On Sacred Prayer

regarding matters that may seem useful and are spoken of according to the divine doctors of the Church, let them be received in charity, and let them be permitted to be read by the brothers; but if anything should appear not to be good, I pray that he who knows well what is correct may correct us with a brotherly spirit; for we desire to be corrected, and we earnestly seek this, wishing to be subject to our Mother the Church, and to our fathers and brothers in Christ. Nor do we esteem ourselves to be such as do not stand in need of correction, nor do we undertake these tasks as if we had reached the pinnacle of knowledge—not at all! But we do so because of brothers who ask out of necessity, as we feel obligated to speak out of the immense grace of the Spirit given to us beyond our merits, since by divine mercy we have been appointed by the Church of Christ to this end: to speak concerning sacred doctrines and dogmas from the sayings of the Spirit, and to be concerned with the most sacred disciplines of the Church, and in like manner to fulfill and weigh them, and to answer brothers who approach to ask based on the Scriptures, and to give life-saving counsel. Therefore, for this reason we also dare to speak these things from the most holy Scriptures. But if to some more insightful brothers these things should appear to need correction, we desire this, being subject to the Church of Christ with an ardent spirit, and seeking in charity, we entreat. We must therefore begin to speak about the divine prayers of the Church ^A according to your inquiry.

CONCERNING THE SACRED PRAYER

The discourse on prayer, brothers, is manifold and of the greatest importance, and, to speak the truth, this is the work entrusted to us by God, and the head of every other thing. For prayer is to be with God, and to be always with God, and to have the soul conglutinated—as David said—and inseparable from Him, and the mind similarly joined so that it cannot be torn away. For he says: "My soul has cleaved after Thee," and, "My soul has thirsted for Thee," and, "As the hart pants after the fountains of water, so pants my soul after Thee, O God," and, "I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength," and, "My soul is in Thy hands always," that is, with Thee. Therefore he also said: "I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall be always in my mouth." This is done with the angels themselves; man is united with them ^B in a good love and holy desire, and he says: "Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest; praise Him, all

^B His angels; praise Him, all His hosts." Not that He urges on those not praising, but rather as He has assigned this as the own proper work of the angels, and one without intermission through their love for God—as if He were praising them, encouraging them, and joining Himself to them—since prayer and the praise of God are a work that has neither rest nor interruption. Furthermore, this excellent and angelic psalmist, David, calls upon the whole world, foretelling, I believe, the saving manifestation and, through this, the knowledge of the Trinity to be given to the nations and their perennial glorification of God. "Praise," he says, "the Lord, all you nations; praise Him, all you peoples." That this hymn is sung to God by the angels without ceasing, Isaiah also teaches, seeing the glory of God and the angels singing the *Trisagion* without end; and Ezekiel similarly. And this is the work of the first ranks, namely the Seraphim and Cherubim. For some of them are called fiery on account of their love and their fervor in zeal and hymn, and this is what "Seraphim" signifies; while others are called an "outpouring" ^C on account of the breadth of their knowledge and praise, and this is what the word "Cherubim" denotes. These are also "many-eyed," on account of the abundant, refined, and keen nature of their contemplation and praise and its unceasing quality. Therefore, there are also among us fervent holy men, made fiery by charity and by zeal and by the prayer of the heart, according to what is said: "My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire will kindle"; and, "Was not our heart burning within us?" and, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?"; and, "Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, constant in prayer." There are also many among us who possess an outpouring of the knowledge of God, and like abundant water are poured out toward divine desire, according to that which is written: "Grace is poured forth upon your lips"; and, "You have enlarged my heart"; and, "Pour out Your mercy upon us." And they are wholly as eyes looking upon God, loving Him, according to what is written: "My eyes are ever toward the Lord"; and, "I foresaw the Lord always before my face," who, as being pure in heart, see the Lord. And some among us even imitate the third ^D order, that of the Thrones. And just as God finds rest in them—for the throne is a seat and a chair—so indeed in these who honor God with thoughts, and hymns, and words, and actions, whose rest is honor, and who live in accordance with Him who says: "Arise, O Lord, into Your rest"; and, "Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever." In whom also God, being well-pleased, says, "I will dwell in them and walk among them"; and, "I and the Father will come, and we will make our abode with him"; and, "Do you not know that Christ dwells in you? unless you be rejected." This, therefore, is to have Christ: to carry Him about in the heart and in the mind, and to be mindful of Him without ceasing, to meditate upon Him, and to burn with desire for Him after the manner of the Seraphim, to see Him always like the Cherubim, to have Him resting in the heart like the Thrones; this is the work

^A of prayer. Therefore, prayer is a work preeminent for the servants of Christ above all else; for the other tasks are ministerial and secondary. Whence also to the other angels who rejoice in the title of divine ministries, David says: “Bless the Lord, all you His angels, powerful in strength, performing His word, so as to hear the voice of His words.” For even if they are such in their zeal and fervent in fulfilling what is commanded, and this is the work of true obedience and humility, yet he says: “Bless and glorify Him forever,” not as though compelling them to say this, but as they are doing it ceaselessly, and honoring Him along with their other service, and joining himself to them and to all; because this alone is offered to God. For ministries are for our sake, since we have need, but God is in need of nothing, except to be celebrated with hymns ^B as one worthy of it due to His benefits, which is also done for the sake of those for whom He does good. Whence, after the three highest orders, the remaining orders possess liturgical names. And those are called Virtues (Δυνάμεις), because they are strengthened by God and by the orders above them, and they strengthen those that are lower. The Powers (Ἐξουσίαι), because they are empowered by God and the first orders, and they empower those below them. And the Dominions (Κυριότητες) likewise, being mastered by God and the orders before them—Him by nature, them by dignity and knowledge—and they master those orders ^C lower than themselves. In like manner, this third order is intermediate, and possesses preeminence over the last, because it is referred to God who makes them powerful and princes and lords, and furthermore it grows rich in desire and praise which does not fail. Again, they are called Principalities (Ἀρχαί), starting and moved from the first single principle of the most arch-princely Trinity, and ruling over those below them. And Archangels are so called as being the first messengers of the divine will and words, and princes of the order below them. The last of all are the angels, ^D so named because they are sent for our salvation and announce the divine will. These, therefore, are all indeed servants of God and ministers sent for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation; but furthermore, they are engaged in the perpetual work of praise. Therefore, while they appear to us to perform salutary ministries, they are never seen without hymns and prayer, announcing to us our founder God, and exhorting us to hymn Him alone. Wherefore the angel appearing to Moses said: “Loose the sandal from your feet, in honor of God.” And Isaiah heard them singing, as well as Ezekiel and Daniel. The shepherds, too, when Christ was born, saw a multitude of the heavenly host of angels praising God and saying: “Glory in the highest.” And in the Apocalypse John...

^A heard other beings singing, as well as the twenty-four elders and those who had been slain because of the Lamb, who is the living Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. And furthermore, he heard the one who was initiating him into the mysteries of the Apocalypse say to him: “Do not worship me; I am your fellow servant; worship God.” Do you see that all offer honor to God, and that alongside their service they always praise Him exceptionally? For this reason, the divine speaker Paul, who is angelic and seraphic—having ascended as into a third heaven—also says to us: “Pray without ceasing.” And he learns this from the Master of all who teaches: “Watch, therefore, at every time, praying,” and, “Watch, therefore, for you do not know at what hour your Lord is coming,” and, “Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation,” and, “Let your loins be girded, and your lamps burning, and you yourselves like men waiting for their lord, when he will return from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately.” These things he teaches regarding interior prayer, the guarding of the temple, and unceasing prayer. And he adds: “Blessed is that servant whom his Lord, when He comes, shall find doing so.” And he adds the rewards ^B to be given to those who watch and pray: “He will set him over all his possessions”; He will render them as gods and heavenly kings, shining above the sun, and He Himself will serve them: “He will gird Himself,” He says, “and will make them recline, and passing by, He will serve them,” that is, He will share all his good things with them. Do you see the benefits from God for those who watch and pray? May we too be deemed worthy of these, watching always and praying without ceasing, as we were taught.

Chapter CCXCIV. Concerning the saving appellation and invocation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is a truly holy and deifying prayer.

There are, then, very many prayers, about which we shall speak one by one as we are able; but the most excellent of all ^C is that which was given to us by our Savior in the Gospels, containing in brief the whole evangelical knowledge and power, and the saving invocation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Regarding this, many other of our holy Fathers have labored, namely the golden-tongued Father who spoke of this prayer in three discourses, as well as the divinely inspired author of the Ladder (John Climacus), and the ascetic Nicephorus, and Diadochus, bishop of the holy see of Photice, and the holy Simeon the New Theologian, and others besides, having spoken worthily through the Divine Spirit dwelling in them—since this prayer is said in the Holy Spirit, just as Paul says: “No one can ^D say 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit.” And he who says it is from God. For he says: “Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.”

CHAPTER CCXCV. Concerning our blessed Fathers, the patriarch Callistus and Ignatius.

^A Especially in these our days, those who were moved by the Spirit, as being themselves from God, speaking of God, God-bearers, Christ-bearers, and truly divine—our holy Father Callistus, who was by God patriarch of the Queen of Cities, the new Rome, and his co-breather and fellow-ascetic, the holy Ignatius—have written concerning this. In a book of their own composition, they philosophized spiritually, divinely, and most loftily in one hundred chapters—a perfect number—setting forth a perfect knowledge regarding this. Being scions of this Queen of Cities, having abandoned all things at once, they lived first in virginity and monastic life under obedience, and later spent their lives inseparably in asceticism and heavenly [contemplation]. They exceptionally preserved within themselves that unity in Christ which Christ Himself asked of the Father for all of us, and, like stars in the world, to speak with Paul, they appeared holding the word of life. For they cultivated the unity in Christ and love to a degree beyond almost ^B many of the saints, so that it could not even be imagined that there ever existed any difference between them, even to the slightest gesture or character, or any trace of sadness for a single moment, a thing almost impossible among men. Because of this, they became angelic, and having preserved and obtained within themselves the peace of God which he prayed for—which is Jesus Christ our peace, as Paul said, “He who made both one,” whose peace surpasses all understanding—they have now passed on in peace. They now enjoy the highest tranquility and behold more purely that Jesus whom they truly sought, and they are one with Him, participating without satiety in His light, ^C of which they received the pledges here on earth, having become pure in mind and deeds. They attained a divine illumination similar to that which the apostles received on the mount. This has been clearly shown as a testimony to many, as they were seen shining in their countenance like Stephen, with the grace poured out not only in their heart but also upon their face. Therefore, they were seen like that great Moses, as those who saw them have testified, shining with a solar aspect in their form. As they have happily experienced this blessed affection and know it by experience, they are clearly set forth as holy witnesses regarding the divine light of the natural operation and grace of God, and also regarding sacred prayer.

CHAPTER CCXCVI. In what words the sacred prayer consists.

This divine prayer, then, the invocation of our Savior—that is, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me”—is both a prayer and a supplication, and a confession of faith, and a bestower of the Holy Spirit, ^D and a granter of divine gifts, and a purification of the heart, and a driving away of demons, and the indwelling of Jesus Christ, and a fountain of spiritual thoughts and divine counsels, and

^B a giver of these to those in whom He dwells; and a redemption from sins, because through it, "whatsoever thou shalt loose," He says, "shall be loosed in heaven;" and a medicine for souls and bodies, for He says, "In the name of Jesus Christ arise and walk;" and, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ healeth thee;" and a giver of divine light, because Christ is the true light, and He imparts His brightness and grace to those who call upon Him. "And let," He says, "the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us;" and, "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life;" and a fountain of divine mercy, because we seek mercy; and the Lord is merciful, and He pities all who call upon Him; and He will make judgment speedily for those who cry out to Him; and a grantor of divine revelations and mysteries to the humble, because this was given even to Peter the fisherman through the revelation of the Father who is in heaven. And Paul was caught up in Christ, and heard secret words; and He always works this; and the only salvation, because in no other, says the Apostle, is it possible for us to be saved. And this is Christ, the Saviour of the world. Therefore, also on the last day, every tongue shall confess and shall praise, willingly or unwillingly, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And this is the sign of our faith, because we are also and are called Christians, and the testimony that we are from God. For every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, he says, as we have said before, and that which does not ^C confess is not from God. And this is that of the Antichrist, that which does not confess Jesus Christ. Therefore, it behooves all the faithful to confess this name without ceasing, both for the sake of the proclamation of the faith, and for the sake of the charity from which nothing

whatsoever can ever separate us, and because of the grace, forgiveness, redemption, healing, sanctification, and illumination derived from His name, and above all, salvation. For in this divine name the apostles performed wonders and taught. And the divine Evangelist says: “These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God”—behold the faith—“and that believing, you may have life in His name”—behold salvation and life. ^A

CHAPTER CCXCVII.

Therefore, let every religious man utter this name and this prayer continually, having it in his mind and on his tongue, both while standing, and while traveling, and sitting, and reclining at table; and in all that he says and does, let him gird himself for this, and he will find the greatest tranquility and joy, as those who attend to it know by experience. But since this work exceeds our strength as long as we are in this life, even for those monks who live in the midst of tumult, it behooves each one to have a set time for this, and for all—priests, monks, and laics alike—to have this prayer as a model to be fulfilled according to their ability. ^B

Now those who are monks, as being ordained for this and having an urgent duty regarding it, even if they be in the tumult of ministries, must yet always endeavor to pay this debt of prayer and pray to the Lord without ceasing; and even if they be afflicted by wandering thoughts and confusion, or by what is called the true captivity of the mind, let them take care not to be led astray by the enemy through negligence, but let them return to the prayer and rejoice upon returning. But let priests indulge in this work as in an apostolic task, just as they do with divine preaching, since it fulfills divine operations and brings forth the charity of Christ. But those living in the world should perform this work to the limit of their ability, as their own seal and the mark of their faith, and as a protection, a sanctification, and a means of putting all temptation to flight. ^C

Wherefore, it behooves all, priests, laics, and monks alike, when awakened from sleep, first to think of Christ and first to remember Christ, and to offer this to Christ as the first-fruits of every thought and as a sacrifice; for we ought to remember Christ, who saved us and so loved us, before any other thought, since we are and are called Christians, and have put Him on in divine baptism, and have been signed with His chrism, and have participated and do participate in His holy flesh and blood, and are His members and His temple, and have put Him on, and He dwells within us; and for this reason we ought to love Him and always remember Him. Whence let each person have a set time according to his capacity and a certain measure of performing this prayer, ^D and just as...

^A regarding the debt to be paid—let those indeed who are inquiring about this matter find many documents to instruct them in it. Now, however, we must begin, as was proposed, to speak of the divine prayers of the Church which are performed in order, since the inquiry concerns these as well; and so let us see according to our ability. First, we say that this is the work of angels, as we have said before, and for this reason the Church is diligent in it as something most divine. For every other work—namely, almsgiving and the service of brethren, or the visiting of the sick, or the provision for those in prison, or the redemption of captives, and the like—is performed out of love for the brethren, and through them one approaches God. But poverty, fasting, sleeping on the ground, genuflection, vigil, and other such things that are ordained for the weakening of the body for the sake of purity ^B or for the sake of becoming a friend to God—these are excellent as a sacrifice offered to God, yet they do not bring one to Him without a medium. Prayer, however, leads one to God, joins one to Him, and fulfills the role of a friend; for with Him one converses, in Him one trusts, of Him one asks, and one becomes one with Him. It ought, therefore, to be perpetual and without intermission, since God asks only this of us: that we remember Him, and be with Him, and seek and love and see Him alone, so that we might receive His blessings with a pure mind and without any medium. But since this is impossible for us due to the covering of the flesh and the necessities of life—and it is a gift of God rarely granted to but a few, who are ^C like the angels—the Church has necessarily appointed set and defined times that cannot be neglected for prayers, and every believer has a duty in these.

Chapter 298. That seven praises are celebrated within the space of a day and night, besides the holy Mass.

The times and prayers fulfill the number seven, according to the number of the gifts of the Spirit, since it is through the Spirit that the sacred prayers are made; and they are thus named: the Nocturn, the Matins conjoined with the First Hour, the Third Hour, the Sixth and the Ninth, the Vespers, and the Compline. Regarding these the prophet David also says: "Seven times in the day I offered praise to Thee," and he makes mention of each of the hours: "At midnight I would rise," and: "O God, my God, for Thee I ^D watch at dawn," and: "In the morning Thou wilt hear my voice; in the morning I will stand before Thee, and Thou wilt look upon me." And concerning the Third, the Sixth, and the Vesper hours, he says thus: "Evening and morning and at noon I will tell and announce, and He will hear my voice." Regarding the Compline, he says: "I will wash my bed through each night; with my tears I will bedew my couch."

CHAPTER CCXCIX. Quam ob causam septem laudationes sint.

The cause, however, for each hour is this: the Nocturn is for the sake of the vigilance of the angels and their never-silent praise, and for the sake of the tranquil and peaceful

^A frame of mind which is occupied with divine praise, and also for the grace of the resurrection; for very early on the first day of the week the Lord arose; and also for the sake of His second coming, which we all as believers await, because He will awaken us from death as if from sleep, and He Himself, the bridegroom of our souls, as He said, will come in the middle of the night, and therefore we must be vigilant.

The Matins are for the sake of the arrival of the day, to render thanks to Him who brings forth the light, and for the sake of Him who dispersed the darkness of error and bestowed upon us the light of piety. Therefore, the doxology of the First Hour is joined with Matins, because it is the first-fruits of the day, and as a gift it is offered to God after Matins as a sacrifice of praise, and because all creation was shown to be illuminated by the light. For this reason, we are called to praise God for these things together with the angels.

At the Third Hour, we sing hymns in honor of the Trinity, and because a fourth part of the day has passed for the world composed of four elements, and on account of the descent of the all-holy Spirit at the Third Hour. Similarly, at the Sixth Hour, we glorify the Trinity who brought forth all things, and because another fourth part of the day—an interval of three hours—has passed for the four-fold world, ^B and it is the middle of the day. And at this same Sixth Hour, He who was incarnate for us was crucified for our sake. In the Ninth, we celebrate God because three hours have passed after the sixth, in honor of the Trinity. And Vespers are said likewise at the twelfth hour, three hours having passed after the Ninth.

Especially, however, is the prayer of the Third Hour appointed, as we said, on account of the Trinity, the God of all and our only God, and because at that hour the sentence was passed against the Savior, and at that same hour the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, by Whom the believers of the whole world were illuminated.

The thanksgiving of the Sixth Hour is both for the middle of the day and because at that hour the Lord was crucified, and darkness occurred over the whole earth as the Savior was suffering in the flesh for us.

The hymn of the Ninth Hour is appointed both because the day is coming to an end, and on account of the Trinity—which the number nine proclaims thrice—and especially because at that same hour our Savior cried out and committed His divine soul to the Father, and the sacrifice for us was made complete, being offered—soul and body—for all to God and the Father, ^C when the earth was shaken and the rocks were split, and with the tombs being opened as a prelude to the general resurrection, many bodies of the sleeping saints were raised; because by the death of the Lord, death was deadened, and those who were in Hades were liberated. For through His holy soul, committed to the Father, and His flesh, which was of His own will given as a sacrifice by the cross, our souls were snatched from the hands of the devil, and our bodies, at His resurrection, have received immortality. We therefore give thanks to Him who died in the flesh for us, and through His holy soul committed our souls into the hands of the Father and through His death made us alive.

The evening hymn ^D shows us

this very thing: that we glorify our Creator because we have come to the end of the dawn, that is, the day, and we entrust the whole of it to God. And for these things we give thanks—for our life and sustenance, and for our thoughts, words, and deeds. We also ask to pass the night in peace, without sin ^A and without stumbling. This also serves as a prelude to the end of our life; for just as the night comes, so too does death come to us.

CHAPTER CCC

Why we begin the hymns to the saints and the holy feasts in the evening.

