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.