Holy Saturday / The Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos

 

 

Vespers is usually served in the afternoon (around 3 PM). Before the beginning of Vespers, the Crucifix at the center of the temple is taken away. The holy Epitaphios is laid on the Altar. A small Gospel book is placed in the middle of the Epitaphios. A table or special stand is erected at the center of the church to serve as the Tomb on which the Epitaphios will be placed later. The service follows the Triodion and the Menaion. The usual beginning: Blessed is our God. Reader: Amen. Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. O Heavenly King. Trisagion to Our Father. Lord, have mercy x12. G/N: O come let us worship. Psalm 103. Great litany. No kathisma.   

        Lord, I have cried, Tone 1, on 10: Triodion 6 (The whole creation was changed by fear); Feast: 4 (Gabriel stood before thee); G: Triodion (See how the lawless synagogue); N: Feast (The Archangel Gabriel).

        Entrance with the Gospel book; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon: They have parted my garments amongst themselves, and for my vesture have they cast lots. The Royal Doors are shut. Reading from Ex. 33:11-23. The Royal Doors are opened. Prokimenon: Judge them, O Lord, that do me injustice; war against them that war against me. The Royal Doors are shut. Readings from Job 42:12-17 and the Prophecy of Isa. 52:13-54:1. 5 Reading for the Feast. The Royal Doors are opened. Let us attend! Peace be onto all! Prokimenon: They laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness and the shadow of death. Epistle: I Cor. 1:18-2:2 (§125). Gospel: Composite, beginning at Matt. §110 (Matthew 12:1-38; Luke 23:29-43; Matt. 27:39-54; John 19:31-27; Matt. 27:55-61), read from the Ambon, by the Deacon. Before the reading: Glory to Thy Passion, O Lord, glory to thee. After the reading: Glory to Thy longsuffering, O Lord, glory to Thee. Litany: Let us all say. Vouchsafe, O Lord. Litany: Let us complete our evening prayer.

        At the Aposticha: stichera of the Triodion (Down from the Tree); G: Feast (Today is the joy of the annunciation); N: Triodion (Joseph with Nicodemus).

        During the singing of this last sticheron the Priest and Deacon cense the Altar and Epitaphios thrice.

        Now lettest Thou. Trisagion to Our Father. Priest: the exclamation. Choir: Amen. Troparia: Feast (Today is the fountainhead of our salvation); G/N: Tone 2: The noble Joseph (slowly); we do not sing Unto the myrrh-bearing women.

        During the singing of the troparia the Epitaphios is carried to the center of the temple through the north door. The Rector walks under the Epitaphios holding the Gospel Book. The Epitaphios is laid on the Tomb and the Gospel Book is placed on it. Then the Tomb is censed thrice. Homily. Wisdom! and the rest. Dismissal: May Christ our true God, Who for us men and for our salvation did deign to suffer the dread passion, and the life-creating Cross and voluntary burial in the flesh, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother; of our holy and God-bearing fathers; and of all the saints: have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind. The clergy and congregation prostrate and venerate the Epitaphios. We then sing the sticheron Come, let us bless the ever-memorable Joseph (Triodion, p. 654f). The Royal Doors and curtain are closed.

 

Small Compline: The Priest blesses the start of Small Compline and after divesting, customarily reads the canon himself, vested in the epitrachelion. Canon: Irmos and Katavasia Crossing the deep on foot as it were dry land. Refrain: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. The canon is read to the side of the Tomb so as to allow the congregation to venerate the Epitaphios. Kontakion: Come, and let us all sing the praises of Him Who was crucified for us; G/N: Kontakion (To thee the champion leader). Usual forgiveness and lesser dismissal.

 

Matins according to the Typikon is served in the first hour after midnight, or a little later, before dawn, as was the practice of the Russian Church in parish churches. Where this is not possible, Matins is served Friday evening.

        The usual beginning in front of the Holy Table, Blessed is our God. O Heavenly King, Trisagion, Our Father, Lord, have mercy x12; G/N: O come, let us worship. Psalms 19 and 20 and troparia. Exclamation: Glory to the Holy and the Six Psalms read in front of the Epitaphios. The Priest reads the prayers of light and the Deacon proclaims the Great Litany in front of the Epitaphios also.

        God is the Lord, Tone 2, Troparion The noble Joseph; When Thou didst descend unto death, O Life Immortal; G: Unto the myrrh-bearing women; N: Feast (Today is the fountainhead of our salvation). During the singing of the first troparion, the Royal Doors are opened and the priests, vested in black Phelonia, exit and stand in front of the Epitaphios. The Rector with the Deacon censes the Epitaphios, Altar and entire temple. Candles are distributed to the faithful.

        Then Blessed are blameless, that is, Kathisma 17 with the verses of the Lamentations, sung in Tone 5.

        Kathisma 17 is divided into three stases. At the end of each, Glory…; verse; Both now…; verse; then, repeat the first verse of the stasis (except after the third stasis).