Therefore, we begin to praise and celebrate the saints from the evening hymns, because they, having lived in the day of the light of the divine grace and having finished their life in this world as in the day, their souls are in the Inaccessible Light, but their bodies are still held by death ^B, awaiting the last day which knows no evening, when, having received the command, they shall rise with us, and in the flesh shall be perfected with us there. The Compline, meanwhile, is an act of thanksgiving for the night, for the cessation from labors and for the memory of death, which likewise approaches us; this is the beginning of death, since it is itself a gift of God, one of His creatures made for us and for the rest of creation, and so that we may pass it without offense, away from the vexing, envious, dark, and most gloomy demons, from whom Christ our God deliver us. These, then, are the orders of the hymns, which are also called the seven praises by David. The proper arrangement, disposition, and each sequence of these are as written ^C in the Typicon of the Church. The Typica are twofold; the one is of the Catholic Church, which is kept pure and as it was set forth in the order of the divine liturgy.

CHAPTER CCCI

That the divine Liturgy alone is the work of priests handed down by the Savior, and is not to be joined with or numbered among other prayers.

This divine and most sacred celebration of the mysteries is not counted among the seven praises, but is unique, the work of Jesus alone and of the priests. For this reason, we did not mention it in the praises, nor is it numbered with them. For this is something excellent, a work only of God, performed by His priests and by no one else. ^D The other offices of the Typicon of the Great Church are not performed at the present time in other churches, nor even in that city itself, beloved of Christ and queen of the others, because it was once taken by the Latins and lost its good and most ancient customs; I also believe it is because it requires many priests and chanters. Nevertheless, it performs this on the feast of the Exaltation, whether it completes the melodic office, or on the Dormition of the Mother of God, and on the commemoration of Chrysostom. However, the prayers of the Lucernarium and the morning prayers, which are also called the Dawn prayers, bear witness to this, being preserved.

For those are the prayers which the singers offer through the priest to God, and which they chant. The prayer of the fiftieth Psalm and the prayer of the Lauds also demonstrate this. But this ^A *Asmatic* (chanted) Office has ceased in other cities, though it was beautifully composed and offered to God through psalms and hymns; yet in this our own most pious city of Thessalonica, in its Great Church, just as you see, brother, it has been preserved and remains according to the ancient and excellent custom of those great churches—I mean that of Constantinople, Antioch, and many others.

CHAPTERS CCCII, CCCIII

That the order of chanting should be retained in the Church, and concerning the Hierosolymitan Typikon.

I beseech you in Christ that you conserve this order forever, and that the tradition of the Fathers may remain among us like a divine spark; and since we ourselves wish it to be preserved uncorrupt, and to persist like a condiment that brings sweetness, we have added to it the canons, so that no murmurer regarding good things, ignorant of the order—or rather, one who is lazy and sluggish—might invent pretexts to plot its destruction, saying, "We are not accustomed to hearing the canons that all are chanting." Now, however, these have been conjoined; and for those who apply their minds more attentively and are more eager, this order is better ordered and more pleasant than that which is performed in the monasteries and in almost all other churches, which is the order prescribed by the Hierosolymitan Typikon of the monastery of Saint Sabbas. It has this added benefit: it can be performed by one person alone, ^B for it was arranged by monks and is very often performed in cenobitic monasteries without chanting. And this constitution is indeed most necessary and most suitable to the Fathers. For our holy Father Sabbas prescribed it, having received it from the saintly Euthymius and Theoctistus; these, in turn, received it from those before them, and from the Confessor Chariton. But the constitution of the holy Sabbas, as we have heard, was lost when that place was devastated by the incursion of the Barbarians; our holy Father Sophronius, patriarch of the holy city, restored it with study and labor. And after him, our divine and theological Father John Damascene once again renewed it and committed it to writing, and handed it down. ^C All sacred monastic societies and churches therefore followed this—except for certain individual institutions established at various times by the Great Church of Constantinople according to the ancient order, and those churches that are "in the world," since those who are in the world cannot perform everything; for they do not recite the Psalter except during the one holy and great season of Lent, which is how all the sacred ^D monasteries do it.

CAPUT CCCIV. On the Office which is performed at midnight, and what the striking of the wood signifies.

^A At midnight, or a little after, when the wood is struck, in the figure of that final trumpet which the angel will sound, all are awakened from sleep as from death; and as all stand before the temple in the narthex, as if on earth before heaven, the priest, who represents Christ, whose priesthood he bears, gives the blessing. Whence it is necessary that the priest commence the prayers; for here, too, it is fitting that all should begin with God, and all the brethren together, saying: "Glory to thee, our God, glory to thee," discharge what is customary. For first, it is necessary to render glory to God, and thus to say what follows.

CAPUT CCCV. What it signifies that, in the absence of a priest, they make the beginning of the prayers with the formulas of our Holy Fathers.

^B But if there is no priest present, the one who takes precedence over the others begins, or even a single person alone; and he does not give the blessing, because he does not possess the grace. But through the prayers of the Fathers he invokes the mercy of Christ, humbling himself in Christ, and not trusting in himself, but employing the prayers of the Fathers, among whom are pontiffs and priests, and indeed the entire choir of the saints whom he calls Fathers. Afterward, he invokes the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies prayers, that he may come and dwell, and cleanse and save us. For we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, unless we are instructed by the divine Spirit, since by him we live, and by him we pray, as Paul says; and in him we cry out: "Abba Father." And straightway, imitating the angels, they say the Trisagion and that [prayer]: "O All-holy Trinity," because mercy comes from the Trinity, and on account of the equal praise of the angels and the confession of the one God in the Trinity. Next, they recite the prayer handed down by the Lord, the interpretation of which we shall speak of according to our ability in another place, or rather, the divine meaning of which many have interpreted, and especially the divine Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa. And after the priest has said the end of the prayer in the form of a doxology, the "Kyrie eleison" is uttered twelve times, on account of the twelve hours of the night as well as of the day, and saying three times: "Come, let us worship our King God," as David chants, and the great Athanasius declared that this must be said at the beginning of our prayers, since our only eternal King is Christ with the Father and the Spirit, and by worshipping ^C we testify to our servitude; and we say the psalms according to the pattern.

CAPUT CCCVI. On the fiftieth psalm.

And first we recite the fiftieth psalm, which is a psalm of confession and propitiation. It entreats for pardon for the sinner, and asks that the Holy Spirit may not be taken away from him, but rather that he may be renewed in him through humility and contrition of heart; which psalm we say in the beginning in ^D psalms of greater length.

For just as this [psalm] speaks of the sins of Adam and of our whole race, and of the Church from among the Gentiles—the former having died through the pleasure of disobedience, and the latter formerly being as an unbeliever, committing adultery, as one estranged from God, and [suffering] the death and killing of the soul, but now having been recalled by the mercy of God, and having received the Holy Spirit abundantly renewed within her. ^A

CHAPTER CCCVII. On the Psalm CXVIII which begins: "Blessed are the undefiled."

After this we recite the psalms of the "undefiled" (Ps. CXVIII) according to their order, by which are brought to remembrance the kingdom of God, and his judgments, and his justifications, and his testimonies, and his words, and his commandments. We say these psalms also in the commemorations of the saints, and in the burial of the faithful departed, making mention of ^B the saints and of the way of the Savior; for He alone is "undefiled in the way," as are those who have imitated him, and thence, having rendered God propitious to themselves, they have become saints.

CHAPTER CCCVIII. Wherefore the Symbol of the faith is recited in the morning and in the evening.

Immediately after these psalms, we say the confession of faith according to the paternal tradition, as our holy Fathers say: "Having risen, glorify God, then announce the faith"; and this faith is the holy Symbol [the Creed]. Another of the saints said that it is necessary to announce the faith in the morning and in the evening, so that if death should supervene, it may find us in the confession of it. ^C After the faith, the prayer of the Trisagion and the "Our Father" is again said; for in the beginning, and in the middle, and in the end, it is necessary to celebrate the Trinity, since It is the cause of all things, and through It we perform all things, and in all things we are cleansed and sanctified. Afterward is said: "Behold, the Bridegroom comes," by which they manifest the goal of the nocturnal doxology. And we offer the "Lord, have mercy" (Kyrie, eleison) forty times as a sacrifice of the tithe of our days and hours to God; and this we do in all our prayers, invoking from God the mercy that is above all, because He alone can save us, and because we are deserving of ^D compassion, having sinned, and because we cannot be saved from any other source except by the mercy of God alone, having no propitiation from ourselves, but rather having that which makes God angry on account of the things we perform, speak, and think, for which we are unworthy to offer thanks, or to praise, or to entreat, unless we say only this: "Lord, have mercy," and hope in the merciful God alone. But after the "Lord, have mercy," we make the invocation of the Theotokos, as she is truly more honorable than the Seraphim, since she also intercedes for all. And immediately the priest's prayer is made as a seal: "God be merciful to us," which prayer Moses commanded Aaron to say from God. This, however, David, the ancestor of God, wrote more clearly in the psalm; and after it another prayer to the Trinity is recited by all, which expresses the form of a confession, which—

^A in the day we recite, both here and at the third hour, and in the doxology of the Compline, which is also found to be sung in the ancient way, just as in the contest of the great martyr Eustratius, who said: "Master, God the Father Almighty, Lord only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit, one Divinity, one Power," and the rest.

When this has been completed, what is called the "mesorion" of the nocturn is also said, just as some perform it in the orders of the hours as well. But let them perform those things as they desire, just as they perform other offices according to their own zeal and their discernment of the Fathers; these, however, are the prescribed rules. For my part, I think that this prayer is composed for those who have departed in Christ. Therefore, again after the prayer, we say "Come, let us worship," and we recite two psalms, and the prayer of the Trisagion, and immediately the troparia for the departed, saying: "Lord, have mercy," twelve times, and the prayer for them: "Remember, O Lord," and thus the dismissal takes place. For it is necessary to remember those who are dead, because we too shall die, and especially at midnight, when the resurrection of the dead is hoped for, and it is necessary to pray for our kinsmen according to the flesh and for all who have departed; for this is charity. Then a common prayer and supplication is made for all, the priest beginning, and all praying together for the faithful kings, for the orthodox high priests, for the presiding Father, and for all our brotherhood in Christ and the rest of the other Christians, and for our Fathers and brothers who have formerly fallen asleep in the faith; for it is most necessary at the end of the prayers to make remembrance of all. Because by doing this, all of us everywhere pray for one another, and thus, according to the brother of the Lord, we shall be healed and saved, both willing and unwilling. The first ^B also seals the common prayers, by the prayers of our holy Fathers, calling upon Christ our God for mercy.

CHAPTER CIX

And thus the nocturn hymn is completed. For the doors of the temple are opened as heaven, and as if from the earth we enter into it, even as those who are Christ’s will then be caught up in the clouds, and thus we shall always be with the Lord; and the incense is as a cloud, by which the Holy Spirit is expressed, and also the communication of His divine grace and good odor. ^C For when all have entered, the presider indeed through the royal Door, as Christ entering into us through the gate that was shut, the Theotokos, and opening for us the gates of heaven, but the rest from the side, as if being under His wings and being His servants, the priest from the altar blesses, as a minister of Christ, blessing Him with the Father and the Spirit before the throne and His saints. And all sing the Trisagion and the Lord’s Prayer, ^D celebrating the Trinity with the angels, and saying the prayer that was handed down. Of which prayer of the Trisagion, it is worthy—

^A to say by way of reminder in this connection, that this prayer is ancient and composed by the ancient Fathers. For this reason, the Church continuously sings the Trisagion both in the divine Liturgy and at the end of prayers; and it subjects to anathema certain ancient heretics who added something to the Trisagion, and it sings this heavenly song as an original reception from heaven through the boy who was caught up. Now this Trisagion, and with it every prayer, is directed to the Trinity, our only God. And the Trisagion indeed comes from the angelic hymn and from David: from the angels singing, “Holy, holy, holy,” and from David saying, “My soul thirsteth for God, the strong, the living,” who also cries out in the fiftieth Psalm, “Have mercy on me.” Therefore, this hymn proclaims in intensity the threeness of the persons and the oneness of the nature and power of the Trinity. Likewise, the “All-holy Trinity, have mercy on us” also teaches the threeness; and the “Lord, remember,” refers to the Father, “Master, forgive,” to the Son, and “Holy, look upon us,” to the Holy Spirit, ^B and their indivisibility is clear when it is said, “For the sake of thy name.” And rightly we say to the Father, “Be propitious,” being reconciled through His Son; to the Son, “Forgive,” inasmuch as He became like us and suffered for us, and suffered at the hands of men, and was angered and provoked by us ourselves, who have put Him on in baptism and chrism, and are joined to Him through communion and the other mysteries; and furthermore, because He Himself gave the power of binding and loosing, and commanded us to forgive others; but to the Holy Spirit we rightly say, “Look upon us,” since He makes us alive, rejoices us, and strengthens us, and without His power and gift there is nothing in us. This indeed, “Lord, have mercy,” proclaims the Trinity; for the Trinity is one Lord. And being repeated three times, it announces Her again, and invokes Her for our mercy. Moreover, the “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,” and the rest, is clearly a confession of the one Trinity and a glorification of Her, sung to Her eternally. Therefore we always say this at the beginning and at the end of prayers; and the prayer, “Our Father,” even if it be directed to the Father and was instituted by the Son, yet since the Trinity is indivisible, and the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one, and God is the Father of lights, namely of the Son and of the Spirit, and the Father is in the Son and the Spirit, and the Son and the Spirit are in the Father, this prayer also is referred to the Trinity; and when “Father” is said, the Son and the Spirit are also remembered. And the Church bears witness to this by saying, “For Thine is the kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The priest covers with incense the altar, ^C and the temple, and everyone, since all things are sanctified, honoring some as divine, and sanctifying those who are standing by. Therefore

we receive grace through the incense; let no one neglect the censing. Having thus quickly traversed the whole temple, ^A and the outer areas, near the end of the prayer of the "Our Father," he enters the doors, and making the sign of the cross with the censer, says: "For thine is the kingdom," sealing the prayer, as Christ taught, and glorifying the Trinity. Then he censes the leader again, giving honor as to Christ, and likewise the holy icons in the midst; then having entered the sanctuary, and standing before the holy table, as if before the divine throne and the sacred tomb of Christ, at the "Bless, Father," called out ^B by those outside, he exclaims with piety and love: "Glory to the holy, and consubstantial, and life-creating, and indivisible, and omnipotent Trinity, always"; proclaiming and glorifying as the author of all things and Master, the only God of all in Trinity, before every song, and setting him as the beginning of the hymns, as he is the beginning and the end of all things. And thus, when the "Amen" is said, which is confirmatory and in place of the word "Yes," with all silent, ^C signifying the holy silence of the angels and their piety amidst the trembling mysteries of God, one of those standing there and appointed, bearing the likeness of the angel sent by God, preludes the things of the angels, the things sung at the birth of the Lord, which one angel appearing to the shepherds at first proclaimed. But soon a multitude of the heavenly host was seen, singing: "Glory to God in the highest," which is the beginning of praise by the angels themselves for our salvation. ^D Therefore, here too one preludes this, and says three times to the glory of the all-glorious Trinity: "Glory to God in the highest." And having said it twice, then again: "O Lord, open my lips," for the third time he says again, this also in honor of the Trinity: "O Lord, why are they multiplied that afflict me?" and consecutively he recites the psalms from the beginning, making a doxology for every three psalms, in praise of the Trinity, when the priest also offers the morning prayers to God by himself, appearing as a mediator in the things being said, and perfecting the sung things with his actions; for all things are perfected by the priesthood. Whence the priest begins, and the priest perfects. Immediately, therefore, he who performs the morning prayers before God, finishes the six psalms, speaks words of peace, praying for all; and all the lights are kindled on account of that: "The glory of the Lord shone round about them." And "God is the Lord" is sung aloud with melody in imitation of the glorifying angels. And most fitting is what is said: "God is the Lord, and he has appeared to us," the Word of God incarnate. "Blessed is he who comes," he himself as God through the flesh, "in the name of the Lord," of his Father and of himself.

and so by name. And thus, if it be a feast, these things are sung concerning the feast; but if it be the commemoration of some saint, they are sung concerning the saint, since by the incarnate one nature has been sanctified. And deservedly the mysteries of the Nativity and Epiphany of the ^A Savior, who appeared in the flesh in the night, are represented, since that event took place in the night; for Isaiah says: "In darkness and in the shadow of ignorance, to us who were sitting, a great light has appeared." Therefore we also, who dwell in the night of this world, at midnight await the bridegroom of our souls, the beloved and our lover, who is about to come. And so, subsequently, the recitation of the Psalter is completed; and after every three psalms, having said "Alleluia," the doxology is performed: the Trinity indeed being glorified through these words, "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit," while the incarnation of the Word is celebrated through that "Alleluia," which is interpreted as "God comes," signifying his advent upon earth—both the former, which took place in poverty in the flesh, and the latter, which we await from heaven in glory. Afterwards, lessons from the sacred discourses are set forth, for the instruction of the mystery and the encomium of the saints whose solemnities are being celebrated; since in that panegyric of the future age, both the mysteries of God and especially those of the incarnation shall be celebrated, and together with them the contests of those who contended for Him, just as in the victory songs of a king, those who fought for him are also commemorated and crowned, as the golden-tongued one has often said. But after the reading, there is also sung a hymn beginning, "Very merciful," ^B which is a sort of victory song of God, recounting His wonderful works, and especially the passage of our souls out of Egypt—that is, from sin and error—to the faith of Christ, and our liberation from Pharaoh and the Egyptians—that is to say, from the devil and the demons—and the journey through the sea of the temptations of life on dry land, in a strong and unagitated life, through the power of God and the patience of tribulations, as if strengthened in baptism by the power of the cross like a staff; and [our] liberation from the desert of sin, in which we were wandering because of our sloth in fulfilling the commandments and our murmurings against God on account of our labors, although we were nourished by the bread of life, which is more excellent than manna, and given to drink from the stream of blood flowing from the side of Christ; and as a release from this life, the redemption of the Church from Amalek, Sihon, and Og, and those like them—Diocletian, Maximian, the Apostate (Julian), and the other most impious tyrants—inasmuch as their kingdom of unbelievers has been destroyed, and likewise the tyranny of the demons through whom tribulations and various temptations befall the saints in this life; and [it chronicles] the arrival and heavenly inheritance in the land of promise through Jesus the Son of the living God, who is our portion and inheritance, who leads us, separated from the unbelievers, to the heavenly Jerusalem, bestowing the gifts of the priesthood and the living sacrifice as a great high priest, and as the only King by nature, providing us with the future kingdom, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. But after these chants, other chosen psalms and hymns

appropriate to the feasts or the saints are sung, being proclamations of the wonderful works of God. And thus the Gospel is preached, representing all mysteries. Through it, the mystery is constituted, and through the canons, the songs of victory are sung.

CAPUT CCCX. On the nine Biblical hymns which are sung according to the prescription of the Canons.

Therefore, the canticles modulated by the holy prophets are sung first; first, indeed, that of Mary, the sister of Moses, while Israel was crossing the sea; second, that of Moses after the passage; third, the prayer of thanksgiving of Anna after the release from sterility and the production of the holy fruit, namely Samuel, as a figure of the Church, previously sterile but later bringing forth children, and likewise of others, namely priests ^C like Samuel, and through priests, kings like David, and his seed, as well as the apostles and high priests, and through them, the kings of Christ. The fourth is that of Habakkuk, who saw God coming from Theman, proceeding from the overshadowed mountain—that is, from the East, the Sun that knows no setting, Christ, proceeding from the Virgin. The fifth is that of Isaiah, who announced the sign, saying: "Behold, the Virgin shall conceive in the womb and bear Emmanuel," and he predicted other things concerning the Desired One and the resurrection of the dead. The sixth is the ode of Jonah, who prefigured the one buried for three days and risen through the whale. The seventh is the melody of the three children to God, who were not consumed in the furnace, as a type of the divine incarnation. The eighth is their doxology, which they offered with the whole of creation, rightly manifesting the knowledge of the entire earth of God, who walked about with them and sprinkled them with dew in the furnace, as a type of the most sacred baptism. And the ninth is the prophecy of Zechariah ^D upon the birth of his son, the Baptist, who according to his calling was the precursor and forerunner of grace. And together with it, and before it, and above all, the song of her who is exceptionally and solely entirely immaculate and most holy, that is to say, the most pure Theotokos Mary, worthy of all honor, which is at once prophetic and theological and holy and prosperous above all others, inasmuch as it was pronounced concerning her conception without seed, in which God, having become incarnate from her, accepted us as the new Israel, just as it had been promised to Abraham. Therefore, the Church, by the command of the canons, sings these nine canticles every day as songs of victory and acts of thanksgiving, as a threefold sign of the most divine Trinity. And she makes three stations in them, through which she also honors the Trinity, performing one at the end of the third canticle, while the priest says the doxology.

