Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

March 17. Thursday of the 5th week of Great Lent

 

Wednesday Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts: Kathisma 7.

Lord I have Cried, Tone 8, 30 stichera, beginning from verse The sinners shall fall into their own net: Idiomelon of the Triodion x2 (In my wretchedness); Martyricon x1 (If there be any virtue); three prosomia of the Triodion (O Lord, Thou hast made); then the 24 stichera of the Great Canon (I have wasted all my lifeTriodion, p. 372ff), with bows (3 bows from the waist for each sticheron); G: Triodion (Ineffable is Thy compassion); N: Theotokion (O condescension past all speech).

Entrance with the censer: O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon, Tone 4: The Lord is the God of vengeances; the God of vengeances hath spoken openly. Reading: Gen. 17:1-9. Prokimenon, Tone 4: O sing unto the Lord a new song. Reading: Prov. 15:20-16:9.

Let my prayer arise and the rest of the Pre-sanctified Liturgy.

 

Small Compline is served without canons and without prostrations. Kontakion of the Triodion, My soul, my soul.

 

Matins with the Great Canon (served Wednesday evening):

The usual beginning for daily Matins.

The Six Psalms. Great Litany.

In place of God is the Lord, we sing Alleluia, Tone 8 (verses and Hymns of the Trinity, from the Horologion). The ending of the first hymn is for Thursday: though the intercessions of Thy holy apostles and Saint Nicholas, have mercy on us.

Kathisma 8. Lord, have mercy x3.

Sessional Hymns from the Octoechos, Tone 8 (Triodion, p. 697f).

And the reading of the first half of the life of St. Mary of Egypt.

Lord, have mercy x3; G/N: Psalm 50. The prayer Save, O God, Thy people is not said.

 

Canon: The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. The troparia are read by the priest in the middle of the temple. Before each troparion, we sing Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, with three bows from the waist. Before troparia to St. Mary, we sing Venerable mother Mary, pray to God for us, and before troparia to St. Andrew, we sing Venerable father Andrew, pray to God for us.

 

Before Odes 4, 8 and 9, the two three-canticled canons from the Triodion are read without irmoi and without bows, with the refrain, Holy apostles, pray to God for us.

 

After Ode 3, Sessional Hymns from the Triodion (Divinely shining lights; G: O company of the twelve apostles; N: The Son and Word of God). And the second half of the life of St. Mary is read.

After Ode 6, Kontakion (My soul, my soul), Ikos and Beatitudes for the Great Canon.

At Ode 9, More Honorable.

 

The Photagogica, Tone 8 (in the Horologion). The ending of the first hymn is: though the intercessions, O Lord, of Thine Apostles and Saint Nicholas, and save me.

The Praises (with no stichera) and Small Doxology are read. Litany: Let us complete.

Aposticha: from the Triodion, Tone 8 (Into the ambushes of thieves), with the usual refrains from the Horologion.

It is good to give praise x1; Trisagion prayers; Standing in the temple. Lord, have mercy x40; G/N: More honorable. In the name of the Lord. Priest: He that is. Reader: Amen. O Heavenly King. Prayer of St. Ephrem, with 3 Great Prostrations. No dismissal for Matins, but instead the first hour is begun.

 

First Hour: No Kathisma. Troparia: In the morning hearken unto my voice, is read (not sung) with bows from the waist. Kontakion: My soul, my soul. After Thou Who at all times, the Prayer of St. Ephrem, with 3 Great Prostrations. We do not read the concluding Trisagion, but rather, immediately, O Christ the True Light, and the full Dismissal of the day.


Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours: Kathismas 9, 10 and 11. The lenten troparia are read (not sung), with bows from the waist.

Kontakion: My soul, my soul. After Thou Who at all times, the Prayer of St. Ephrem, with 3 Great Prostrations. At the 6th Hour, the troparion of the prophecy; and the prokimena and reading from the Triodion (Triodion, p. 416).

 

Typika: After the 9th hour, we read (not sing) the Beatitudes and Remember us, O Lord, then the rest of the service of the Typica. After Our Father: Kontakion My soul, my soul. The Typica ends as follows: after the Prayer of St. Ephrem with 3 Great Prostrations, then immediately: O All-Holy Trinity. Priest: Wisdom! Choir: It is truly meet. Priest: O Most Holy Theotokos. Choir: More honorable. And the dismissal as usual.

Vespers with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts: Kathisma 12.
Lord, I have cried, Tone 8, on 10: Triodion 6 (Of mine own free will Triodion, p. 416f); Hierarch 4 (Having shone forth like a star – St. Cyril of Jerusalem, March 18); G/N: Stavrotheotokion in the Menaion (O Virgin who gavest birth to God my Savior).

Entrance with the censer; O Gladsome Light; Prokimenon of the Triodion, Tone 7: Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship the footstool of His feet, for He is holy. Reading: Genesis 18:20-33. Prokimenon of the Triodion, Tone 6: Shout with jubilation unto God, all the earth. Reading: Proverbs 16:17-17:17.

Let my prayer arise, and the rest of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

 

Great Compline Thursday night: is read without canon (cf. Rozanov, pp. 645f.).