        After the first stasis, the Small Litany with the exclamation: For blessed is Thy name and glorified is Thy Kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

        After the Small Litany, the small censing (by the Deacon, or where there is no deacon, by the Priest) and then the second stasis. After the second stasis, the Small Litany with the exclamation: For holy art Thou, our God, Who does rest upon the glorious throne of the cherubim, and to Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thine eternal Father and Thy most holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

        Then the small censing and the third stasis, chanted in Tone 3. At the end, Glory…; verse; Both now…; verse and immediately, The Evlogitaria (The assembly of angels was amazed) with the usual refrain, Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach my Thy statutes. At this time the Rector censes the entire temple beginning at the Epitaphios. Small litany with the exclamation: For Thou art the King of peace, O Christ our God, and to Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thine eternal Father, and Thy most holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

        Sessional hymn of the Triodion, Joseph begged Thy holy body from Pilate; G/N: The angelic choirs are filled with wonder.

        Polyeleos and Magnification of the Feast: With the Archangel’s voice we cry to thee, O most-pure one: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee (The temple is not again censed).

        Small litany and Sessional hymns of the Feast: Gabriel from heaven; G/N: Gabriel was sent. Hymns of Ascents, First Antiphon, Tone 4: From my youth. Prokimenon of the Feast, Tone 4: Proclaim from day to day the good tidings of the salvation of our God. Matins Gospel: Luke 1:39-49,56 (§4).

        Psalm 50; G: Through the prayers of the Theotokos; N: Repeat; Have mercy on me, O God. Sticheron of the Feast (Today Gabriel). Save, O God, Thy people. 

        Canon: Feast with Irmos 8, Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Triodion with Irmos 8, Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

Irmos of the Feast (I shall open my mouth) & Irmos and Katavasia of Holy Saturday (He Who in ancient times). There is a tradition for the Priest to read this canon in front of the Epitaphios.

        After Ode 3: Kontakion (He that shut up the abyss is seen as one dead), Ikos, and Sessional hymn of the day (The soldiers keeping watch over Thy tomb, O Savior); G/N: (The Word of God; G/N: Gabriel, the supreme commander). After Ode 6, Kontakion (To thee the champion leader) and Ikos of the Feast.

At Ode 9, we do not sing More Honorable.  We instead sing the refrain of the Feast: O earth, announce glad tidings of great joy! Ye heavens, praise the glory of God; with the canon of the feast, but the usual refrain (Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee) for the troparia from the Triodion. Then the Katavasia for Holy Saturday, followed by the refrain and Irmos of the Feast. After Ode 9: Tone 2: Holy is the Lord our God.

        Exapostilaria:  Feast (The supreme commander); G/N: Feast (The mystery of God).

        Praises, Tone 2, on 6: Triodion 3 (Today a tomb holds Him Who holds the creation); Feast 3 (Flying down to Nazareth); then the additional Psalm verse: Proclaim from day to day the good tidings of the salvation of our God, followed by the sticheron of the Feast (Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice!); G: Triodion (Moses the great mystically prefigured this present day); N: Most blessed art thou.

        During the singing of the Praises, the Rector vests completely, as at a Liturgy. The Royal Doors are opened and with the singing of Most blessed art thou. The clergy exit and stand in front of the Epitaphios. Exclamation: Glory to Thee who hast showed us the light. The Great Doxology is sung. The Rector and Deacon cense around the Epitaphios thrice. Then, while the choir sings the final Holy God to a slow and solemn melody, as in a funeral melody, the Epitaphios is lifted and carried around the temple in a procession. At the head of the procession: lantern, Cross, banners and choir, singing Holy God (funeral melody). The clergy carry the Epitaphios. The Rector walks under it carrying the Gospel Book. Then follows the congregation, bearing lighted candles. The procession reenters the temple. The Epitaphios is carried up to the Royal Doors. The Rector, after the completion of the Trisagion exclaims: Wisdom! Aright! The choir sings the Troparion, The noble Joseph (slowly) x1. The Epitaphios is carried to the center and returned to the Tomb. The Gospel Book is placed over it and the Rector and Deacon cense thrice around the Epitaphios.

        Then, the Troparion of the Prophecy (O Christ, Who holdest fast the ends of the earth); G/N: repeat. Deacon: Let us attend! Prokimenon, Arise, O Lord, help us, and redeem us for Thy name’s sake. The reading from the prophecy of Ezekiel 37:1-14 (read in front of the Epitaphios, to the side). Deacon: Let us attend! Priest: Peace be unto all. Reader: And to thy spirit. Prokimenon, Arise, O Lord my God, let Thy hand be lifted high; forget not Thy paupers to the end. Epistle: I Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 3:13-14 (§133). Alleluia, Tone 5 with verses Let God arise, etc. Gospel reading: Matthew 27:62-66 (§114), read by the Rector in front of the Epitaphios. Before and after the reading, we sing Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee. Litany: Let us all say and augmented litany Let us complete our morning prayer and the rest of Matins. The dismissal: May Christ our true God, Who for us men and for our salvation did deign to suffer the dread passion, and the life-creating Cross and voluntary burial in the flesh, through the intercessions of His most pure Mother; and of all the saints: have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loveth mankind. And after the dismissal, we sing the stichera for the veneration Come and let us bless Joseph of everlasting memory, during which we venerate and kiss the Holy Epitaphios. Then the First Hour.