CAPUT CCCXI. On the Psalms and canticles that are sung by those sitting.

Then, while they are sitting and singing praise, that which, because of

the little rest of the body, and the fact that ^A it is necessary to praise God both sitting and standing, arguments regarding the feast are read from the writings of the saints for common instruction.

CAPUT CCCXII. On the brief and more diffuse hymn (in honor of a saint or some feast).

When the sixth ode has been finished, it is done similarly with the priest saying the doxology, and a brief reading is said which is as it were the praise of the feast contracted into a verse; and the reading, also called the *oikos* (or house), because it contains within itself all the matters of the feast or the life of each of the saints, and ends at the end of the brief reading, a delay is interposed through a short melody, which also occurs when the hymn called the *synaxarion* is read, in which those things which pertain to the feast or the acts of the saints whose day is being celebrated are said in summary; and at the same time his struggles which are celebrated and those of the others are comprehended in summary, and in iambic verse each of them is adorned with their praises. After ^B the eighth ode, as the ninth begins, the priest magnifies the Theotokos, who is more excellent than all the saints, for whom God truly did great and marvelous things, inasmuch as He was incarnate of her, and He manifested her as excelling the Seraphim and Cherubim, for whose sake the divine song of her is sung. At the end of the ninth, the priest praises the Trinity with the angels.

CAPUT CCCXIII. On the hymn in which "Emitte" is frequent, and on the lauds and the great doxology.

Next is said the hymn by the name of *exapostellarion* because of that: "Emitte lumen tuum" ("Send forth Thy light"), so-called as it is illuminating before the lauds. And thus those of the lauds are introduced, ^C summoning the whole of creation, both angels and all creatures, to the praise of Him who made them, and all the works of God testifying that they have been created in the Word and the Spirit. For He said, and they were made, it says; He commanded, and they were created; "He said" refers to the Word, "He commanded" refers to the operation of the Spirit. And after the appropriate psalms of lauds, "Glory" is again said in honor of the Trinity, or the great doxology is performed. This is that which was already said from the beginning in the preface of the work: "Glory in the highest to God"; but now it is said whole with song by all together, since the mystery has been manifested in the whole world, not to the shepherds only, but also to all nations. Therefore it is said: "We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory"; for heaven and earth are full of His glory. Whose? ^D That of God, of course, in the Trinity: wherefore the Church speaks of divine things, crying out: "O Lord, heavenly King, God the Father almighty; O Lord, only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit." See, the hymn has proclaimed three persons in one Godhead; for by saying "Glory in the highest to God" and "We praise Thee," it manifested the unity, but by number it proclaimed the persons. Then it celebrates the incarnation of the Word of God in clear words, crying out: "O Lord God, O Lamb of God," which from Isaiah and the forerunner

it receives because of the passion and the slaughter; "O Son of the Father," enriched from the Gospel; "Thou that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer," which it possesses from Isaiah. "Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father, have mercy upon us," from the Gospel; but the "Receive" and the "Have mercy" are from David. "For Thou only art holy, Thou only art Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen," which is received from Paul. "Every day will I bless Thee, and I will praise Thy name for ever and ever and unto the ages of ages," which is borrowed from the divine David; the rest refer to the manner of prayer and supplication and look to prophecy. ^B

Chapter 314. On the Trisagion hymn.

Lastly, the angelic hymn is sung, which is the seal of every hymn, since it is offered to God alone, the holy Trinity: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy upon us." But this hymn, as we have also said before, is composed from the words of the Fathers, and is called the Great Doxology, as we have stated; and every believer ought to contemplate and know it, and every day, both morning and evening, send it up to God, since it is a confession and glorification of the holy Trinity, of the only God, and a singing of the praise of the incarnation, the dispensation, the crucifixion, and the ascension of the one from the Trinity, the Word of God; and it is a prayer of thanksgiving, that in every day and night we may be besought to be kept without sin, and that the mercy of God (as we hope) may come upon us, and that the Lord, having become our refuge through the incarnation, may have mercy upon us, crying out after David: "Have mercy upon me and heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee." Behold, in these things is confession; and moreover: "Unto Thee have I fled, who art the refuge of all," and, "Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God, the Father with the Son and the Spirit." Therefore it proceeds by saying: "For with Thee is the fountain of life," the Holy Spirit. "In Thy light," namely, in this Spirit, "we shall see light," the Son. "Extend Thy mercy to those who know Thee, the true God and Father with Thy Word and Spirit through the incarnation of Thy Son." Wherefore it immediately adds the Trisagion hymn.

Chapter 315. On the meaning of the Trisagion, 'Holy, holy, holy,' etc.

But the hymn is sung by the angels indeed, as we learned from Isaiah, thus: "Holy, holy, holy Lord Sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory." But this is its meaning, as we learned from Athanasius and the other Fathers: "Holy the Father, holy the Son, holy the Holy Spirit." Behold the three persons. "Lord Sabaoth," behold the unity of the Godhead, and the singleness of the nature, and the unity of the glory. Therefore it says "holy" three times, on account of the three persons, and "Lord" once.

^A And, "Heaven and earth are full of his glory," on account of the acknowledgment of the thrice-holy God, the all-holy Trinity, granted to the nations through the divine dispensation by the angels and apostles of Christ, and having filled both the things above and the things on earth. And, "Of his glory," it says, because there is one glory of the Trinity, and one power and will and movement and energy, and one God in Trinity.

Chapter CCCXVI. What is the meaning of the Trisagion hymn, "Holy God, holy Mighty, holy Immortal, have mercy on us."

Therefore the ancient Fathers, ^B receiving from the angels the "Holy, holy, holy," and from David, who praises the God in Trinity, saying, "My soul thirsted for the strong, living God," have excellently composed the Trisagion hymn, taking from David himself the petition: "Have mercy on us." Therefore they said: "Holy God," taking the word "Holy" from the angels, and "God" from David; similarly, "Holy Mighty," taking "Holy" from the angels, and "Mighty" from David. And thirdly, "Holy Immortal," taking "Holy" from the angels, and the word "Immortal" in place of the "living" from David, from whom they also took these words, "Have mercy on us." For he himself also spoke in the Holy Spirit, as the Savior testifies, saying: "David said in the spirit." And consequently, he spoke of the Father, saying: "God," since He is the fountain and root of the Godhead, and the principle of the Son and of the Spirit; and of the Son, with this word "Mighty," ^C because He is the arm of the Father and the substantial virtue; "For Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God," says Paul; and through this word, "Immortal," he indicated the Spirit, because the Spirit is life—"The Spirit is that which gives life," he says—and because the strength of the strong God is an immortal life of Him who is always living.

Chapter CCCXVII. Against Peter the Fuller.

Regarding this Trisagion hymn, a most foolish proposition has been made by the heretics through a certain infamous Peter the Fuller, who wished to add to this hymn of the impassible Trinity the phrase, "Who was crucified for us," which was an immense blasphemy. ^D For the Trinity is impassible, incomprehensible, and incorporeal; and God the Word alone, having become incarnate, being one person of the indivisible Trinity, did not suffer in his Godhead, but in the flesh, while his Godhead remained impassible and un-crucified, just as when iron is struck and suffers while it is red-hot, the fire associated with it does not suffer, nor is it altered or changed, but rather makes the iron bright and fiery, as the divine Basil says. Yet this heresy, after having kindled burning temptations in the Church for a long time, was extinguished again by the power of God, who performed a wondrous sign in Constantinople

^A while Theodosius the Younger was reigning and the Church was supplicating; for an infant was snatched into the air from the midst, and then descending, cried out that the hymn should be chanted by the angels: "Holy God, holy Mighty, holy Immortal, have mercy on us," and while he was speaking, as he descended, he ceased to live. Behold, therefore, the Church received this Trisagion hymn not from the prophets alone, but from her own spiritual children, and the Trinity, God, confirmed that the hymn of the angels, chanted to the Trinity Itself without end, was divinely instituted. Therefore, from that hour the Church, having received this from God—who also at that time immediately halted the earthquake of the earth by the correctness of the hymn—sings it always with the angels at all times of prayer, and especially with sacred singing in the great doxology at the end of the morning office and in the holy offering of the sacrifice. The great doxology is thus sung every day in feasts and commemorations of saints whose solemnities are celebrated; on other days, however, according to the order of the Typicon, it is said ^B by one person with compunction, and subsequently the prayer of the Trisagion, concerning which it is necessary to speak briefly for the sake of your questions.

CHAPTER CCCXVII. Concerning the Trisagion hymn and the prayer "Our Father," a repeated exposition.

For this prayer is said both at the beginning and in the middle of each hour, and often at the end, since it is directed entirely to our God, who alone is in Trinity, and it begins with the prayer of the Savior. You know the order of the prayer, but it has a similar interpretation. The Trisagion is said thrice, that the holy Trinity may be praised three times, just as we have said. ^C

CHAPTER CCCXIX. Concerning the "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit," and by whom it was composed.

Then another hymn is said, composed by the Fathers to the glory of that same holy Trinity, as some say, by Meletius and Flavian, the holy patriarchs of Antioch: "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen." This was composed piously against Arius and Sabellius. The "Glory" is aimed against the Arians, because one is the glory of the holy Trinity, and the Trinity is consubstantial; but the "to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit" is against Sabellius, who blasphemously asserted that the holy Trinity is one Person; ^D but by the words "both now and ever" and the rest, it is shown that it is the same, and always is, and the Trinity is immutable, and the glory of the Trinity is now and ever is, and will be unto the ages. Then it is said: "O most holy Trinity, have mercy on us." And this prayer, too, is from the Fathers. And first of all [we find] the three Persons together, because one is their divinity and essence and power, and the Trinity is indivisible; [the number] of the Persons [is distinct] on account of the properties, [as in] the [address] to the Father, "O Lord, have mercy upon for our sins..." to praise the holy Trinity in a threefold manner, just as

“O Lord, be propitious to our sins,” to the Son, “O Lord, forgive our sins,” and to the Holy Spirit, “O Holy One, look upon and heal our infirmities.” And again, the unity of the three is [expressed] by the words: “For thy name’s sake.” The Father is Lord, because the Son is Lord and the Spirit is Lord, on account of the consubstantial nature; for the dominion of the three is one, and the Trinity is the one and only Lord. The Son is also Master, because the Father [who is] Son [also] mastereth all, and the Holy Spirit [is Master], as the Father and the Son are holy. ^A The [petition], “O Lord, have mercy upon us,” is from David, and the [petition], “Be propitious to our sins,” is the cry of the publican taken from the divine Gospel; but the words, “Forgive our sins,” are both evangelical, from the [prayer] “Forgive us,” and prophetic, and from the Fathers. The [petition], “Look upon and heal our infirmities,” is from the Gospel and from the psalms; and the [petition], “For thy name’s sake,” is psalmody. Next, “O Lord, have mercy” is recited thrice; this is on account of the holy Trinity, since the Trinity is one Lord. Since also “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord” is said three times on account of the holy Trinity ^B. And immediately again there follows, “Glory to the Father,” and the rest, on account of the co-equal glory of the Trinity. Finally, the prayer of the Savior [is said], the meaning of which, as far as lies within us, we are about to explain as concisely as possible.

CHAPTER CCCXX.

A concise interpretation of the most holy prayer, “Our Father.”

necessary for the sustaining of our life we ask, as men, knowing that this too is given to us by Thee; for Thou alone art rich, and we are needy, and we trust in Thee. Furthermore, while we ask for bread, we do not ask for what is superfluous, but for the bread necessary for us today, since we have learned not to be anxious about the morrow, and because Thou art our protector, who both today and tomorrow and forever will be. Furthermore, give us this day our supersubstantial bread, that is to say, the living bread of heaven, the most holy body of the living Word, without eating which one will never live at all. And this is supersubstantial, as it sustains and sanctifies both soul and body, and it is said, “He who does not eat it has no life in him; but he who eats it will live forever.” ^A “And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” This is the whole wisdom and power of the divine Gospel. For it was for the sake of the forgiveness of our iniquities and sins that the Word of God came into this world, and having become incarnate, He did all things, and finally poured out His blood; and for this reason He gave the mysteries for the remission of sins, and He taught and ordained this, saying, “If you forgive, you shall be forgiven.” And to Peter, asking, “Shall I forgive him who sins against me for a day?” He replied, “Up to seventy times seven,” meaning unceasingly; and He makes him who prays his own judge, so that if he has become reconciled, he shall be reconciled. And if he has forgiven, it shall be forgiven him, and as he has forgiven, so shall it be forgiven to him. And matters concerning the brother lead also to the Creator, as the Master has willed it. For all are equal by nature, and all are equally servants, and all are prone to error, and by forgiving a few debts while receiving much, and by granting forgiveness to men, we obtain forgiveness from God. ^B “And lead us not into temptation.” Because the aggressors are many, and full of envy, and are always enemies, and the temptations are many, from demons, from men, from the body, and from the thoughtlessness of the soul; and in all these [states], both those who strive and those who are slothful [are tested], although the righteous receive more of a reward for having overcome the trial, while the latter have greater need of constancy, since “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Furthermore, there are other temptations, namely if you despise your brother, if you assault or crush him, if you treat divine things with contempt and neglect them. Therefore, whatever we offend against God and our brother, we ask to be dismissed, by virtue of the fact that we ignore and forgive, and so as not to enter into temptation. But if someone be righteous, he ought not to trust in himself, since no one is righteous except he who humbles himself, and who shows mercy and forgives. ^C “But deliver us from the evil one.” For he is both Thy enemy and ours, and he is irreconcilable and tireless, and carried by fury, while we are weak before him, since he is of a more subtle and vigilant nature, and he is perverted, plotting and constructing six hundred things, and for ever devising evils against us. And if Thou, who art the Creator and Master of all, and of the evil devil himself and of his accomplices, just as [Thou art] of the angels and of men, dost not snatch us away, who will be able to deliver us? For we cannot [on our own] struggle against the adversary.

^A Deliver us, therefore, Thyself, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory unto the ages. Amen. And who shall insult and afflict those who are reigned over and mastered by Thee, Who art the God of all, and Who also rulest over the angels? Or who shall stand against Thy power? No one. Since Thou hast created all things and Thou sustainest them. Or is there anyone who would stand against Thy glory? Or who would dare anything at all against it? Or does anything contain the ends of the earth? For heaven and earth are full of it, and it exists before the heavens and the angels; for Thou alone art always being and eternal, and Thy glory is that of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and the kingdom and the power [are Thine] unto the ages. Amen. This means: in truth and confessedly and firmly, Thou art King and powerful and glorified unto the ages. Such is, in brief, the power of the Trisagion and of the holy prayer, the *Our Father*. Everyone who rightly thinks every Christian ought to know this whole [prayer] without any controversy, and to offer it to God upon rising from sleep, and when leaving the house, and when entering the holy temple of God. And [they should offer it] before food and after food, and in the evening, and when going to sleep; for this prayer of the Trisagion and of the *Our Father* contains within itself everything: the confession of God, and the doxology, and humility, and the confession of sins, and the asking for forgiveness, and the hope of future things, and the petition for necessities, and the disdain of superfluities, and the hope in God, and the prayer not to be led into temptation but to be delivered from the evil one, and the fulfillment of the will of God, and [the petition] to be His child, and to be deemed worthy of His kingdom. And for this reason the Church says this prayer many times during the day and the night. Behold, therefore, we have spoken concerning this also, in part, according to our strength. We shall set [everything] in Christ, including the end of the Matins.

CHAPTER CCCXXI

Why we ask for mercy in all prayers and before every prayer.

After the great doxology, or in its place on common days after the Trisagion and the prayer of the Savior, the *ektenes* (fervent petition) is performed by the priest, in which, first of all, [the petition for] mercy ^C is requested for us from the merciful God, [by our] saying, *Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy,* and the rest. Since we ask for nothing else than that He should have mercy upon us; for we have no confidence or boldness to bring forward anything of our own, or to think that we have not sinned; whence, as having sinned and [as being] condemned, we can do and dare nothing else than to cry, *Have mercy*, unto our merciful Lord, whom we have so greatly saddened and still sadden always, so that we—both the priest and the people—have nothing else to cry out but, *Have mercy*. And he says: *Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great mercy; we beseech Thee, hear us, and have mercy.* What is this, *We beseech Thee, hear us, and have mercy*? [It means] we are not even worthy to be heard and to be shown mercy as we cry out. We beseech Thee therefore

^A that we may attain [mercy], we beseech Thee, hear us. And the priest stands as a mediator, saying, “We beseech Thee,” and “Hear us.” But the people add the prayer, “Lord, have mercy.” For this is Thy greatest loving-kindness, namely to have mercy, and our worthy entreaty and petition is “Have mercy.” For this reason, before every other prayer, the priest says, “Let us pray to the Lord,” and those present, showing that this [is] the prayer, cry out, “Lord, have mercy,” at the same time also working together with the priests, since the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Do you see the humble understanding and the order of the Church? And how ^B she regulates her children through repentance and humility toward the one God? But we do not understand, brethren, nor do we perceive what is being said, but from habit we speak only with our lips, and we hasten as if to shake off the duty of prayer from ourselves like some burden. Others, being sluggish, do not even say “Have mercy,” nor do we have our mind on what is being said, and thus we do not attain mercy. But look at the goal of the Church, and pay attention, brother, you and every religious man.

Cleric. I understand, holy master, and wondering at what is said, I am greatly humbled; that having been deemed worthy of such gifts which are above us, we do not even turn our mind to them at all.

Pontiff. But may the Lord who gives knowledge to man instruct ^C us, and may He strengthen us and have mercy upon us. Furthermore, learn how in vesper prayers and in the holy oblation of the body, the Church in no way desists from teaching and rousing on account of this; but, “Let us say all,” she says, “and with our whole mind let us say,” and then she adds the rest.

Chapter CCCXXII

What do the acclamations in the prayers designate, “Wisdom,” and “Let us attend,” and “Standing, wisdom”?

For that, “Let us say all,” and the rest, contains exhortation and doctrine, just like that: “Wisdom,” and “Let us attend,” and “Standing, wisdom,” as if it said: In wisdom stand all, ^D since the things said and done are the wisdom of God and of the living wisdom of God. But since the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, we shall be seeing and hearing with wisdom and piety; and let us attend to ourselves in the fear of God, and let us stand upright with wisdom and understanding, both in body and soul, and upright in faith and in mind. Do you perceive also the things of the Church that seem small?

Cleric. I perceive and I wonder, master.

Pontiff. But do not wonder; for the Church is of the consubstantial and living wisdom of God, which built for itself a temple through this divine body of His, and called the foolish to understanding; whence even the things of her that seem small are full of wisdom; and even if they are thought by some to be small, they rather contain greater meaning, since what is foolish of God appears wiser than men, and what is weak is stronger; and since one and

simple ^A is the living wisdom of God, and in it are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. But after the continuous supplication, there follow petitions and the inclination of the head, with all bowing their heads and standing in silence, which signifies in an extraordinary way the piety and service due to God. The priest, therefore, having prayed to the only holy Lord who dwells in the heavens in His glory, yet looks upon all things, to whom we bow body and soul, for divine blessing and the forgiveness of sins—those to which the will has consented, and even those from which it has been absent—and for the bestowal of earthly and heavenly goods, rises up as if strengthened by God; and standing upright with the people, he gives thanks and proclaims: "For Thine it is to have mercy and to save." ^B Then he performs the rite of dismissal. And again he proclaims "Wisdom," on account of the prayer that follows, so that we may listen. But what is this? "Who art blessed, our God, unto the ages," which is taken from the book of Moses, signifying the eternal and unchangeable nature of God, spoken by God Himself: "I am who I am," and, "He that is hath sent me." Then all invoke the Theotokos, who is more honorable than the angels, as one who is above all others an intercessor for us, the priest saying: "Most holy Theotokos, help us." And finally, "Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit," at which the standing congregation cries out in the final praise of the Holy Trinity. The priest brings the end through a prayer, which is called the dismissal, since no one is permitted to leave having abandoned the divine hymns, but [must wait] for the permission given by the priest. Therefore, just as he began the hymns, so he also makes the end and seals the prayers. ^C

Chapter CCCXXIII. On the prayer at the end, or the dismissal of the ecclesiastical office.

