the commemoration of the Saint of the day from the Menaion . In order that their services not be completely forgotten,

6570-400: The monastic rules. These rules exist not as a Pharisaic law, "burdens grievous to be borne" Luke 11:46 , but as an ideal to be striven for; not as an end in themselves, but as a means to the purification of heart, the enlightening of mind, the liberation of soul and body from sin, and the spiritual perfection crowned in the virtue of love towards God and man. In the Byzantine Rite, asceticism

6660-463: The order of creation, seeking wisdom is the essence and goal of life. The book of Proverbs is divided into sections: the initial invitation to acquire wisdom, another section focused mainly on contrasting the wise and the fool, and the third being moral discourses on various topics. Chapters 25–29 discuss justice, the wicked, and the rich and poor; chapter 30 introduces the " sayings of Agur " on creation and divine power. The superscriptions divide

6750-431: The other examples of the biblical wisdom tradition – Job and Ecclesiastes and some other writings – Proverbs raises questions of values, moral behavior, the meaning of human life, and righteous conduct. The three retain an ongoing relevance for both religious and secular readers, Job and Ecclesiastes through the boldness of their dissent from received tradition, Proverbs in its worldliness and satiric shrewdness. Wisdom

6840-635: The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus as a parallel to the Lazarus of Bethany who falls ill and is raised from the dead after four days in the tomb (John 11:1-45). A difference between the Eastern and Western observances is that while in the West the chanting of Alleluia ceases during Lent , in the East its use is increased. This is because for Christians, fasting should be joyous (cf. Matthew 6:16 ), and

6930-406: The previous Pascha). This day has one sole Pre-Lenten feature: the Gospel reading is always the account of Zacchaeus from Luke 19:1–10 , for which reason this Sunday is referred to as "Zacchaeus Sunday" (though the week before is not called "Zacchaeus week"). This reading actually falls at the end of the lectionary cycle, being assigned to the 32nd Week after Pentecost. However, depending upon

7020-480: The prothesis table where he censes and covers the gifts and pours wine and water into the chalice which he likewise covers. Following the kathisma, 'Lord, I call' is sung. Ordinarily, ten stichera are sung at a Liturgy of the Presanctified: one (repeated) being the idiomelon for the day, which would otherwise be sung at the aposticha , with its accompanying sticheron to the martyrs; three being stichera of

7110-561: The regular services. This replacement begins gradually, initially affecting only the Epistle and Gospel readings, and gradually increases until Holy Week when it entirely replaces all other liturgical material. During the Triduum even the Psalter is eliminated, and all texts are taken exclusively from the Triodion. The Triodion is used until the lights are extinguished before midnight at

7200-401: The role of master builder while God establishes the heavens, restricts the chaotic waters, and shapes the mountains and fields." Borrowing ideas from Greek philosophers who held that reason bound the universe together, the Wisdom tradition taught that God's Wisdom, Word and Spirit were the ground of cosmic unity. Christianity in turn adopted these ideas and applied them to Jesus: the Epistle to

7290-459: The sense of unworthiness must always be tempered with hope in God's forgiveness. In fact, days which follow the Lenten pattern of services are referred to as "days with Alleluia". This theme of "Lenten joy" is also found in many of the hymns of the Triodion, such as the stichera which begin with the words: "The Lenten Spring has dawned!..." ( Vespers Aposticha , Wednesday of Maslenitsa ) and "Now

7380-606: The spirit of penitence, but also to remind him of his Christian obligation of charity in praying for the departed. A number of Saturdays during Great Lent are Saturdays of the Dead , with many of the hymns of the Daily Office and at the Divine Liturgy dedicated to remembrance of the departed. These Saturdays are: In addition, the Lity , a brief prayer service for the departed, may be served on each weekday of Great Lent, provided there

7470-521: The structure of the services is different on weekdays. The usual evening small compline is replaced by the much longer service of Great Compline . While in the Russian tradition Great Compline is used on Friday night (though some parts are read rather than sung and some Lenten material is replaced by non-Lenten hymns), in the Greek practice, ordinary Compline is used together with, on the first four weeks,

7560-461: The twenty-four penitential stichera taking the place of the ones from the Menaion; on the first, fifth and sixth Fridays all the stichera are from the Triodion; and during Holy Week they are taken from Matins the night before. Certain feasts in the Menaion also have special rules which change the composition of the stichera. The Little Entrance follows, normally taking place with the censer, but with

7650-631: The undistributed communion at the end of the service might or might not partake of the chalice when he communes himself: if the wine that was poured into the chalice is not the Blood of Christ, he would need to consume all of the consecrated elements before drinking any of the wine because drinking unconsecrated wine breaks the Eucharistic fast. Different hymns are sung before, during and after communion to usual, based largely on different verses from Psalm 33, but 'Let our mouth be filled with Thy praise…'

7740-411: The whole of this section. Proverbs 10:1–22:16, with 375 sayings, consists of two parts, the first part (10–14) contrasting the wise man and the fool (or the righteous and the wicked), the second (15–22:16) addressing wise and foolish speech. Verse 22:17 opens ‘the words of the wise’, until verse 24:22, with short moral discourses on various subjects. An additional section of sayings which "also belong to

7830-404: The wise" follows in verses 24:23-34. Chapters 25–29, attributed to the editorial activity of "the men of Hezekiah ", contrast the just and the wicked and broach the topic of rich and poor. Chapter 30:1-4, the "sayings of Agur", introduces creation, divine power, and human ignorance. Chapter 31, "the sayings of King Lemuel — an inspired utterance his mother taught him", describes a virtuous woman,

7920-477: The “Contemporary” Sundays of St Gregory Palamas, St John of the Ladder, and St Mary of Egypt.  On each of these, the troparia of the 1st Canon at Matins reference the more ancient commemoration, the Prodigal Son, Good Samaritan, and the Rich Man and Lazarus respectively.   During Palm Week, between the Sunday of St Mary of Egypt and Lazarus Saturday, the 1st Canon at Matins on each weekday references

8010-551: Was reserved the previous Sunday, is brought to the prothesis table . This is followed by a solemn great entrance where the Holy Mysteries are brought to the altar table, and then, skipping the anaphora (eucharistic prayer) , the outline of remainder of the divine liturgy is followed, including holy communion . Most parishes and monasteries celebrate this liturgy only on Wednesdays, Fridays and feast days , but it may be celebrated on any weekday of Great Lent. Because

8100-430: Was widespread throughout the ancient Near East , and reading Proverbs alongside the examples recovered from Egypt and Mesopotamia reveals the common ground shared by international wisdom. The wisdom literature of Israel may have been developed in the family, the royal court, and houses of learning and instruction; nevertheless, the overwhelming impression is of instruction within the family in small villages. Along with

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