 

Hours: Troparia: Feast; G: The noble Joseph. & Unto the myrrh-bearing women, alternating. Kontakion: He that shut up the abyss is seen as one dead. & Feast, alternating.

 

Typika: The Typical psalms are not said, but rather, at the conclusion of the 9th hour we read the Beatitudes, quickly, without prostrations. The Creed is not read, but after Both now skip to Remit, pardon, forgive, O God. Our Father. Kontakion of Holy Saturday (He that shut up the abyss is seen as one dead); G/N: Feast. Lord, have mercy. x40; O All-Holy Trinity, the Consubstantial Dominion. Priest: Wisdom! Choir: It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and most blameless, and Mother of Our God. Priest: Most holy Theotokos, save us. Choir: More honorable. Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee. Choir: G/N; Lord, have mercy. x3; Father, bless. Priest: Lesser Dismissal. Then, we begin Vespers immediately.

 

Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great: According to the Typikon, the Vesperal Liturgy is the latest-served Liturgy of the year.

        Before the beginning of the service, the Holy Table, Table of Oblation, and analogia are vested in Paschal coverings and covered over with dark coverings (or arranged in some other way so that is will be possible to change the vestment color quickly). Likewise, the Priest may partially vest in Paschal (the sticharion and cuffs) and over them in the Lenten (phelonion, epitrachilion). The entries process in front of the Epitaphios.

        Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom. Choir: Amen. Reader: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee. O Heavenly King and the rest. Psalm 103. The Priest reads the Prayers of Light in front of the Epitaphios. The Deacon proclaims the Great Litany also in front of the Epitaphios.

        Lord, I have cried, Tone 1, on 10: Resurrection 3 (Accept our evening prayers, O Holy Lord); Great Saturday 3 (Today hell groans and cries aloud); Feast: 4 (During the sixth month – the stichera of the Archangel are omitted); G: Triodion (Moses the great mystically prefigured this present day); N: Feast (The Archangel Gabriel was sent). Entrance with the Gospel; O Gladsome Light. No prokimenon. Immediately: Wisdom! The Royal Doors are shut.

        15 Old Testament readings. Toward the end of the 6th reading the Royal Doors are opened, and the Reader majestically proclaims the beginning of the Song of Miriam: Let us sing to the Lord! and the rest. Choir: For gloriously is He glorified!  At the end, the Reader sings the same refrain. The Royal Doors are shut. Readings 7-15 are read. Toward the end of the 15th reading the Royal Doors are opened and the reader and choir (in the same manner as with the 6th reading) chant the Song of the Three Youths. Refrain: O praise ye the Lord, and supremely exalt Him unto the ages.

        Small litany, with the exclamation: For holy art Thou, O our God. Instead of the Trisagion, As many as have been baptized.

        Prokimenon, Tone 5: Let all the earth worship Thee and sing psalms unto Thee; let them sing psalms unto Thy name, O Most High. & Tone 4: Proclaim from day to day the good tidings. Epistle: Rom. 6:3-11 (§91): Heb. 2:11-18 (§306). Censing. Then, the Royal Doors are shut and the curtain is drawn for the re-vesting. After the Epistle, Priest: Peace be unto thee. Reader: And to thy spirit. Alleluia is not sung. Instead, the Reader, in Tone 7: Arise, O God, judge the earth, for Thou shalt have an inheritance among all the nations. The choir responds with the same. While this is being sung, the clergy vest in white and the coverings in the church are changed to white. At the conclusion of Arise, O God, the Royal Doors are opened. Gospel: Matt. 28:1-20 (§115); Luke 1:24-38 (§3) read in front of the Epitaphios. Before and after the reading: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

        Instead of the Cherubic Hymn, Let all mortal flesh keep silence. The Great entrance in front of the Epitaphios. After the entrance: Amen, and the rest of the hymn: Before Him go the choirs of angels. At the litanies, instead of  day”, we say “evening.” 

        Instead of It is truly meet, the Irmos of Ninth Ode: Weep not for Me, O Mother. However, in a Temple dedicated to the Annunciation, we sing the refrain Proclaim, O earth; with the Irmos of the Ninth Ode of Annunciation (Let no profane hand).

        Communion Hymn: The Lord awoke as one that sleepeth, and He hath risen and saved us. & The Lord hath elected Zion, He hath chosen her to be a habitation for Himself. 

        After the Prayer from Behind the Ambo, censing of the table with the 5 loaves and wine, which is prepared in front of the Epitaphios. Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord! Choir: Lord, have mercy. The Priest reads the prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ our God… bless also these loaves, and wine (oil is not mentioned). Then: Blessed be the name of the Lord. I will bless the Lord, (Psalm 33), and the Sunday Dismissal. And after receiving the antidoron, the faithful partake of the blessed bread and wine.