And there is no other seal except He who came to us in the flesh for our sake. Therefore, having invoked Christ Himself, the true God, as His disciple John says, "This is the true God and life eternal," through the intercession of His holy Mother, from whom He became incarnate, and of all His saints—for to demonstrate His supreme kindness, He became man and had a Mother and a choir of saints who were pleasing to Him—he says: "Have mercy on us and save [us]"; for we possess nothing from ourselves except that He, out of kindness, became man, and His Mother and His saints are from among us. And thus, immediately, ^D we perform the prayers for the departed, both for our leaders and fathers, and for those related by blood, and for those to whom we are indebted. Moreover, it is necessary to remember them, because we are from them and with them we shall be placed; and the Lord has suffered and died for the dead, just as He did for the living; and from this there is much utility both for those who are remembered and for us who remember them. And this commemoration also takes place after the hymn of the first hour.

CHAPTER CCCXXIV. De prima hora.

^A The doxology of the first hour is performed either immediately after the end or dismissal of the matutinl office, or in conjunction with this office, with the dismissal deferred; for, as we have said, it is one hymn of praise together with the matutinl prayers. We say therefore three times: "Come, let us worship our King, Christ our God," because He alone is our King and eternal, as being Lord alone with the Father and the Spirit, He who has broken the power and tyranny of the devil, and has delivered us from darkness and death. Thereafter, three psalms are said in honor of the Trinity, once uttered in the morning by David, containing thanksgiving to God, and a petition that His divine splendor may come upon us, and our works be directed, and that every evil thing might be warded off from us, and we be filled with every good. ^B But after the psalms are said versicles of the same sentiment, and another in honor of the Mother of God, whom with the angel one proclaims as full of grace, and as heaven, because from her arose the sun of justice, and as paradise, because she gave birth to Christ, the tree of life, and as Virgin, as she who remained ever-virgin. It is aptly said at that time, because of the sensible rising of the sun and because paradise existed towards the east. Then the Trisagion and the prayer, "Our Father," are said, because we cannot at any time fail to be mindful of Him.

Chapter 325. Why at every hour, and in other orders of the ecclesiastical office, we pray 'Lord, have mercy' forty times.

The "Lord, have mercy" is said forty times for the sanctification of the whole time of our life. ^C For the tenth part of the three hundred and sixty-five days, as some say, consists of forty, during which the great fast occurs; and at each hour of prayer the "Lord, have mercy" is recited forty times for the deletion of our countless sins which we commit in every day and hour. Wherefore, after the "Lord, have mercy," we always say the most necessary prayer, "Thou who at every season and every hour," which embraces all things and is concerned with all our souls and bodies, and thoughts and intentions and works, ^D beseeching that all things may be sanctified, and that we may be delivered from every temptation, and be fortified and guarded by the holy angels, and be instructed in the knowledge of the glory of God—that is, that we may abundantly partake of the unapproachable light and grace of God, who is blessed unto the ages. Then we praise the Theotokos as more honorable than the Seraphim; and there is said by the priest the prayer given by Aaron for the people, or the supplication composed by David: "God be merciful unto us." And immediately, the prayer appropriate to the first hour, "O Christ, the true light," is said, and thus the dismissal is given by the priest.

CHAPTER CCCXXVI.

On the other hours, third, sixth and ninth: and at the same time on the first.

^ASuch is the order of the first hour; at the third and sixth, it is chanted similarly by various [clerics], though at these hours the customary psalms and verses [are used]. The Trisagion, however, is said only at the third hour after the priest has given his blessing, and "Kyrie eleison" is said twelve times—a rite which is also preserved at the ninth hour, at Compline, and in the Matutinal prayers in honor of the Holy Trinity, as has been set forth separately regarding the similar prayer of the Trisagion. "Kyrie eleison" is said twelve times on account of the twelve hours of the day and the twelve hours of the night, for our sanctification and the expiation of the offenses committed during them, just as it is said forty times for the reasons we have previously stated.

Chapter CCCXXVII.

De Psalmis horæ tertiæ, sextæ et nonæ.

^BTherefore, in each of the hours—the first, third, sixth, and ninth—the verse "Come, let us worship" is used three times on account of the Holy Trinity, followed by three psalms appropriate to the hour, for the honor of the Trinity and the knowledge of the mystery which is commemorated at that hour. And just as the first hour has psalms that commemorate the morning time and show forth the divine splendor due to the radiation of the sun, so too do the psalms of the third hour recount the guile of the Jews and their evil counsels against Christ. The last, being the fiftieth, signifies the coming of the divine Spirit. The psalms of the sixth hour show the Jews rushing forth and seeking the soul of the Lord, and putting Him to death—since they crucified Him at the sixth hour—and also how they afflicted Him with insults and injuries and raged in anger, as well as the trembling that occurred in the earth, and the darkness that covered it, and the rest. The last [psalm of this hour] shows the help provided by the Father while He was in distress; for it says: "He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High," and represents the victory gained over hell in the words: "Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk," and so forth.

^CFurthermore, the psalms of the ninth hour reveal our salvation, accomplished through the death of Christ and the destruction of His holy tabernacle; and [they show] that God is living, even though He died in the flesh for our sake, and that He became an altar for us, and help for both the living and those in hell, who are sighing in the place of weeping; and that He became a good expectation upon the earth. He has turned away our captivity, that is, our souls, and has forgiven our sins; and, having turned back, He has made us alive, and His people have rejoiced in Him—that is, in His resurrection. He has spoken peace; and mercy and truth have met together, and justice hath looked down from heaven, because through His death Christ destroyed death; and the earth shall yield its fruit, namely the Lord rising in the flesh. The last psalm, "Bow down, O Lord," signifies all these things, and that He who was crucified for us is just and without sin, and is also compassionate, and plenteous in mercy, and true; and He has given strength to us and to Himself, the son of His handmaid

^A of the Theotokos, and a sign for good, His cross and resurrection, by which also His enemies were put to shame. Then follow the troparia, and the rest; and lastly the prayers, as we have said, appropriate to the hour. Now the vesper service is performed in this way; or rather, previously, along with the third hour, are sung what are called the Typika. And consider the good order and the pious and most great understanding of the Church! For because to chant hymns continuously according to intervals and divisions of hours creates a kind of listlessness and negligence, and especially in the souls of the imperfect, our divine Fathers, moved by the divine Spirit, rightly invented that which is to be said, taking care at once that all the doxologies should take place in rotation, and at the same time wisely correcting listlessness and neglect.

CHAPTER CCXXVIII.

Therefore, for the glory and honor of the tri-substantial Trinity, our God, they have ordained that all [the offices] be done at three unavoidable and most necessary times. And first, the time after midnight until morning, and [they ordered] to say three services, and this for the proclamation and glory of the Trinity. These are the nocturnal [office], the matutinal, and the first hour, which, while being by itself, is united with the matutinal [office] and is not counted among the seven praises. But after the third hour of the day, the order of the third hour itself ^C is performed, and [the order of the] sixth hour, along with the service of the Typika, which are chanted at this time; these also, filling up three doxologies for the honor of the Trinity, even if the order of the Typika is not joined in number to the seven praises, [but] is always chanted with the sixth or the ninth hour; although it is peculiar and by itself, of which we shall speak shortly. Now toward the end of the day [is] the order of the ninth hour, of the Vespers, and of the Compline, also divided into three continuous parts, and performed without intermission at one time, this also signifying the Trinity, just as the three times of the nightly office and the three hymns chanted in each time; so that through the three times the Church imitates the great Daniel, who prayed three times daily, as is written in the visions; and while performing three services at each of the three times, it imitates the nine orders [of angels], being in three triads in number, singing ^D of God without ceasing.

CHAPTER CCXXIX.

Of the order of the so-called Typika.

The order of the Typika possesses this character, being a certain image of the holy sacrifice, when it is chanted outside of the sacrifice; but if it is performed within the sacrifice, these things go before it. For from the beginning are chanted two psalms having a doxology to God, and mentioning His good things toward

^A us, and especially those which come through the incarnation of the Word: “Bless the Lord, O my soul,” and “Praise the Lord, O my soul.” Then the hymn of the incarnation, “O Only-Begotten Son.”

CHAPTER CCCXXX

On the Beatitudes of the Savior, and a concise exposition of them.

The Beatitudes instituted by the Savior are recited, which show that He alone is the blessed Lord for us. For He truly appeared as poor for our sake, meek and humble of heart, and the only righteous one, hungering and thirsting for righteousness and fulfilling it; and He was also merciful and compassionate, and the only one pure in heart and holy and undefiled, ^B the author and prince of peace, and Peace [itself], who endured reviling and persecutions and unjust insults, and suffered for the glory of His Father and our salvation; who also possessed ineffable joy and exultation. Furthermore, those Beatitudes testify to the blessedness that will be granted by Him to His imitators, who progress according to order: after they have become poor by the grace of Christ, they are seen to be meek; while appearing immune to vice, they hunger for righteousness, and from righteousness they proceed to mercy, from mercy to purity of soul, and from that to the love of their neighbor and the procuring of his peace; then they are led to a more perfect love of God. And for the sake of His truth and righteousness they are persecuted, and they suffer even greater things; and they are reviled for piety and faith, and persecuted, and enduring slanders for His sake. Therefore, while suffering, they rejoice, and shall rejoice and exult, because their reward is great in the heavens. ^C These Beatitudes, therefore, they recite both as a doctrine of the Savior and as a Gospel, in place of the apostolic reading and the divine sacrifice. Then they recite the confession of the thief which he confessed on the cross, and his prayer, through which he found paradise, which they sing three times, confirming his voice by repeated recitation and requesting paradise. Afterward, they say the hymns said by all outside at the sacrifice, the angelic hymn: “Holy, Holy, Holy,” which they perform three times as a profession of faith, beseeching that all sins be forgiven us, and they also recite the prayer of the Savior, to the end of which they add verses accommodated to the day, “Kyrie eleison,” forty times according to the order of the hours. ^D And immediately are added the psalms to give thanks to God for all God’s benefits and for the food provided for our use, namely: “I will bless the Lord,” and “I will exalt Thee, O my God.” And with the antidoron distributed for our sanctification, thus is the dismissal accomplished.

CHAPTER CCCXXXI

On the evening office, and that the three principal offices begin from the altar and end at it: the morning [office], the divine liturgy of the body and blood of Christ, and the evening [office].

The evening hymn is performed, just as the morning one, with greater solemnity and diligence; since again

to state it once more, three praises are offered ^A in profession and glory of the holy Trinity, beginning exceptionally from the altar, and ending at the altar through the priest: namely, the morning [office], the mystery of mysteries, the holy liturgy, and the evening [office]. These praises every one of the faithful and every layman is obliged to hear without fail every day, and to attend to the others as much as he is able.

When, therefore, the priest has given his blessing at the altar, as in heaven before God, the [verse] "Come, let us worship" ^B is said three times by one [person], for the sake of piety and the understanding of what is said. And if the day is an ordinary one, the whole psalm is said which blesses the Lord and recounts all His creation, and gives thanks for all things; since, too, as the day is ending, it is necessary to give thanks for all things. But if the day is a feast day, it is said up to the point of "When You open Your hand," and then it is sung more illustriously by all, with everyone glorifying the Trinity at each verse, for She is the creator of all things.

When the priest has prayed the petitions for peace and has aloud offered the doxology, other psalms of the Psalter are brought in, such as those appointed for the morning office if it is an ordinary day, so that the book of the Psalter, arranged for the praising of God, may be completed in the week, but in the forty days [of Lent] twice, for our greater labor, for the glory of God, and for expiation on our own behalf.

CHAPTER CCCXXXII.

If, however, it is a feast day, after the Trinitarian [prayers] and the litany, the first three psalms of the Psalter are sung, which are also referred especially to the Lord. For the Word of God, having become incarnate, He Himself truly became the only blessed man, and He did not commit sin, and He is the tree of life, and He has brought forth much fruit—us, that is, who have believed in Him; and He lives, as one who is by no means withered, since He is immortal; but we shall not fall away, we who are His leaf, eternally green, and His fruit, whereas He will winnow the impious and the demons like dust. And kings and rulers raged against Him, whom He mocked, having overcome them, and He Himself was established as King of His Church; and He is the Son of God, and He had the ^D nations as His inheritance, and He held the ends of the earth, and He is a strong shepherd. And those who oppressed Him were multiplied, insulting and persecuting Him, who even put Him to death by the cross; yet He Himself was with the Father, suffering in the flesh, but being impassible in His divinity, and He appeared as our protector and glory. And if He slept in death, yet He was raised as if from sleep. Wherefore He also says, "Arise, and save me, O God," because You have crushed all [my] enemies; and, "Salvation is of the Lord, and upon Your faithful people," that is, upon us, "is Your blessing through the cross."

Furthermore, after the psalms, the priest having customarily given thanks and spoken the great litany, that is, the petitions for peace, and having aloud offered the doxology to the Trinity, the psalm "O Lord, I have cried" is sung together with the psalms that accompany it, as they are composed for the evening, and as [an incense]

[LATIN COLUMN] as though composed for the evening and directed as a spiritual incense, when sensible incense is offered to God, starting from the altar and filling the whole temple for the glory of the Lord and given to us for sanctification, and also because divine grace is given to us from the sung hymn. Since these things are being discussed, it is fitting ^A also to speak as far as one is able about the prayers called "peaceable" or of the major and minor subsequent deprecation, of the continuous supplication, and of the final prayers. For since in every time of the office and in the sacred liturgy of the mysteries these are said by priests and deacons, it is necessary that we have knowledge of them as far as we can, and not just deal with them in any way that happens. First, indeed, we explain why they are called "peaceable" and "joint" deprecation: first, because they implore peace from God between both parties, and then because they make the prayer jointly for all together. For when the priest of God has given the blessing, as it is fitting for him to preach and celebrate first as the author of all and the bestower of all good, he says immediately: "In peace let us pray to the Lord," by which we are taught that our peace with God is made in right faith and a pure conscience; for in this consists peace with God; we are taught also to have peace with all, and to stand without anger and contentions, just as Paul says, "lifting up pure hands," and just as the Savior said: "When you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone," and through these words: "Peace I leave with you," and "Peace to you," which must be in us before all else, and ^B also because it is necessary that we pray in peace, therefore from the beginning he said: "In peace let us pray to the Lord," because, "If you yourselves do not forgive," he says, "neither will our Father forgive your trespasses." But truly, with God [there is] true peace, who has bestowed upon us reconciliation and salvation through his mercy, he adds: "For the peace from above and the salvation of our souls." For if God should look upon us mercifully and be reconciled to us, ours will be salvation. Then he beseeches for the common peace, saying: "For the peace of the whole world," insofar as this has been granted by God and we are entirely prepared for it; you see how great the treasure of peace is, for the sake of which God has descended; "For the happy state of the holy Churches of God," which will happen through peace in faith and ecclesiastical life; similarly also that which follows: "And for the unity of all," namely in right faith and charity and conversation pleasing to God. Afterward, he makes mention of the holy house and of those entering into it, asking that we might love the good order and beauty of the house of God, and that we might assemble in it in one mind and pious spirit. Afterward, he makes mention of the pontiff as the fountain of the priesthood and of all Christianity; of the presbytery as a co-worker in the sacred mysteries; of the Christian diaconate as serving the mystery; of the whole clergy as serving in hymns and the rest of the worship; and of the people as faithful and united to the priests in faith and life, and ^C indeed as being sanctified through them. Do you see why it is called "joint" ^D

^A prayer? It gathers everyone into one, just as the Savior prayed. With the people, then, he has joined the kings, the princes, and the army; but since these are contending for the common good, he makes mention of them particularly, though only of those who live piously. Furthermore, observe how here, as in the mystical prayers of the sacred offering, in the diptychs, and in the final prayer which is said from the cathedra, the Church sets the high priests and priests and all the clergy first, and then adds the kings. This is right and divinely instituted; for he who bestows the things that confer sanctification is more honorable than those who are sanctified; for that which is lesser is blessed by that which is greater. But I do not know why in some places this order has been entirely changed, and how often priests are seen to be in a lower rank than the laity—not because they are of an inferior order, but because they are suppressed by those who, as in other matters, so also in these, display a certain contempt for divine things. ^B The Church, therefore, rightly observing the law of Paul, prays for kings and all who are in high positions, and now especially, since they are believers, that God may fight with them and subject their enemies to them, in order that we too may lead a quiet and peaceable life, preserving that which pertains to piety in dignity. And since we also have need of protection, as well as of the rulers who protect, we pray also for the guarding of the city, and for the sake of love, for the rest of the entire city and even more for the whole region—since we dwell not only in cities, but also in villages. ^C And since the purpose of cities remaining is for the sake of the inhabitants, it says "for the faithful" dwelling in them, because it is not permitted to pray for the impious. Moreover, since we need those things by which the body is sustained, and since these, just as we ourselves, are from God, it says we pray "for temperate weather" for the sake of the health of the bodies, "for the abundance of the fruits of the earth" for the necessity of food, and "for peaceful times," since these are the support of life and of our needs and governance; for disturbances bring about straits and destruction. But since truly there are many things that happen to those who are living, and life and occupation ^D are various, and the things that occur are also various, it prays in common for all together, it says, "for those who sail," on account of those who are at sea; "for travelers," on account of those who are journeying by land; for the sick, whatever illness anyone suffers; for the weary and those who are suffering fatigue, for captives and for those who are in slavery; and having gathered everyone, it prays for their salvation. Do you see the Church imitating God and providing for all? Do you learn also how it joins everyone and prays for everyone? Therefore, this prayer is called "joint."

After calling everyone to pray for all, and bidding them to pray for one another according to the apostolic commandment, it turns and is directed toward the Lord who can give all things, saying, "Help," for You alone are the helper of the weak and of those who are perishing; "save," for You alone are the savior of all the endangered and the desperate. Have mercy...

for You possess nothing from us, unless You, the merciful One, show mercy. And guard us, for many are those who attack and afflict, and You alone, O God, are able to guard us by Your grace—not out of our own works, nor from our prayer, for we are impure and our actions are impure, but by Your grace alone. For the incarnation of the Only-Begotten is a preeminent gift, which is also called grace. By these words, the priest, as it were, directs God to the people, or, if a deacon is the one speaking, then through him and through the secret prayer within, the priest is mandated to make our commendation to God. And understand what is saving and marvelous; for he says, "Of the most holy, immaculate," and the rest, adding the praises of the all-hymned ^B Theotokos as is fitting. "Having remembered all the saints." See, having remembered the leader of the saints, the dispenser of holiness, the common mediatrix, and the divine instrument through whom we have been saved along with all who have been sanctified through her—for they are of our own nature, and they care for us and are able, as having struggled for the glory of God, to help us—he says that instead of just mentioning them or calling upon them, or as those who have remembered us well, let us commend ourselves—because we owe ourselves entirely to God—and our neighbors—because we have received the commandment to love one another—and our whole life—inasmuch as God provides for it—and likewise our thoughts, words, and deeds in it, as well as our souls ^C and bodies, to Christ our God. Let us offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to Him who was sacrificed for us. Let us offer ourselves entirely to Him who gave Himself to us and who gave Himself over as food. Let us trust in Him who laid down His soul for us, who has given Himself as food, who provides for us and loves us, who is always concerned for us, saves us, and is the only Savior; for without Him it is impossible either to be, or to think, or to perform anything at all. No one can snatch those commended to Him from the hands of His Father. And His hands are His arm and the Holy Spirit. See, for those who understand, here are the greatest fruits of this prayer, and the most perfect of all. Therefore, while in other services those standing by cry out only, "Lord, have mercy," imploring the divine mercy, here they say, "To You, O Lord," that is: To You, O Christ God, we commend ourselves. This is the commendation that is most necessary to be declared in words; ^D for it makes our right faith in Christ and our offering made to Him out of faith acceptable, it unites us to God, it draws down His help, it joins us to the all-holy Mother of the Word and to the saints, and it makes their intercession effective for us. We must also, most necessarily, perfect this by our works; and we will perfect it by works if we believe rightly, if we live as Christians in purity, truth, and justice, and if we devote ourselves to prayer; for, having been commended to God, we live as those who have been dedicated...

^A to Him and sanctified by the mysteries, marked by our confession, delivered to Christ, and bought by Him, owing no other service but that of Christ. All the saints remember this commendation, as does the Savior Himself, who first made this commendation even as He was about to suffer, commending us to the Father, saying: "Keep them in your name, and sanctify them in your truth," and He Himself is the truth. Having accomplished this, the priest seals the doxology of the Trinity through the proclamation, having said, "For it is fitting unto Thee," confirming both the theology and the doxology previously mentioned, and testifying that these things come to us from God.

As for the hymns being chanted in troparia or idiomela along with the verses, on Sunday they consist of ten strophes, due to the perfection of that number; on the feast of a saint, they are divided into eight strophes, on account of the eighth and unending day in which those who belong to God will be forever, and in which souls are now with Christ. On individual days, they consist of six strophes, since the saints are now above the five senses, and the number six signifies the Trinity twice over. These hymns are chanted from both sides, whether they concern the Resurrection or another feast or saint present. At the final verse, the choirs come together, manifesting harmony and the union of the whole world through the Savior. Hence, bowing together toward the ^B altar, they cry out, "For His mercy has been strengthened over us," signifying the salvation of the nations in Christ, and how, having suffered on our behalf out of His mercy and having established His power and conquered through His Cross, He gathered us into Himself. And together again they sing, "Glory" and "Now," glorifying the undivided Trinity ^C in an indivisible manner; and furthermore, at the end, they glorify the Virgin Mother of God, because of the confession of the incarnation of Him who was incarnate from her, and of her great and powerful intercession.

CAPUT CCCXXXIII. What is the meaning of the vesperal entrance, and why the priest bows and stands up, and ascends to the altar and enters.

Then the priest makes the entrance, going out from the altar with head uncovered, with the censer and incense, and bowing in the middle of the temple, then rising, making the sign with his hand and the censer, and returning again to the altar. What does this signify? That the Only-begotten Son of God came down to us from the heavenly vaults, and again ascended into heaven and brought ^D us there with Him. Therefore, when he goes out in this way and bows his head and raises it, and cries out, "With wisdom, stand upright!" and makes the sign with the censer, or lifts up the Gospel if it is the entrance of the Gospel, and returns to the steps, he shows all the mysteries of the economy. For by going out and descending, he reveals the descent of Christ and His humiliation; by being clothed in sacred vestments, he indicates the incarnation; by bowing his head in the middle, he declares the Savior crucified for us in the midst of the earth, dead, and descending into Hades. Therefore, in silence and bowing his head, he prays, since...

^A by offering himself to the Father, having descended into Hades, he rescued us from there. And for this reason the priest offers the incense, which signifies his holy soul and life, truly the most sweet-smelling offering presented to God, or he displays the Gospel as the Lord himself; and he bows with it, since he himself descended to us; and he rises up, because Christ himself rose again and raised us up with him. And he proclaims and demonstrates this, either by making a cross with the censer and saying, "Wisdom, stand upright!" or by lifting up the Gospel. ^B Returning and entering again into the sanctuary manifests that Christ, taken up from the earth, has returned to the place where he was, with the flesh he assumed, having offered the sacrifice on our behalf, and having raised and sanctified us through himself. And every entrance signifies this. And it is most necessary for us to learn this before all things and at all times, and it is proper to remember it always: that we are saved by this very thing, that God descended to us.

Chapter CCCXXXIV.

Chapter CCCXXXV.

CHAPTER CCCXXXVI.

This entrance in the monasteries, moreover, takes place before the canons are sung, when the divine Gospel has been read, which is called the "matutinal," because it teaches what happened at dawn, as the day approached, or concerning the day on which the Lord's resurrection occurred; the priest goes forth as if from a monument, from the fearful sanctuary and from the tomb of the holy table, holding the Gospel like an angel, showing Christ whom he has proclaimed. And all who approach adore, in the manner of the disciples and the women bringing ointments, and they kiss the Gospel and sing the following hymn:

^A Resurrectionem Christi intuiti. These things, then, occur in the morning office. ^B But let us return to the matters proposed, having said what was needed concerning the entrance, and having called to mind what was said. In the vesper office, when the entrance has been completed and a sacred hymn has been recited—ancient and appropriate to the evening for the time of the entrance, which some say was composed by the holy and divine martyr Athenogenes, and which rightfully proclaims both the Trinity and the Incarnation of the Word, namely, "O gladsome light"—the deacon says, "Wisdom," and the high priest, sitting, gives them the peace; for Christ himself bequeathed this to us before his passion, gave it when he had risen, and continues to bestow it now that he has ascended into the heavens.

CHAPTER CCCXXXVII.

Regarding the "prokeimena" that are set forth daily, and what these signify.

And straightway, with a clear voice, the *prokeimenon* is chanted. Now this is a prophecy concerning the feast, a psalm teaching about the day. For indeed, in the vespers of the Sabbath, they bear witness to the mysteries of the ^C resurrection, and therefore at that time is chanted: "The Lord has reigned," for having risen, he conquered and reigned over death, and he put on beauty, that is, the incorruptibility of our nature, and having risen, he established the world, for it believed in him. But in the vespers of the Lord’s Day: "Behold now, bless the Lord," on account of the angels and the souls of his servants who bless him without end. At the vespers of the second day of the week, for the sake of the faithful who cry out in repentance, and for its herald, the Forerunner: "The Lord will hear me," he says, "when I cry out to him." At the vespers of the third day, for the sake of the help provided to us through the saving passion, and the mercy that is ours through the cross: "Your mercy, O Lord, shall follow me," he says, "all the days of my life." At the vespers of the fourth day, the affairs of the Apostles, saying: "O God, save me in your name." And indeed, through them we have been saved in the name of the Lord, for they were shown to be holy heralds and proclaimers, God working with them to save us and confirming the Word, as it is written. But at the vespers of the fifth day, we praise in advance the great help of the cross. For the one who made heaven and earth helped us by being crucified in the flesh. At the vespers of the Friday: "O God, you are my helper," we cry out, because of the multitude of the saints gathered into the reception of him who died for us and rose again, and because of the souls of the faithful who have already departed; since God has become a helper to the saints, and to those who have departed he is himself mercy, hastening to salvation. ^D And in the days of the fasts, "Alleluia" is set forth instead of the *prokeimenon*; which signifies the praise of God and his advent, and it has the same meaning as "The Lord comes," proclaiming both his first and his second coming, and also signifying the matters of his passion and his resurrection. As if to say, "The Lord comes to suffer and rise again for our sake; and he is coming again at the end to judge the whole earth,"

^A being anxious for ourselves, mindful of our sins, and awaiting the Lord, let us be cleansed; let us not hasten to hold assemblies or festivals, but in sorrow let us cry out to God, and praise and invoke Him, and await His coming. These are called "prokeimena" (preliminary), since they are, as it were, the prefaces to the festivals and the days that follow.

CHAPTER CCCXXXVIII. On the continuous supplication and the petitions, and why they are altogether necessary.

After these things, ^B the continuous prayer and the petitions are offered by the priest. The purpose of the continuous prayer is that mercy may be upon all: the faithful kings, the bishop of the place, the head of the monastery, or the stewards of the divine temple, and the orthodox standing by, and the faithful everywhere. The petitions, moreover, are that we may pass the whole evening and night—or the day, when we say them in the morning office—without sin and in peace; and furthermore, that we may have an angel of peace as a guardian of soul and body, and may find pardon and remission of our sins; ^C that the best and most favorable things may be granted to us and peace to the world; that we may complete the remainder of our life in repentance and peace; and that, as befits Christians, the end of our life may be faithful, holy, and peaceful, and that we may be found blameless when Christ comes. Furthermore, we commend ourselves to Christ our God through the Theotokos, for whom all things are possible, and through all the saints, as they have obtained boldness through their labors and struggles; and this we do because we owe it to God, having been made by Him, and we are also bound to benefit our neighbors, for it is said: "You shall love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself," ^D and we commend our whole life, as one given by God, to Christ our God. This we do immediately then when we say at the steps, "To Thee, O Lord"—that is, we commend ourselves, as we ought also to do in our deeds. For he who commends himself must be under the power of the one to whom he commends himself, so that he may enjoy His protection and rejoice in His providence. See what great blessings these petitions ask for us and what great things they provide to those who understand. We have seen certain holy men as if rapt out of themselves in these, praying with all their soul and commending themselves to God, while we know others who are not even attending to the words due to the dullness of their soul. Afterward, the priest customarily proclaims the doxology, and having prayed for peace for all and having commanded [the people] to bow their heads as a sign of servitude and supplication, he himself is the first to bow, confessing himself a humble servant, and he prays on behalf of the priesthood, for he does not trust in himself, and he too has need of mercy. Therefore he prays piously and in silence, constrained and anxious while he speaks to God and intercedes, saying: "O Lord God, who bowed the heavens and came down for the salvation of mankind, we do not present our own [works], but the work of Thy love and humility; look upon Thy heritage, for it is not to men but to Thee that they have bowed their heads, begging for their salvation from Thee, those whom in every time

and in the present Thou shouldst guard from every adversary, whether spiritual or sensible. And trusting that he shall obtain this, he rises, and crying out he sings: May the power of Thy kingdom be blessed, and the rest; as if to say: Thou alone art the King, glorified and blessed, and Thou canst do all things; and immediately he performs the procession. ^A

CAPUT CCCXXXIX. On the procession in the narthex, and other prayers and litanies outside the temple.

This procession takes place outside in the narthex on the Sabbath, and on feast days, and when some plague ^B supervenes, or when a great multitude of people gather in the middle of the city, or outside it, or tumultuously around the walls. Now litanies are an obsecration and common supplication made to God to avert His wrath, and to render thanks for benefits bestowed. Therefore, to be outside the temple signifies that we have fallen from Paradise, and that it and heaven are closed to us. To go through the middle of the city and cry out with sorrow signifies that we have contaminated the city and all that is in it with our sins. ^C But while we cry out and perform litanies outside the city, we signify that we are humbled, and we confess ourselves sinners, crying out outside the city which, as we inhabit it, we pollute, and furthermore, that we have migrated into the penalty of transgression from the divine homeland, and in that city in which we were created, or rather recreated and made worthy of God, we have been deluded by the serpent, foolishly corrupted and defiled, and we have defiled the holy place, and we dwell in deserts far from the providence of God, ^D and we travel in poorly guarded regions. We perform litanies in the narthex because the Savior descended down to our extremity, so that in this we might propitiate Him. We pray as if before the gates of heaven, standing before the doors of the holy temple; for we are not worthy to look up to the height of the temple unless we return and cry out, "We have sinned," when He Himself comes out to meet us and, in His mercy, embraces us. This, therefore, to supplicate before the doors, and for the priest to pray, signifies the beseeching that Eden and heaven be opened to us; or rather, that the divine bowels of compassion be opened, which we ourselves have wretchedly closed against us. While we are standing outside, the customary things are chanted. And the priest makes the accustomed prayers for all the people and for the heritage of God, so that it may be saved, and that the horn of us Christians may be exalted, crying out: Save, O Lord, Thy people, and the rest. And when the common prayer, namely, *Kyrie eleison*, has been said, he prays again for the kings, as for men pious and set over us, and for those struggling for the sake of the faith, for the pontiff or father of the place, for every Christian soul, for the churches of peace, for the faithful who are asleep, for the liberation of captives, for the health of the sick, for those who labor in Christ, and for all the brethren together. And again there is a continuous and vehement prayer, namely, *Kyrie eleison*, as

has been frequently ordained, which is said three times for the glory of the Trinity, and because the prayer is referred to it.

CHAPTER CCCXL.

On the final prayers in the procession.

^BThe priest prays to the good and philanthropic God to hear all, to be propitious and merciful to everyone, and to send down His mercy. Then he commands them to bow their heads ^C in humility and servitude. And turning to the west, as if praying for blessings upon those who bow before God, he invokes Christ, our most merciful Master and God. And by bringing forth the intercession of His holy Virgin Mother, the Theotokos, and also that of the angels and apostles, ^D martyrs and hierarchs and holy monastics, and of all the saints together, he asks that through them—and not for our sake—our prayer might be acceptable, that the remission of sins might be granted, that we might be sheltered under His wings, that our enemies might be far from us, that our life might be passed in peace, and that the world and we might receive mercy and be saved by Him, the philanthropic and good One, inasmuch as He became incarnate solely out of goodness and is the only full merciful One.

CHAPTER CCCXLI.

Why lamps always go before.

Having finished these things, he himself enters through the royal doors with the lamps going before, which were carried in front as usual, as is done in every entrance, as a sign of the divine light and the saints; and with the Father himself leading, it is as though he enters into heaven. Then the others follow, entering with the one in charge who leads the way, as if with Jesus Christ. And with the choirs on both sides singing in harmony, and standing in the middle, as if heaven were being opened to us and the angels were united with us through Christ, the *aposticha* are chanted, and the verses chanted with them are appropriate to the feast. For if it is Sunday, there are verses of the Resurrection, such as "The Lord reigned." But if it is some other feast, once again appropriate verses and its own proper *idiomela* are chanted. If a saint is being celebrated, verses chosen from the psalm are said, appropriate to the feast whether it be of a bishop, a martyr, or a holy monastic, and his own *stichera*. And that is why they are called *stichera*, for those outside in the procession are said without verses, whence they are called *responsaria*. Then the *Gloria* and *Nunc* are said with their own proper *idiomela*, one for the reason of the feast or of some saint, and another in honor of the Mother of God because of her most useful intercession for us. And immediately the "Nunc dimittis" is piously said by one, which is the prayer of Simeon who received God. Truly, he asked for the departure of his soul from his body, having seen the salvation of God; but we ask for the departure of the soul from the passions, and from the temptations by which the enemy urges us, and from the double disease, namely of soul and body, although it would not be strange for us

^A to pray for the dismissal from the body, that is, that it be granted by God as a tranquil and salutary one when He wills. This also signifies the now-ending work of praises, which imparts to us both salvation and glory as the light of grace. After this, there is the prayer of the Trisagion and the «Our Father,» like a divine seal. And when the priest has celebrated the kingdom of God, the troparion of the feast is sung; and the «Rejoice, Theotokos Virgin, full of grace, Mary,» is sung with a louder melody. This is the voice of the archangel at the divine conception of the Virgin. Since, therefore, this is the beginning of the saving economy and is said to have occurred on a Sunday, just as the Resurrection did, for this reason it is also said especially in the vigils of Sundays and in the feasts of the saints, except for the feasts of the Lord alone; because she is the Queen of all the saints, and sanctification is imparted to the saints through her virginal birth. ^B

CHAPTER CCCXLII. On the breaking of bread.

Then, therefore, another ceremony takes place which was handed down from above by the Savior Himself. On a table, five loaves are set forth, and in suitable vessels a little wheat, wine, and oil, which the priest incenses in a circle in the form of a cross, while the «Rejoice, Theotokos Virgin» is being sung, not as over holy things, but as about to be sanctified, or rather as being sanctified by the sign of the cross and by the incense itself; whence he does not bow his head while incensing, having given the censer, but stands erect. ^C And imitating the Savior, since he also typifies Him, and calling upon Him, he takes one of the loaves. And when the deacon says, «Let us pray to the Lord,» the priest raises his voice, saying: «Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who blessed the five loaves and satisfied five thousand, do You also bless these loaves.» And while saying this, he makes the sign of the cross with the one loaf over the other four, showing that Christ did this having similarly taken five loaves into His hands. And having placed the loaf, he blesses them with his hand in the form of a cross, testifying that Christ blesses them, and he proceeds to bless the wheat, the wine, and the oil, signing them also, and he says: «Multiply these in this holy monastery and in Your whole world, for You are He Who opens Your hand and fills every living thing with blessing,» as it is written. And he adds the appropriate doxology: «For You are He Who blesses and sanctifies all things,» and he glorifies the bread of life with the Father and the Spirit. And thus the thanksgiving is said by all, which was said by Job: «Blessed be the name of the Lord,» and «I will bless the Lord,» which is a most appropriate psalm, spoken by David concerning the provision of necessities for life. ^D And thus the priest, signing all and having requested the blessing of God for all, because this is truly food and drink, and as for meat, it does not render us acceptable to God, and because He is the giver of every good thing, the priest does not depart while concluding, for when the reading is finished, the morning office is said. The loaves, however,

^A and the wine, as having been sanctified by the blessing, are distributed to those present, which also serve for those who receive them with faith as a means of imparting charisms, healings, and many other good things. These things, then, are performed if there is a vigil; but if there is not, after the bowing of the head, there is neither a procession nor a blessing of the loaves. Only the stichera are chanted, and the "Now lettest Thou depart," and the prayer of the Trisagion, and the dismissal. Yet some who are zealous for these things, even when a vigil is not held—perhaps because of infirmity or a shortage of brethren—perform the procession at Vespers; then come the stichera and immediately the dismissal. However, they do not perform the blessing of the loaves, because this was instituted especially on account of the labor of the vigil, so that the brethren, having received the blessing of Christ and the small refreshment after their labor, might continue in prayer for the sake of communion in the fearful mysteries, and especially the priests. Behold, ^B the vesperal office has been taught to you, and what is due to you has been rendered. It remains to speak of the Compline, concerning which we shall also speak briefly.

*Cleric*: Fulfill, O holy Master, your reward for this also, so that the whole of the instruction may be perfected for us.

CAPUT CCCXLIII. Of the order of the Compline office which is chanted after supper.

*Pontiff*: In the greatest monasteries, Compline, as we have said, is chanted together with Vespers in front of the doors of the temple, just as common prayers are. In cenobitic monasteries, however, and by individual monks, secular priests, and pious laymen, it is recited after supper taken in the ^C evening; but in the holy Quadragesima, and in great monasteries, and in all places, it is performed specifically after the vesperal office and the meal, which is then eaten only once. The Compline of holy Quadragesima is therefore the "Great" one, and is so called, and it is divided into three parts in the image of the Holy Trinity and for the propitiation to be obtained for us. The Typika make this manifest; nor is it necessary to discourse more broadly, since we have explained almost everything pertaining to prayers. The psalms and prayers of Compline are filled with compunction and confession, suitable for obtaining forgiveness and propitiation; we pray that we may pass the night in peace, without phantasm, without pollution, and in security; and also that we may piously rise at the time of the nocturnal and ^D matutinal prayer in compunction and piety. The "Lesser" one, so called because it is shorter, consists of a single order, and is not divided into three parts; it is said daily, and its psalms are those that are able to be—and are—selected from the great one as being the most appropriate. These three are for the Trinity; and the most holy Symbol of the faith is added for the confession of religion; and it is said: "It is meet" on account of the incarnation of the Word and the intercession of the Theotokos. After the Symbol, as we have received from our Fathers, we call upon her and the angels and the saints to intercede for us,

^A as is also the case in the Great Compline; which is indeed highly necessary, to call upon those who draw near to God as intercessors and helpers. Then the prayer of the Trisagion, as it is both the beginning and the middle of the hymns and their completion; the "Lord, have mercy" forty times, for the consecration of the hours of our life and our days. The prayer to the Theotokos, the undefiled and unspotted full of grace, asking for all men—both those living in the present age, and those of us at the end of our life, and for the blessings of the age to come; and again, at once according to custom, her invocation, as the more honorable than the Cherubim, that we may be guarded by the shelter of her wings. And the prayer by the priest according to custom, that we may be shown mercy by God. And thus the final prayer is added, “And grant us, O Master, as we depart for sleep.” But rather, after the “Lord, have mercy,” the prayer “O Thou who at every time... O Virgin worthy of all praise... and O God, have mercy on us.” And later the prayer to the Mother of God beginning, “O Immaculate,” and with it, “And grant us, O Master,” which is the customary and universally established prayer. ^B

CHAPTER CCXLIV. That those things which are commonly appointed must be observed.

Some, however, due to the ardor of their piety, chant other things as well, though not in common, but separately; for it is necessary that those things which are commonly appointed be observed for the sake of order and lack of disturbance, and further, that scandal may be avoided. But separately, by some patristic rule, the fervent person has the permission to chant either alone, or with his own disciples, or even with brothers who are equally zealous. And this is done after the testing and counsel of the Fathers, since, as we have learned, salvation exists where there is much counsel. You know also that for the sake of compunction, canons are chanted at Compline, just as the Great Canon is. And in the evening, some in sacred ^C monasteries chant canons of the Theotokos, and the office of the Akathist—many on each Friday evening—and every man who is zealous and who labors will have a greater reward, in accordance with his labor. But those things lie in the volition and zeal of each individual; yet these things which are publicly appointed, it is not fitting for anyone to transgress without great necessity and infirmity. But even for those who are infirm, there remains the prayer which is made in the mind, which is most necessary of all; and for men placed in necessity and pressure, it is highly useful to flee to God and to beseech Him, since it says, “Who, besides God, shall deliver us from tribulation?” and “Vain is all salvation of man.” And, “In God we shall perform power.” And, “He shall cry to me, and I will hear him,” and similar things. There are also those who, along with the appointed things, perform many others separately, ^D whose soul indeed is always joined to God, but whose body is worn down by austerities, fasts, vigils, sleeping on the ground, nakedness, and other afflictions, and by many genuflections; they who shall be numbered with the martyrs, and whom it is fitting, according to our strength and ability, to imitate, so that we too may with

^A a little labor be placed through the mercy of God among them. For even if we are not able to perform the whole, yet if we have imitated them in a few small things in all matters, God will strengthen us, who are fervent, for the whole. For to them too, virtue comes from God, or He will have mercy on our weakness because of a small work and will grant that we be placed with them. For such is the Master: being good, He asks for some occasion only from us, and He Himself, fulfilling the whole, saves us and ranks us with His servants, as being supremely good. And thus far as regards the Jerusalem Typikon.

CHAPTER CCCXLV. The beginning of the institutions, precepts, and the order of the chants.

Let us look more explicitly at the mysteries of the economy of Christ represented in that which is rightly called the order of the chants, which was given to us from above by our Fathers, as we have learned. All the catholic Churches that are upon the earth performed this from the beginning with melody, saying nothing without song except only the prayers of the priests and the petitions of the deacons; especially the greatest Churches, of Constantinople, of Antioch, and of Thessalonica; but now it is fulfilled here alone and only in the divine temple of the Holy Wisdom of God. Furthermore, it stands thus, so that we may also give an account of it.

CHAPTER CCCXLVI. On the evening chant.

Formerly, in the vespers, the ministers were accustomed to fill the temple with incense before the order ^B to the glory of God and as a sign of the divine glory of God, which once filled the tabernacle, and Moses and Aaron were not able to enter the tabernacle until it had lifted. Likewise also in the temple of Solomon, when it was filled with His glory, the priests could not stand and minister before the Lord until that cloud had vanished. And likewise in the morning office, they formerly filled the temple with smoke rising from incense.

CHAPTER CCCXLVII. On the incense which is accustomed to be offered in silence before the evening and morning office.

But now this does not happen, except that in the Liturgy alone the deacon or the priest, after the prothesis, in figure of that glory, censes the altar ^C in silence, or indeed the whole temple. And this takes place also in monasteries before the solemn vespers, the priest signifying the divine glory and grace granted by an angel, and that the house of the Lord is full of glory. In the chastic evening service, therefore, the priest standing before the holy table as in heaven before the throne of God, blesses the God who is in Trinity, not saying: "Blessed be God"; for this is unusual in the order

^A of the chant, as this belongs to the Old Testament alone. But just as in the holy liturgy, "Blessed be the kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever," declaring the unity of the kingdom and of the nature and of the God who is triune, which is the proclamation of grace, and the recognition and confession of the one God in Trinity. And immediately the priest says the liturgical petitions, first giving peace from the Lord and teaching all to ask. One must know, therefore, that only the order of the liturgy remains according to the ancient arrangement. Wherefore the priest blesses God in this way, and likewise immediately says the litanies, and the three antiphons ^B are sung in the likeness of the Trinity, which belong to the ancient order of the chant. And some, not knowing this in the sung vespers where the three antiphons are said, and later also the Trisagion, name this a liturgy. And more especially the Constantinopolitans, who from the beginning have held this order, marvel at these things now, ignoring that they lost these most beautiful rites through the persecution of the Latins, just as in the fasts they lost the sacred and ancient service and order of the Third and Sixth Hours, and that of the so-called Pannychis, which was once held every evening, and especially during the Holy and Great Lent, and in the first days of this and the Great Week, of which the prayers are necessary, which were said all night, as well as the prayers ^C between the third and sixth hour according to ancient tradition—which chant represents the hours, and is therefore called by this name—and moreover the prayers of the holy liturgy, of which we shall speak briefly in a moment. But now we are speaking about Vespers, as after the priest has blessed and said all the litanies, and the "Take up, save, have mercy," the singers immediately psalm: "And hear me, glory to Thee, O God"; and it is necessary that what is chanted should contain at once both supplication and the glorification of God. And the one part is from the Psalm, "Incline, O Lord, Thine ear, and hear me"; and the other is from the angels, "Glory to God in the highest," and "Heaven and earth are full of His glory," and "Blessed is the glory of the Lord." Then the priest says, "Of the all-holy and immaculate," and with a ^D loud voice praises God in Trinity, saying, "For unto Thee is due all glory, honor, and adoration." And thus the whole Psalm is said with "Glory to Thee, O God." Therefore, the "Hear me" of the psalm that is added, as has been said, this is the custom also in other services in the chant; for they always prefix a portion of the verse of the psalm that is arriving, either with "Alleluia," or "Glory to Thee, O God," or some refrain; and it is called a "refrain" because it is sung with the psalm verse by verse. And first the verse is said, and then this, for example: "Incline, O Lord, Thine ear, and hear me. Glory to Thee, O God," and similarly in the rest. Therefore, in all the Vespers, "Incline, O Lord, Thine ear" is chanted, since the Sun of Righteousness inclined the heavens and descended, though not knowing setting, whereas then the sensible sun, setting, brings to its close

^A that which is setting and inclining and rising, it proclaims that Sun which knows no setting, who appeared to us in flesh; that is to say, it shows that He himself, the Word of God who is God, descended from the heavens to earth, and shone upon us the day of His first coming, and descended even unto the underworld beneath the earth, and again rose and ascended, and once more appeared from heaven; and by then rising, and by finishing the day that knows no setting, He signifies that He has illuminated the whole world. Hence also, all of this psalm, that is, the "Incline, O Lord, Thine ear," is chanted verse by verse by each of the two choirs, with the "Glory to Thee, O God" at every verse. That this is an ancient custom of the order of service is evident also from the prayers. For the first of the prayers called [the prayers] of the lamps contains within itself the entire concept of the Psalm, and expressions from it; "Lord, Merciful and compassionate," and you will find the remaining ones similarly toward the psalms of the antiphons, both having the concepts and the words from them; just as the entrance ^B of the vespers clearly shows, the beginning of which is, "At evening and at morning and at midday." For since the entrance takes place at the "O Lord, I have cried" and its verses, and the prayer is said, and contains psalm-like words from the things chanted and concepts, so that everything may be offered through the priest to God—for example, "Let our prayer be directed as incense before Thee," or, "Do not incline our hearts to words of wickedness," or, "For to Thee, O Lord, O Lord, are our eyes"—since the priest, being summoned at the entrance, ascends at this very verse. This, I think, signifies the supplication through the prophets and [their] prophecy regarding the Lord who was to arrive and become incarnate, and who by His passion and resurrection was to save us from hell and corruption. Wherefore also the leader of the chanters calls the priest; just as David [says], "O Lord, incline the heavens and come down," and, "Send forth Thy power and come to save us," and cries out as if from hell: "To Thee, O Lord, are my eyes; in Thee have I hoped, do not destroy my soul." ^C Wherefore the priest then ascends at this verse, manifesting the descent of Christ to us and even unto hell, and His resurrection, through which we have been liberated from the underworld, and His ascent again into the heavens. At vespers, indeed, the psalter used to be said formerly, just as it is now in the morning office; which the monasteries imitating, they say a *kathisma* of the psalter at vespers, and in the morning office they say two without intermission. Now, however, in the chanted vespers, on account of infirmity and negligence, an antiphon of the psalter is not said, except only in the holy Quadragesima and at vespers of every Saturday in Holy Wisdom [Hagia Sophia] alone; where, on account of the complaints of certain ignorant people, we commanded that only the psalm "Blessed is the man" be said with melody and chant, but in the holy [Quadragesima] we have decreed that, according to the custom, ^D the six antiphons, and only one half of a psalm, be said again. The psalm, indeed, "Incline, O Lord, Thine ear," comprises [both] supplication and the glorification of God, and celebrates the Lord Jesus Christ who suffered for our sake, whom it calls compassionate and of great mercy and truthful, and it prays that a sign be given to us for good, and...

that is, the Cross, upon which, when fixed in the flesh at evening, the Savior died; and it seeks that power be given to us and that we be saved. Then, they sing ^A “Glory,” and the other choir, “And now,” along with “Glory to you, O God.” And again the priest [says] the little litany: “Again and again,” and “Help,” and the chanter with the song, “The earth, Alleluia.” For since the priest said to God, “Help, save, have mercy, and protect us, O God, by your grace,” the chanter adds, “For the earth, O God, help, save, have mercy, and protect us by your visitation.” This is what Alleluia signifies. For the visitation of God, and the coming and manifestation ^B of God, is the interpretation of Alleluia, and this is the preeminent praise of the dispensation. Therefore, it is also sung by us continuously, and is said before the Gospel, since it signifies the coming of Christ; for it says, “God comes,” who has already come and from heaven will come again. And the priest, having said, “Of the all-holy, immaculate…” and having commended everyone to God through all the saints, exclaims, “For yours is the kingdom,” glorifying the only God in Trinity. And immediately the chanter sings the ^C appointed [text] for the day. And the final antiphon is said on account of the other antiphons, which were said formerly but are now omitted. Therefore, on Saturday evening, the verse “Let God arise” is said, and “Glory and now,” and consecutively [followed] by, “O Lord, I have cried,” with the refrain, “We glorify your life-giving Resurrection, O Lord,” which is said on the first Sunday. On the other [Sunday], “We glorify your saving Resurrection, O Lord,” and with the subsequent verses said in this manner, the priest makes the entrance, or more [priests] with him and the deacons, as is the custom, with lights preceding, and the thurifer carrying incense in sign of the order received from above, ^D for the communication of the grace of God from the altar, and in order that our prayer may be directed up like fragrant and pure incense, just as the sung psalm says, and the prayer that is said while the priests bow: “At evening and morning and at midday,” which, as has been said, accords appropriately with what is chanted. For it says: “Let my prayer be set forth as incense in your sight,” and, “Incline not my heart to evil words,” and, “Deliver us from all those who hunt our souls,” and that, “To you, O Lord, O Lord, are our eyes,” and, “Do not put us to shame, O our God.” And the exclamation. When the priests stand up, a sign of the Cross is made. And it says, “Blessed is the entrance of your saints, O Lord,” and “Wisdom, stand upright,” is said with the sign of the Cross by means of the censer. All these things signify the descent of the Savior at the end of the ages and at the sunset of this life, and his life sanctified like incense, and the admission of our souls to the Father through his all-holy body, which he made, being humbled even to the Cross and death, and he descended to the lower regions, and as victor through the Cross he rose again, and ascended to the Holy of Holies in the heavens, having opened the entrance for us. On account of this, the chanter [sings] this verse, “For to you, O Lord, O Lord…”

and turning towards the west, he invites the priest ^A who represents the Lord, and by singing cries out: “For unto thee, O Lord, O Lord, are my eyes, in thee have I hoped; destroy not my soul.” These things show hope in the Lord and the liberation and salvation of our souls from Him, as was said before. And thus the priest ascending, enters the altar as the Saviour into heaven; but the hymns of the resurrection are sung in the ambo or platform in the likeness of the angels celebrating the resurrection of the Saviour, and of the apostles preaching it to the world. While these are being sung, incense is offered by the priest or deacon, since from the risen and ascended Christ the grace of the Spirit was sent forth to us. And after “Glory, and Now,” the *prokeimenon* is sung, namely: “The Lord reigned,” having conquered death and the devil with all the demons. “And he clothed himself in comeliness,” that is, the immortality of the flesh and incorruption, “and he established the earth by his faith. ^B And at once by the priest or deacon a continuous prayer is made for all the faithful and for kings and priests, and after the prayer, the exclamation is sung: “For thou art merciful,” for He is full of mercy, and that He may have mercy on all, for no one has of himself anything worthy for God to have mercy upon. And after the continuous prayer, there immediately follows a small *synapte* and the exclamation: “For Yours it is to show mercy.”

CHAPTER CCCXLVIII.

Concerning the three small antiphons in the evening chanting.

And the first is sung of the three antiphons ^C which are called small, because they do not have complete psalms, but four selected verses for each, to which is added “Glory and Now.” And there are three in honor of the Holy Trinity; the first indeed: “I have loved, for the Lord will hear,” and he invokes the Theotokos, saying: “By the intercession of the Theotokos, Saviour, save us.” For she, having loved God more than every rational creature, had Him dwelling in her humility and highest purity, appearing worthy, and through herself she reconciled us to God and the Father, the beloved Son having been born from her bowels. And after the verses are recited by each choir and “Glory and Now,” again a small ^D *synapte* is said, and is sung: “By good pleasure and goodness,” for it pleased the only-begotten Son to descend even unto us. But the second antiphon: “I believed, wherefore I spoke,” invokes the Lord incarnate; and he says: “Save us, O Son of God, who rose from the dead, singing to thee,” or in a feast or in the commemoration of some wonder-worker among the saints, if it is not a Sunday or a great feast. That: “I believed, wherefore I spoke,” manifests the faith of the apostles and the saints, by which all nations were led from infidelity to faith: and the words:

“I will take the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord,” manifest the communion of Christ and salvation through his blood, in which Christ the saints, having communicated through martyrdom and struggles, are saved and make us safe, and through them we are united to the Lord. Therefore, at the “Glory,” we say, “Only Begotten Son,” manifesting his communion with us, which was instituted by the divine Cyril. And at the words, “And now,” we say, “Most glorious Mother of God,” since through her the Only Begotten was united to us. And she is the queen and sanctification of all the holy angels and mortals. ^B And after the verses and the “Glory and now,” a small litany is joined again, and the prayer that follows: “For thou art holy, our God,” and the chanter sings the third antiphon. This is: “Praise the Lord, all ye nations,” summoning the whole world to the praise of the Trinity, and he adds the angelic hymn, and: “Holy God.” And when the verses are said by each choir, and the “Glory and now,” the extra one is said, that is to say, after the “Glory and now,” the final one is said. And the Trisagion hymn is chanted aloud, with all standing with uncovered heads, as they praise God with hymns. See, therefore, in these three, the excellent order of the hymns of the Church. For in the first antiphon, it invokes the intercession of the Mother of God. In the second, however, the Church beseeches the one incarnate from her, through the intercession of the saints, to show himself merciful. But in the third and last, it celebrates God himself, the Trisagion, with the angels, imploring mercy, ascending by degrees to higher things. ^C And at the end of this, the high priest signs three times from his throne or from his particular seat, representing the Lord blessing from heaven. Afterwards, the great ektene, the petitions, that is, “Let us complete our prayer,” by the deacon, and the peace, and the prayer of the bowing of the head by the priest; which signifies our slavery to God and humility, and the humility of God even unto the form of a servant. And when the priest rises and cries out, signifying the resurrection from our fall and death, and giving thanks to the Savior, and saying aloud and with his whole soul: “For thine is the power of the kingdom,” immediately the service of the lite takes place behind the ambo, for the propitiation of God for all the faithful. And while the resurrection verses are being chanted, and the “Glory and now,” an extensive prayer is made by the priest, and the “Lord, have mercy,” as is the custom, as if before the tomb of Christ. And after the “Hear us, O God,” the troparia, and the dismissal. But if it is a common day, the lite is not held. But the troparion is said as the priest descends, in the manner of a lite, behind the ambo, while “Theotokos Virgin” is being chanted. And after this the priest exclaims: “Let us pray to the Lord. For you are our illumination, Christ our God, and to you we send up glory,” that is to say, You have given us the light, both sensible and intellectual, and the

^A rising sun you cause to set; and you are the true light, and having appeared to us and been taken up, you will again shine upon us when you come. And thus the dismissal takes place. The final prayer of all is that of the bowing of the heads and of the dismissal; and this is likewise in the morning [orthros], and in every other prayer. From what has been said, then, it is clear that the order of the *asmatikon* is more honorable than the other, and is more ancient; and from there it has its beginnings. See also the order, that after the prayers, later, to show servitude, one bows and makes the bows of the head; and thus he concludes the prayers. For it is necessary in all things to be humbled and to worship the Master, and to confess servitude. If a feast should occur, or the memory of a saint being celebrated, after the exclamation of the bowing of the head, the readings according to the rule are said, as by these same things of the feast and by those formerly holy [men] they are proclaimed and testified. Therefore, also in the hymns, first the psalms of David are said, and those of the other holy prophets, because these came before; then with them the hymns of grace are sung. Here, however, after all the hymns have been completed, the testimonies of the feasts being celebrated are read. And thus the vesper takes place; but the morning [orthros] ^B also [takes place] both spiritually and appropriately. For consider how wonderfully it expresses and describes all things from the beginning of creation, both those of the law and the prophets, and those of the economy of the Savior, and through hymns and deeds delivers and teaches the things of our salvation; and [shows] that through our Savior we have found the entrance and ascent into heaven.

CHAPTER CCCXLIX.

Concerning the *asmatikon* morning [orthros].

I shall also set forth the morning [orthros] of the Lord’s day, in imitation of which the morning [orthros] services of the other individual days are [arranged]; and from this the order will be clear. With the royal doors of the temple closed, which represents both the ancient paradise and heaven, ^C or rather, which is truly paradise and heaven; for just as it is paradise in the middle of the sanctuary, on the holy altar, it possesses the tree of life, namely Christ who is sacrificed, and his most holy cross; but as it is heaven, it possesses the holy table itself as a throne upon which Christ, the King of glory, sits through the mysteries and the Gospel, and the angelic powers watching over these, and the priestly orders, and the holy chrism, and the holy relics of the martyrs, and the crowd of apostolic and prophetic souls being sent and standing by in frequent numbers, and indeed present ^D through their most holy writings; and the angels also truly approaching to cooperate with us who are ministering, and to sing the same hymn which is sung both by them and by us, and to fulfill the same ministry both above and below. Therefore, when the doors of this most divine temple, this new paradise and heaven, are closed—since we ourselves closed paradise and heaven to ourselves by transgression, and are continually closing them—the priest stands before the doors as a mediator, and as one bearing the image of an angel, and blesses God, one in Trinity, by saying: “Blessed be the kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit;” and immediately he adds all the words of peace, and: “Receive, save, have mercy.”

^A The chanter immediately sings a portion of the psalm already being chanted according to the word of God: “I laid me down and slept; Glory to Thee, O God.” And after the priest has said: “Commemorating our all-holy, most pure,” and has commended all to God, and has aloud glorified God, stating, “For unto Thee is due all glory,” the chanter says with melody: “I laid me down and slept; Glory to Thee, O God.” And thus, having begun the psalm: “O Lord, why are they increased,” with the others, the whole psalm is completed verse by verse, each choir saying, “Glory to Thee, O God.” Three psalms are said together in the likeness and honor of the All-Holy Trinity, namely: “O Lord, why are they increased,” “O God, my God, early will I seek Thee,” and “Behold now, bless ye the Lord.” ^B In these three, if it be a feast day, the hymn of the Trinity is sung, that is: “Glory to Thee, Father, glory to Thee, Son, glory to Thee, Holy Spirit,” and the like. But on common days and Sundays, except for that of the Forefathers and Fathers, only, “Glory to Thee, O God.” Then, “Glory,” and again, “Glory to Thee, O God.” And “Now and ever,” the same; and this is repeated again more loudly. And the priest, “Again and again,” and, “Receive;” and the chanter, “The world, Alleluia.” And the priest, “Of the All-Holy,” and the exclamation. And immediately the chanter, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Alleluia,” and the rest of the verse, and, “Alleluia.” And thus the verses are sung again by both choirs with “Alleluia,” until the first part of the entire station is completed. Then, “Glory and now,” and again, “Alleluia.” ^C And the priest again a small litany. The chanter, “Give me understanding, O Lord.” The priest, “Of the All-Holy, most pure,” and the exclamation; and the chanter, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me,” and the rest of the verse with the intervening verse, “Give me understanding, O Lord.” And the remaining verses are sung by the two choirs with, “Give me understanding, O Lord.” “Glory and now.” And again the same, “Give me understanding, O Lord.” Then again the priest a small litany. The chanter, “The world, Alleluia.” The priest, “Of the All-Holy,” and the exclamation. The chanter, “Look Thou upon me and have mercy on me, Alleluia.” ^D And immediately he opens one door of the temple, showing that heaven was opened to us immediately by the incarnation of the Lord, who looked down from heaven upon us, and was made man of the heavenly and living gate, the Theotokos; who even before the passion and resurrection opened the heavens to us, as it is written in his baptism, when He saw the heavens opened which before were utterly closed to us; but He Himself later ascended, and brought us in thither. The verses are therefore spoken by each of the two choirs until that which says: “Let my supplication come before Thee, O Lord.” Then indeed, as if the Lord’s dispensation had already been accomplished, and the Saviour having suffered, and the host having been offered through the cross, and all being redeemed by the resurrection of the Lord, both those who were in Hades and those who were on earth, and having entered into heaven by His resurrection, the doors are opened by the priest, and the entry is sung more clearly with “Alleluia,” as all enter within as if into heaven, the priest going before and carrying the cross, by which he signifies our Lord and Saviour made sacrifice through the cross. Furthermore, on the cross are fastened three candles, a luminous sign of the...

Trinity. For through the cross, the knowledge of the Holy Trinity and its glory were made manifest and shone forth. And having entered, the priest immediately bows his head, giving thanks to the Master. If, however, the bishop is present, he too bows together with the priest, and they say the prayer of the entrance. And the bishop makes the sign of the cross, saying: "Blessed is the entrance of your saints, O Lord."

Therefore, the bishop alone enters through the great door, with the priest and deacon preceding him, in the likeness of the divine angels, representing Christ, as has been said, who opened to us the gates of paradise and heaven. Having entered, he offers praise and thanks to Him who, through the cross, opened to us the things above, and who alone is our Leader as King and God, and who alone entered into the world through the gate that looks toward the east—namely, through His Mother, who was ever-virgin—and through her opened for us the heavenly gate. The rest, however, enter through the side doors, or all follow behind, because through Him we all follow, entering heaven. The choirs on both sides sing the remainder of the psalm, instructing us in the resurrection of Christ and our life and salvation, standing in the middle of the temple. "Let your hand be," it says, "to save me; my soul shall live and praise you; I have gone astray like a lost sheep, seek your servant." ^B Then, "Glory to the Father, and now..." and once more after the Alleluia is chanted with a clearer voice in praise of Him who rose and gathered us together, immediately the psalm is sung with melodic chanting: "Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord; praise and exalt him above all for ever."

When this has been chanted, they ascend, the priest carrying the cross as an angel, while the bishop represents the Lord. They ascend toward the altar, with all following as if to the very throne of God. The bishop ascends to his cathedra, signifying the Saviour's ascent into heaven and His sitting there—by cathedra I mean His proper seat. The cross is fixed in the ambo opposite the altar, testifying to all of the death and resurrection of the Saviour, and preaching the Trinity through the three lights kindled upon it. And the entire ode of the holy three youths, along with the "Bless the Lord," is sung melodiously and aloud, for they too in the furnace signified the Trinity at once, and glorified It, and [foreshadowed] the incarnation of the Word; and [we sing] "We bless the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, the Lord, both now and ever." ^C And finally, there is the noble hymn of praise: "We praise you, we bless you, we glorify you, we worship you, O Lord," because from God alone, the all-holy Trinity, and from the economy of the Word, one of the persons of the Trinity, all good things were done for us; and we were raised up, having fallen from a grave descent, and were enlightened by the true light and introduced into heaven. Therefore, we immediately celebrate the cause of the incarnation of the Word, the Theotokos, saying: "You are an unassailable wall, a tower of salvation..." ^D

^A

CAPITULUM CCCL. Concerning the prayers recited in the narthex of the church, and the incense offered there, and the entrance into the temple, and what these signify.

One must know, then, that during the first three psalms the priest offers the morning prayers to God. Then, as the psalm "Blessed are those whose way is blameless" begins, he takes the censer. After placing incense and signing it—and if a bishop is present, he signs the incense—the priest begins from the right side of the narthex, where the holy icon of the archangel is on the wall. He censes the narthex in a circle around the foundations of the temple and the walls, with those standing there moving back from the walls and then approaching again. Returning to where he began, he makes the sign of the cross with the censer, saying: "Wisdom, arise!" one lamp going before him only on feast days, and with few and small lights being lit in the narthex. The chanter, invoking him, cries: "Blessed are You, O Lord." For it is customary for this verse to occur at the conclusion of the incensing. And the priest ^B says in a quiet voice: "Wisdom, arise!" and immediately, having entered, he censes the bishop and then all the others in order. Afterward, entering the temple from the side, he censes the entire temple in silence, being closed as we have said. Having entered the altar and censed there, he sets down the censer and takes the venerable Cross positioned behind the holy altar, with no one preceding and no lights, but he proceeds alone or with a deacon accompanying him. Going out from the other side, bowing his head to the bishop, he takes his stand, carrying the Cross to the right, near the great gates of the divine temple. There he stands until the completion of the psalms. Then, with the three candles lit at this point and the gates being opened, the solemn entrance takes place. These things are not done without reason, but the saints who set them down composed them all with a wonderful and most sublime purpose, in divine knowledge and understanding. Therefore, let us repeat them and explain them more clearly.

Standing outside and chanting signifies our expulsion from paradise, as we have said, and that heaven had become closed to us, that all were dead, and the souls of the righteous were in Hades. Therefore we stand at the western part of the temple, as if dwelling in the darkness of Hades and corruption ^C and cast down in the ignorance of error. Nor do we light the greatest lamps at that time, because even though there was some light in us then—a natural light through the knowledge of what is right, and that received from the prophets and the law—it could not enlighten us completely. For that great and unapproachable light had not yet shone upon us, the Sun of Righteousness; nor had the saving grace of God yet been manifested to us, but it was faint and dark, like an infinitesimal ray descending into a prison through a hole in a membrane, which is what the incense performed only around the narthex indicates, signifying the legal and darkened ministry that at that time belonged to the Jews alone and...

which itself was performed very little compared to almost all the nations. ^A Now, the incense is around the walls and the foundations from the beginning, because the Church has been built upon the foundation of the apostles and ^B prophets. And the law indeed began, but the truth has brought it to fulfillment; and as the tabernacle was perfected in the Holy Spirit by Moses and Bezaleel, by so much more is the temple of Christ perfected and founded by divine grace, which types His most holy body, formed in the Virgin from her pure and divine blood by the power of the Holy Spirit. Wherefore, the fact that those standing back from the walls of the temple while the priest censes the foundations, and then stand there again, signifies the Lord first being conceived in the Virgin and becoming man, and later us, who were far off, being united to Him and sanctified by Him, and furthermore the temple first being sanctified, and then us through it, as happened also in the tabernacle and in the ancient temple, which typed the Lord. ^C Then the priest enters the temple censing, honoring God in it, and imitating the ancient incense that was done in the Holy of Holies, but being much more honorable than that legal priest, as one enriched by the grace of the great and only high priest, who is according to the order of Melchizedek. But also as an angel of God Almighty, as it is written, the priest through the incense propitiates God, just as the people do through the psalms, which are also hymns of thanksgiving and supplications to God, and which entreat Him to come to us and be made manifest, and which prefigure the conversation of our Savior Himself, and especially His immaculate manner of life, which the psalm then chanted, "Blessed are the undefiled [Ps. CXVIII, 1]," ^D correctly demonstrates, and furthermore the life of His saints, and also the passion and resurrection of the Savior. Therefore this psalm is especially chanted on Lord’s days and frequently on the commemorations of the saints, the first [psalm] also with the second and the third, "Blessed is the man [Ps. I, 1]"—for the only blessed man and undefiled in the way is the Savior alone; and by grace, the saints of Him. The priest, therefore, having entered within with the censer as into the Holy of Holies, or rather into the places more honorable than those, in this testifies to and imitates the incense of Zacharias, who alone censing in the inner sanctuary, had as the herald of grace John, who was also the precursor in preaching and baptism and life and passion of our Savior and God; he takes the cross. And not with light-bearing [procession], but in silence he exits; because Jesus our God, when the legal observances were fulfilled, and His cross was preached through the documents and the preachings of the prophets, He Himself came to us with humility and without display, and showed the crucified life, and lived holily, and showed that it was drawing near to the heavenly gate and that angelic conversation.

Wherefore also, after fulfilling all things that had been preached through the prophets, He was crucified; and having died and risen, He sent ^A them to preach and to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, three lights are kindled upon the precious cross. And since, having risen, He appeared to us with the wounds caused by the crucifixion, and ascended into heaven, and brought us in with Him—this being declared by His cross [as it is carried] with the High Priest, the priest bearing that very cross, and all entering in together—He has consecrated for us a new and living way through the veil of His flesh, and through Him we have found an entrance into the holy places; and He Himself, being the great High Priest, has entered once into the holy places, having found eternal redemption for us, the Savior. Thus, then, we enter with Him, bearing His reproach, which He suffered for us outside Jerusalem. For this reason, also, His cross is carried outside the temple, so that, just as He suffered and was afflicted outside on account of Adam, who was tempted and overcome and put to death within Eden and cast out of it, we might enter in through Jesus, who suffered outside Jerusalem, and ascend to heaven with Him as King of heaven. Such are the rites of the morning service. And after the reading has taken place, especially of the *synaxarion*, setting forth those who suffered for Christ, or those things pertaining to the approaching feast, or the deeds of those who fell asleep holily in Christ, having imitated His death and resurrection, again the ^B litany is held; and the "Have mercy upon me, O God" is sung with the appropriate refrain, which is called the *pentecostarion*.

CAPUT CCCLI. On the Fiftieth Psalm.

The *pentecostarion* is so called because it is the fiftieth psalm. This psalm, having been uttered [by David] on account of the crime of homicide and adultery, is appropriate for all pious men as a psalm of repentance; and more especially for the head of the race, Adam, who murdered both himself and all those born on earth, and committed adultery by eating of the tree that had not been given to him for food, and became sick with the desire for Godhood, which he did not possess by nature. For he was not God, but a creature, and this is applicable to all men who sin in like manner. Therefore, this psalm is sung before all others in the Church, invoking the mercy of God and the forgiveness of sins, and entreating to obtain a clean heart; and it beseeches that the Holy Spirit, which we lost being defiled by sin, might be renewed in us, and asks that He not depart from us; and it offers a broken spirit as a sacrifice, that is to say, repentance, in place of the old sacrifice of irrational animals, ^C thereby foreshadowing the things of the Gospel and abolishing the legal [sacrifices] as shadowy and imperfect. For it is not possible for one who possesses a rational soul to be saved through the offering of an irrational animal, unless the soul itself is again corrected through this, which is to perform perfect repentance, and to offer in sacrifice for oneself a man immune to sin, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became incarnate for us and gave Himself as a most personal host for all,

^A and to see the new Jerusalem built—that is to say, the Church; he also prophesies the sacrifice of praise—the confession of Christ—to be offered, and the fatted calf, who is the Lord Himself. Therefore, the fiftieth Psalm ^B is appropriately said at this point, verse by verse, by both choirs, along with the dismissal of the day or the feast, or the *apolutikion* of the saint. On the Lord's days, after "Glory and now," the dismissal of the feast is said; on individual days, the dismissal proper to the day is said. Moreover, at the verse "Cast me not away from thy presence," they say: "Help of the Christians"; but at "Glory," they say: "O Only-begotten," and at the words "And now," they say: "O most glorious." And immediately the canons of the feast or the saint are recited, which we have added for the seemliness and good order of the Church, and for the glory of God and His saints. They are sung in eight parts if there are two [canons]; in six if it is a great saint; or in four if it is not a feast day. This is done for the benefit, encouragement, and perseverance of the righteous, as is customary with the canons. For previously, the canons were not chanted in the *asmaticon*, but after the fiftieth Psalm, once a *synapte* had been performed, the "Praise ye" [Psalms] were immediately said. Now, however, after the canons, the *exapostellaria* or the hymn "Send forth" are said. Then, a short *synapte*, and immediately the "Praise ye." The cantor of the first choir says: "Praise the Lord from the heavens; to Thee is due a hymn, O God," and the other [choir] says the same for the next verse; and they recite the six other verses in like manner. From this it is evident that the monasteries derive their origins from the *asmaticon*, since they too say from the beginning: "To Thee is due a hymn, O God." And to the verse "Praise the Lord from the earth," [they say:] "Give glory to God," and similarly to the six following verses. But to this: "His name is exalted," they say: "To Him is due praise," and so on for the following verses; but to the verse: "Let them praise His name; Glory to Thee, Father," and likewise to the following one. To this: "The exaltations of God, ^C Son of God, have mercy on us," and likewise to the next verse. But to that: "To bind their kings in fetters," it is said: "Spare us, O Lord, on account of the Holy Spirit; for the Lord, Paul says, is the Spirit, that the Trinity may be hymned," and likewise for the others. To this, moreover: "Praise God in His saints, Son of God, have mercy on us," again on account of the incarnation, and likewise for the following verses. But to this: "Praise Him with sounding cymbals, Glory to Thee who hast revealed the light," and to the last one after it. Then, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and wrought redemption for His people." And they say this for all the verses, because this ode is a prophecy of the incarnation of the Word, and a prologue to it, and a thanksgiving, spoken near the time of the birth of the Forerunner and Baptist, and as a thanksgiving the Church chants it solemnly. Furthermore, at "Glory," they say: "Blessed be the Lord Jesus the King, for He hath visited," and the rest, more loudly. And now ^D the same thing. And in addition, "Let us all hymn the Mother of God, through whom we have obtained forgiveness of sins, and...

^A remission of offenses and aid for our souls." These things magnify the economy of Christ that has been proclaimed, especially through the birth of the Baptist, as we have foretold. And immediately in the ambo ^B by the reader, who takes the cross in his hands and stands in the ambo, is begun, "Glory to God in the highest," and the great doxology is continued by the chanters. This happens every day. On Sunday, however, the psalms "Praise ye" are said with the intercalary versicle, and at the end of the resurrection versicle, or that of the feast, or of some great saint if his commemoration occurs, [is said] "Glory" and the matutinal Gospel. In this occurs the entrance of the priests with the cross and the divine Gospel; this entrance, occurring around dawn, signifies the resurrection of the Savior. ^C Therefore, with the priests bowing their heads and saying the prayer of the entrance made in the matutinal office, which shows the humiliation and descent of the Lord to us and even to Hades, and as they rise, the resurrection [is signified], as we have often said, the Gospel is elevated, proclaiming itself the resurrection; and "Wisdom, upright!" is said, for this also is a proclamation of the resurrection, and it is chanted to the words, "And now and ever, thou art all-blessed; for through the Theotokos salvation has been given to us, and the curse of Eve has been loosed." When the priests have entered inside, first of all, "Glory to God in the highest" is said by the reader who holds the cross in the ambo, and then it is sung melodiously by the chanters. Afterwards, inside the holy sanctuary, the whole [hymn] is said by the priests together, from the words, "And on earth peace, good will among men," in such a way that the doxology is performed concordantly both outside and inside; for through Christ we have become one Church, above and below, and this is for the proclamation and glory of the resurrection of Christ. Therefore also the resurrection troparion, "Today is salvation," on one Sunday, and "Having risen from the tomb," ^D on another, is chanted three times sweetly, outside by the chanters and inside by the priests, such an order clearly representing the resurrection of the Savior. Therefore also "Arise, O Lord," is immediately chanted, and the matutinal Gospel is read in the ambo by a priest, who symbolizes the more perfect order of the angels. And after this [follows] the fervent supplication, the great petitions, the bowing of the heads, and the dismissal. Thus, then, the things of the matutinal [office] are completed. The matters of the perfect liturgy have been described in other places.

CHAPTER CCCLII.

Regarding the [service of the] Third and Sixth hour in the fasts, and the Liturgy of the Presanctified.

Now we shall speak about the [service of the] Third and Sixth hour during the fasts, which is most necessarily joined to the Liturgy during the holy Quadragesima, performed in the catholic churches by the secular priests; which also preserves the form of the catholic great holy liturgy up to the great entrance. This was devised by the ancient Fathers because the perfect liturgy is not performed during the holy Quadragesima.

The Tritoekte (Third-Sixth Hour) is performed as follows. Taking the opportunity, the deacon says, “Bless, Master.” The priest says, “Blessed is the kingdom.” The deacon says the peaceful litanies. The priest says the prayer of the first antiphon, “O God, who sits upon the Cherubim,” and he exclaims, “For you are our God, a God of mercy.” And the cantors say the whole Psalm, “To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul,” chanting after each verse, “Through the intercessions of the Theotokos.” Then “Glory, and now,” the same. The deacon again, “Again and again.” The priest silently says the prayer of the second antiphon, “We beseech thee, O Lord our God,” and he exclaims, “For your most holy name is glorified.” And the cantors sing the second antiphon, the whole Psalm, “The Lord is my light and my Savior,” and as the two choirs say the verse, they chant to you, “Save us, O Son of God, who sing to you Alleluia.” “Glory, and now,” the same. And again the deacon, “Again and again.” The priest silently says the third prayer, “O Lord our God, the Almighty,” and he exclaims, “For you are good.” And the third ^B antiphon is sung, with the choirs adding a double Alleluia to each verse. But at the verse, “Blessed are those who walk in the way of the flawless,” until the end of the Psalm, as if in one verse, the entrance into the solea from the sanctuary is made by the deacon and the priest, without lights or incense, manifesting the Lord’s being lifted up onto the Cross at the sixth hour. Therefore, this is performed during the Tritoekte, with the deacon saying, “Bless, Master, the holy entrance,” and the priest saying the prayer, “Blessed is the entrance of your saints, O Lord, always, now and ever.” This entrance, as has been said, signifies the dragging of the Savior onto the Cross, which happened at the sixth hour, when he was led away and crucified; when he also brought the thief crucified with him into paradise with a few words of repentance. For this reason, the deacon and the priest are clothed in purple, signifying from this the Passion ^C and death of the Lord. After the entrance, the deacon again says the peaceful litanies, and the priest says the prayer, “O Lord God of our fathers,” which is the prayer of the sixth hour, and he prays that we may be preserved “from the arrow that flies by day, from the thing that walks in darkness, from the misfortune and the noonday demon,” and he requests many other things from God. And he exclaims, “For it is your due.” And immediately the cantors sing the troparion of the prophecy. And the reader reads the prophecy from the ambo. And after it, the deacon says, “Let us all say,” as he puts it. And the priest quietly says the prayer of the fervent supplication. And he exclaims, “For you are merciful.” And the rest is done according to the pattern of the holy liturgy after the Gospel. For in place of the Apostle and the Gospel, the reading from the book of Isaiah is said, which proclaims the deeds of the Savior more evidently than others, and especially the circumstances of his Passion. That this was an ancient custom of the Fathers is evident from the fact that in these

monasteries, at the sixth hour, a lesson from the book of Isaiah is read throughout all Lent, but in Holy Week a lesson from the book of Ezekiel is read, who also himself foretold the Passion and Resurrection of the Savior. And the deacon says, "Pray, catechumens," and the priest makes the prayer for the catechumens. But from the fourth day of mid-Lent, the deacon indeed makes the ^A petitions for those being prepared for holy illumination, and the priest makes the prayer for them: "O Lord our God, show your mercies," and exclaims, "For you are our illumination." The deacon again says the customary things, "As many as are catechumens." The priest makes the first prayer of the faithful, "O Lord our God, who [recalled us] from the error of polytheism." The deacon, "Wisdom, stand upright." The priest, "For you are our God." The deacon says the "peaceful" [petitions]. The priest makes the second prayer of the faithful, "O Lord our God, who in a short time..." The deacon says, "Wisdom." The priest exclaims, "For you are blessed and glorified." The deacon, "Let us complete our prayer to the Lord," and the rest. The priest makes the great prayer, "O Lord our God, the only good and lover of mankind," in which he makes mention of the crucifixion of the Savior, and of his Resurrection and ^B Ascension; and he prays that the grace of God may come upon us and confirm and illuminate us, and he petitions for many other things, and asks from God what is necessary and useful, and finally, that the grace and mercy of God may be with us always; and he exclaims, "For yours is the power." Then he says, "Peace to all." And the deacon again, "Our heads." And the priest makes the prayer of bowing the head: "O Lord our God, who sit upon the throne of glory," and exclaims, "May the all-holy name of your loving-kindness be blessed and glorified." The deacon, "Let us depart in peace." And when the priest has gone out, they go at the same time behind the ambo, so that in the midst of all they may glorify God, and begin the Vespers. When the deacon has therefore said, "Let us pray to the Lord," the priest, looking toward the East, exclaims, "Blessed is the glory of the Lord from his holy place, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages." This, ^C therefore, in the case of litanies, is the beginning of the litanies, the high priest saying this behind the ambo; but here it is the beginning of the lamp-lighting. And immediately, in the side of the church, the Vespers is chanted by the chanters as a supplication. Where also the psalter is spoken, and the stichera of the Triodion and the Menaion, according to the rule of the monasteries, and the "O Gladsome Light," and the "Vouchsafe," as an office of compunction and as it were monastic, and the Idiomelon of the Aposticha, and the "Now let you depart," and the Trisagion, and the "Theotokos and Virgin." But "Lord have mercy" is not said; neither are prostrations made; nor is there an absolution; nor are lamps lighted until the reading of the Proverbs in the Liturgy of the Presanctified; for after the words, "Theotokos and Virgin," the customary things are said, and all ^D withdraw to their own places.

CHAPTER CCCLIII. Why litanies are performed outside the church, and why we carry crosses and holy images in them.

One must know that all litanies performed outside, or in the narthex, or around monasteries or cities, take place in memory of our fall, because of which we have been made strangers, that we may be humbled and consider that we are unworthy of holy places, and that we have fallen from paradise and heaven. We must imitate the publican, standing at a distance out of great religious feeling, and realize that Adam was evicted, and the prodigal son journeyed far into a foreign land. We make prayers around crossroads and three-way junctions and roads, so that these places, defiled by our sins, might be cleansed. We also bring out the sacred images from the temple and carry them about, as well as the venerable crosses and the most holy relics of the saints, very often, so that along with the people, the things that serve their needs may also be sanctified—namely houses, roads, waters, the air, and the earth itself, which has been defiled—inasmuch as it is trodden by us—as well as the city we inhabit and the region, and that they may partake of divine grace, and that whatever is contagious or pestilential in them may be cast out. May He become propitious to us who was incarnate for our sake, taking the form of a servant, which the divine images express and represent, as do the likenesses of His saints who lived purely on earth. And since God, who walked on the earth in the flesh for our sake and was crucified for us, saves us as we confess the work of His supreme goodness and love—that is, that He shed His blood on the cross and died for us—we therefore possess and display the very signs of that passion, the venerable figure of the cross, by which He who killed us on the tree destroyed the enemy and delivered us from death. ^C When the deacon has taken the opportunity and said, "Bless, Master," the priest says, "Blessed is the kingdom of the Father." And the deacon says the Litanies of Peace. Then the chanted Vespers are sung, that is, after the exclamation, "Bow down, O Lord," to the end. During this chant, the priest says the evening prayers. Then, toward the end of the day, "O Lord, I have cried" is said, with the verses according to custom; and the entry of the deacon and priest, or of the priest alone, takes place without lights, signifying His first coming, which occurred in silence while we were sitting in darkness. ^D At the words, "For unto thee, O Lord," the cantor calls him, and he enters the holy sanctuary. The verses are completed with the interjected versicle at the words, "I cried unto the Lord with my voice." Then, "Glory now and ever," and the intercalary verse. And immediately, while all are seated, the book of Genesis is read from the ambo. When that reading is done, with two candelabra—or more, if a bishop is present—prepared in the sanctuary, along with the censer, if a deacon is serving with the priest, the deacon alone goes out carrying the thurible and a burning lamp. The readers with the candelabra go before him.

^A He proceeds to the side door and to the end of the temple.

CHAPTER CCCLIV.

When the reading of the book of Genesis is finished, he appears immediately with the lights, entering through the royal doors while all are standing. He, standing in the middle of the temple, makes the sign of the cross with the censer, saying in a loud voice: "Wisdom, arise! The light of Christ shineth upon all," and he ascends to the holy sanctuary. Then the reader at the ambo reads the chapter from Proverbs, while the customary lights are kindled in the temple. This signifies that at the end of the ages, the true Light, Jesus Christ, shone forth in the flesh to us who were sitting in darkness, and filled the world with the light of his grace. Therefore, at the end of every vesper office, this is said: "For thou art our illumination, O Christ our God." This happens after the Genesis reading, as the chapter from Proverbs begins, because Genesis narrates the things from the beginning, the creation of all things and the fall of Adam, ^B whereas Proverbs teaches in an enigma the things pertaining to the Son of God, and exhorts those adopted as sons through him as children, and calls the Son himself Wisdom, which it says has built for itself a house, namely his most holy body, in which it has also hewn seven pillars—the seven gifts of the Spirit—and feeds and gives drink to all by the proper bread of his body and the chalice of his blood, and is the Light that illuminates things above and below. For "God by wisdom founded the earth, and prepared the heavens by understanding," it says, just as David also sings: "In wisdom hast thou made them all." ^C That this light signifies a type of the true light, Jesus Christ, is clear from the fact that, when a deacon is ministering together with the priest, he approaches him or the celebrating bishop, and lighting the lamp, before he goes out, says: "Bless, O Master, the light." And the bishop or priest, blessing the light, says: "For thou art our illumination, O Christ our God, always." And thus the deacon goes out before the Proverbs reading. After the reading, the "Let my prayer be set forth" is immediately chanted. And the rest of the order of the Presanctified follows according to custom. ^D

CHAPTER CCCLV.

Moreover, when the Presanctified are carried in, we ought to prostrate ourselves even more, because the consecrated gifts of God are present, and our Savior himself is truly present; for that which is carried in on the paten is nothing other than his most holy body with his most divine blood. For

^A at the end of the Liturgy, the prayer behind the ambon, as being propitiatory and leading to dismissal and prayer, asks that we may see the resurrection both here and celebrate it there. It occurs behind the ambon in the middle of the temple, so that all may hear and pray together along with it, as if in the sight of God on behalf of all the people. And thus, once the Liturgy is completed, the vigil takes place. See also the order of the vigil.

CHAPTER CCCLVI.

Concerning the vigil in the first week of the Holy Quadragesima.

After the prayer behind the ambon has been said in the first week, the priest or the pontiff, if he is present, blesses the cantor. And the cantor immediately chants: "He who dwells in the help." But the priest, having said the prayer, places the Holy Things in the sacristy; but at "Glory and now" he makes a conjunction and exclaims: "For to thee it is fitting," and the cantor says the first antiphon: "To the Lord, when I was in tribulation, I cried," with the interposed verse: "Miserable, O Lord." And the verses that are appropriate for the day are chanted with it by both choirs. The priest, however, says the prayer of the first antiphon. And after "Glory and now" and the *extra*, the priest again makes a small conjunction and exclaims: "For thou art sanctified and glorified." And the left choir ^B sings the second antiphon: "To thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul," with the interpolated verse: "The gate of compassion." But when the verses are said with it, the priest says the prayer of the second antiphon: "Thee, the eternal and sleepless light." And he adds the other two prayers: "Thou who [grantest] the sleepless and unceasing doxology," and: "O Lord almighty, incomprehensible." And these are some of the marvelous and preeminent prayers of the vigil. After "Glory and now" and the *extra*, the priest makes a small conjunction. And he exclaims: "For thou art good." And the third antiphon is chanted: "I was glad at those things which were said to me," with these: "Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us." When the priest, holding a burning lamp and a censer, first incenses the altar, then outside the temple and the people, according to ancient custom. But if a deacon is present, he himself, taking the lamp, goes before the priest. But after "Glory and now," the *extra* is not said, but only the end of the troparion: "Lord, have mercy on us." And immediately the cantor adds the fiftieth Psalm: "Have mercy on me, O God," saying by individual verses: "Merciful Lord, have mercy on us," and the whole Psalm is chanted by both choirs [with] "Glory and now," and the *extra*. Consider, therefore, the Psalms that are chanted and the troparia with them; and you will find them set down in threes, for there are three antiphons and three troparia, for the sake of the honor of the Trinity, and as being-offered to this [Trinity]. Then also there is an abundance of humility, confession, and compunction, and finally the last Psalm, namely the fiftieth with the verse: "Lord, have mercy," in order to provoke God to mercy through compunction. Afterward the deacon says: "Let us pray to the Lord"; but the priest: "For holy art thou"; and it is sung:

^A “Let every breath.” And the first of the priests reads the Gospel in the ambon. And immediately it is sung: “The incorporeal nature,” which being composed of verses, theologizes the Trinity and invites all the choirs of the saints to intercession; and the chanter with the deacon recites three times continuously: “Lord, have mercy,” and all sing this together one hundred times. The priest says secretly the prayer of inclination of the head: “Lord our God, incline our hearts.” And at the end of “Lord, have mercy,” the deacon says: “Again we pray that he might hear us,” and three times again: “Lord, have mercy,” and the priest: “Hear us.” Do you see the wondrousness of the order, that through the mediation of the priest, who prays secretly within, the petitions of the people are offered to God? Then: “Blessed be the name of the Lord,” since we are also coming to bodily necessity, to eating. And this is not without sanctification; for we take ^B sanctified food as a firstfruit; for when “I will bless the Lord” is said, the distribution of the antidoron occurs, and the dismissal. This is the order of the chant, which is most necessary and most ancient, and performed with a priest, who is established as a mediator in the things which are of God, in the likeness of Jesus, as we have often said, and has the power to stand in the midst by the grace of God through the laying on of hands. But this order also preserves the sevenfold praise: for those things which are in the narthex follow the order of the nocturn office; but those within, of the daybreak office; the chant between the third and ^C sixth hour fulfills these two hours; the prayers of the lamps are referred to the ninth hour, the evening chant to vespers themselves, and the vigil to compline. Now, however, because of sloth, this order has fallen into disuse, which ought to be preserved in all churches, either always or according to the season, so that the ancient tradition might remain unbroken; but in monasteries and other churches, the monastic or solitary order ought to be performed, as if chanted by one alone, which we have explained to you who, by the grace of God, are still fulfilling and keeping it; and we have briefly reviewed the things that pertain to it for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER CCCLVII.

Since we have come thus far in our discourse, we shall also make a few brief remarks concerning the sacred bread of the most holy Virgin which is lifted on high, and finally, above all, we shall set forth those things regarding our end, so that we may thus complete our account regarding our end. The bread, therefore, which is lifted up by the invocation of my most holy Lady, has been ordained to be lifted up exceptionally at the end of the brothers' meal, for their sanctification, and as a seal for the food of which they partook; but also, and especially, for the glory of the Mother of God, who also gave birth to the heavenly bread for us, the living and abiding [bread], and [provides] for our

and always nourishing our souls. ^A It is uplifted also at any other time when there is need, for our aid; and even in the holy liturgy itself it is often uplifted for those who ask, although by custom it is performed by many ministers who desire to invoke and celebrate the all-laudable Virgin, especially when the mysteries of her Son and our God are offered, so that we may obtain greater help from her. It is truly uplifted, then, when in the divine liturgy mention is made of her, as when we say: "Especially for the most holy," yet in all necessities and circumstances we invoke her as our helper and most certain auxiliary, and we obtain much power from the exaltation of her bread, as we have often ^B known by experience, and have learned from many other trustworthy persons; for the things said at this exaltation of the bread are not just empty words, but the God of all and our only God in Trinity is invoked and besought with great clamor, and truly the most holy invocation of the Mother of God, and the petition for her aid, in which is placed the mystery of our faith, and our confession, and the expectation of our salvation, are offered. Now therefore at the table of the brethren (since even this is not without blessing, without reason, and without order—for how could it be, which is the table of the servants of the divine Word, receiving only the pure, holy, and living bread that made and makes all things according to reason, as being the only living Wisdom of God?) there is first made thanksgiving, and the prayer "Our Father" for the supersubstantial bread; when this is said, the bread is brought forth from the place appointed, threefold in every way, expressing the Trinity and its unity on every side: by its angles and parts the Trinity of Persons, and by the one upper point the unity of the same. Therefore, also, you turn that bread; it has three angles, but it ends in one single point. ^C Therefore this portioning of the bread, by apostolic tradition received from the Fathers from the beginning without written testimony, as has been done by custom every day, we offer to our only God in Trinity in the name of the Mother of God; since through her divine birth-giving we have known the Trinity, and because she gave birth in the flesh to one of the Trinity, being truly and deservedly proclaimed the Mother of God; she is for us the author of the living Manna, and the Mother of the divine drink.

CHAPTER CCCLVIII.

On good order at the feast of the brethren, and prayers.

When this bread is placed in a certain holy vessel prepared for this purpose, and is signed by the priest, a lamp is lit upon it; and the priest signs the food, invoking our God Jesus Christ to bless it. And while the feast takes place, divine sermons are read, so that, as we have learned, we may do all things for the glory of God. For he says: "Whether you eat, or drink, do all for the glory of God," ^D and that "all things are sanctified through the word of God and prayer." Therefore the sign of the cross is made, and prayer, and divine sermons are read.

so that we may not look like irrational animals toward our belly alone; but as rational beings composed of flesh, may we sustain the flesh with the food being eaten, and the soul with the words being spoken. Rising after the meal, when prayer has been made, we all glorify God, blessing with David Him who has shown mercy and fed us from our youth; and we say, "Glory to You, O Holy One, glory to You, O Lord, for You have given us food for gladness," and the rest, which the one who, having received a golden tongue, interprets concerning this matter.

CHAPTER CCCLIX.

On the rite of lifting up the bread of the All-Holy [Theotokos].

^A When these things have been accomplished with a doxology, the reader, having ministered the spiritual things to the brethren, comes to minister also to this spiritual work, and having requested and received permission—for pure things must be handled by the pure, and permission cleanses—while all are silent, he lifts up the bread and cries out: "Great is the name," and all exclaim: "Of the Holy Trinity." And that name of the only God of all, existing in Trinity, is fearful. And making the sign of the cross, he adds: "Most Holy Theotokos, help us"; and all say in unison: "By her intercessions, O God, have mercy on us and save us. You are the one confessed and praised by us, the Holy Trinity, the only true God. For there is no other besides You, who made us and sustains us." And then they bring forward the hymns to the Theotokos, first: ^B "All generations call you blessed," because of her prophecy; and at the end of this, the angel’s greeting: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you," because this saying is the beginning of our salvation; and they pray, saying: "And through you, may the Lord be with us," by His grace, clearly. Then also, becomingly and melodiously, they sing with uncovered heads, showing that she is our head, having given birth to our Head, Christ, and she is our protection from heaven and our provider and salvation. And they sing, "It is truly meet," and confess her to be the Theotokos; and they hymn her as more honorable than the Cherubim, since she received the God-Word hypostatically into her womb, and gave birth without corruption. And we magnify her as truly and properly the Theotokos, taking the "We magnify" from her own song, as well as the "We call you blessed." For she, indeed, says this: ^C "My soul magnifies the Lord," and "For behold, from henceforth all generations will call me blessed." Now, the lifting up denotes the offering to God, while saying, "Great is the name of the Holy Trinity," proclaims the confession of the God of all who is in Trinity; and by this, one offers the bread and magnifies His name. But to say, "Most Holy Theotokos, help us," also proclaims the incarnation of the Word. For this is what the title "Theotokos" signifies; and an invocation of her takes place, and we believe as she is present, being ready to help, and the bread is carried to her as a gift—or rather, through her to her Son, who was incarnate of her for our sake, and for our sake willingly endured the cross, which he who lifts the bread ^D represents by means of the cross. This bread, therefore, as being under divine invocation...

^A and containing from the beginning the sign of the cross, and later also being proclaimed as that of the Theotokos, and the incarnation of the Word being confessed upon it, and the Mother of God herself being invoked for aid, possesses great power; it delivers from many evils—or rather from all—and fills with all good things and saves us continually. Wherefore, both by day and by night and at almost every hour, we ought to do this, and always to cry out these voices, and to magnify the Trinity, and to invoke the Theotokos for aid; for who is greater than her aid? Or who possesses greater boldness? Or who is able to save more than she? ^B I, therefore, considering this of the greatest importance, continually utter these divine words; and I have enjoined this upon many, so that they might do it continually; and you know that in all the churches I have commanded that this be done daily, and in every morning service after the end of the ninth ode, the bread is lifted up by the priest, and these customary sacred prayers, handed down by the Fathers, are said as a confession of the holy Trinity, the one God of all, as we have said, and of the incarnation of the Word; and furthermore, in honor of his Mother, the all-holy, only ever-virgin and truly Theotokos; and to invoke her aid, since we have found the greatest aid from this. And I command that this be done in Christ, and I exhort and enjoin and call you all to our salvation. ^C If, therefore, some who are alien to the faith are eager to say always, morning and evening, "Hail, full of grace," considering this an honor to the chaste Mother of God—which was not even discovered by them, but is an ancient custom handed down by the Fathers, as you shall learn shortly—how much more ought we, the orthodox and truly sons of the Catholic Church, to do this without ceasing and with diligence! But learn that "Hail, full of grace" was formerly accustomed to be sung in the Church, from the vespers of the holy quadragesima, when, before everything else at the end after the "Our Father," we immediately say this: "Theotokos Virgin, hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you"; and from the fact that it is said continually in the vespers of the vigils before the blessing of the loaves; and in the ^D chanted order in all the vespers, as you know, it is the custom for this to be said every evening in this great Church of the Thessalonians. If, therefore, simply "Hail, full of grace," said alone, is necessary, both in honor and glory of the Mother of God, because it is the archangel's voice in which the curse was undone and joy was sown, and the Savior of all, the God Word of God, dwelt in her and from her was incarnate; how much more ought this divine and most ancient work to be performed, as handed down by the Fathers. All the typica and the custom transmitted to us from above by the Fathers testify that this ceremony of the elevated and God-offered bread is holy, a confession of the Trinity, an invocation of the holy Mother of God, and a praise made for our aid, as well as that saying: "All generations call you blessed," which is good for her to be sung [to] and is acceptable, as having been foretold by her and instituted from her, and repeated just as she herself uttered it