Hymnographic canon: structure, connection between biblical songs and the songs of the canon. The use of canons during worship.

Refrains to the troparions of the canons at Matins

The Liturgical Rules suggest that the singing of the canon at Matins throughout the year (with the exception of Holy and Holy Weeks) is accompanied by songs from the Holy Scriptures. There are three editions of biblical songs (located in Irmologiya): festive (“We sing to the Lord...”), everyday (“We sing to the Lord...”) and Lenten. However, in the everyday life of the Russian Orthodox Church, the practice of singing a canon with biblical songs has become established only on St. Lent, during other periods of the year, use the so-called “prayer refrains.”

The singing of the canon with the verses of biblical songs on all days of the year on which this is prescribed by the Charter is more consistent with the content and historical development of the service, but in many churches the implementation of these instructions of the Typikon is often difficult to implement. Therefore, the performers of the service have a need to have at hand a collection of the main choruses for the canons of Matins for the whole year.

Choruses are sometimes given in liturgical books, but more often they are the result of liturgical practice, largely depending on local traditions. There is a general rule to pronounce a chorus before the troparion, reflecting the content of the canon and connected in meaning with the subsequent troparion.1

The list of choruses offered below, without claiming to be complete, is an attempt to offer readers choruses for the canons. In addition, the collection of choruses will be useful for clergy when performing prayer services.

Choruses to the canons

The Lord's holidays and the canons of the Lenten 2 and Colored Triodion: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

The Most Holy Trinity (and the trinity of other canons3): Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to Thee.

Resurrection: Glory, Lord, to Your holy Resurrection.

Resurrection of the Cross: Glory, Lord, to Your Honest Cross and Resurrection.

Theotokos (and theotokos of other canons4): Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Touching or repentant canons of Octoechos, Great Canon of St. Andrei Kritsky: Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.

of the Honest Cross: Glory, Lord, to Thy Honest Cross.

Archangels, angels and all Immaterial Forces: Holy Archangels and Angels, pray to God for us.

St. John the Baptist: Great Holy John, Forerunner of the Lord, pray to God for us [or: John the Baptist of the Savior, pray to God for us].

Apostles: Holy apostles, pray to God for us.

All Saints: All saints, pray to God for us.

Mortuary: Rest, O Lord, the souls of Your departed servants.

Choruses are common

To the Prophet: Holy Prophet of God (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the Apostle: Holy Apostle (name of rivers), pray to God for us [or: Apostle of Christ (name of rivers), pray to God for us].

To the Apostle and Evangelist: Holy Apostle and Evangelist (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the Apostles: Holy Apostles, pray to God for us.

To the saint: Holy Hierarch (name of the rivers), pray to God for us [or: Holy Hierarch our father5 (name of the rivers), pray to God for us].

To the saints: Saints of Christ, pray to God for us.

To the Reverend: Reverend Father (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To two saints: Rev. fathers (name of rivers) and (name of rivers), pray to God for us.

Rev.: Rev. fathers, pray to God for us.

St. First Martyr Stephen: Holy First Martyr and Archdeacon Stephen, pray to God for us.

To the Martyr: Holy Martyr (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the Great Martyr: Holy Great Martyr (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the martyrs, martyrs: Holy martyrs, pray to God for us.

To the Hieromartyr: Holy Hieromartyr (name of the rivers), pray to God for us [or: Hieromartyr6 (name of the rivers), pray to God for us].

To the Hieromartyrs: Holy Hieromartyrs, pray to God for us.

To the priestly confessor: Holy Hierarch and Confessor of Christ (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

Hieromartyr and Confessor: Hieromartyr and Confessor (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the Venerable Martyr: Holy Venerable Martyr (name of rivers), pray to God for us [or: Venerable Martyr (name of rivers), pray to God for us].

To the Venerable Martyrs: Holy Martyrs, pray to God for us.

To the Reverend Confessor: Reverend Father, confessor (name of rivers), pray to God for us [or: Reverend Father (name of rivers), confessor, pray to God for us].

To the martyrs and confessors: Holy martyrs and confessors, pray to God for us.

New Martyr: Holy New Martyr (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the New Martyrs of Russia: Holy New Martyr and Confessor of Russia, pray to God for us.

To the Holy Blessed Prince: Holy Blessed Prince (name of rivers), pray to God for us [or: Holy Blessed Grand Duke (name of rivers), pray to God for us].

To the blessed princes (two): Holy blessed prince (name of rivers) and (name of rivers), pray to God for us.

To the passion-bearing prince: Holy passion-bearing prince (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the passion-bearing princes (two): Holy passion-bearers prince (name of rivers) and (name of rivers), pray to God for us.

To the unmercenary (two): Holy wonderworkers and unmercenary (name of the rivers) and (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the Righteous: Holy Righteous (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the blessed one and to the holy fool for Christ's sake: Holy Righteous (name of rivers), pray to God for us [or: Holy Blessed (name of rivers), pray to God for us].

Martyr: Holy Martyr (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

Great Martyr: Holy Great Martyr (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

Reverend: Reverend Mother (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

To the Reverend Women: Holy Reverend Mothers, pray to God for us [or: Holy Reverend Mothers

us, pray to God for us].

To the Venerable Martyr: Holy Venerable Martyr (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

Righteous: Holy righteous mother (name of the rivers), pray to God for us.

Blessed: Holy righteous mother (name of rivers), pray to God for us [or: Holy blessed mother (name of rivers), pray to God for us].

Special Choruses

To Archangel Michael: Holy Archangel Michael, pray to God for us.

To the Seven Youths of Ephesus or the Three Youths: Holy Youths, pray to God for us.

Forefathers: Holy forefathers, pray to God for us.

To the Council of the Fathers: Holy Fathers, pray to God for us.

On the Sunday of the Nativity of Christ: Holy Fathers of God, pray to God for us.

On Saturday of Cheese Week: Reverend Fathers, pray to God for us [in the 7th ode: Holy Reverend Mothers, pray to God for us].

On the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, All saints who have shone in the Russian land: All saints of the Russian land, pray to God for us.

_____________________

1 V. Rozanov. “Divine Service Charter...” P. 262.

2 According to V. Rozanov (“Divine Service Charter…”, pp. 406-407), to the canons of Sundays during the singing of the Lenten Triodion, based on the content of the troparions, it is permissible to chant the repentant refrain: “Have mercy on me, God, have mercy on me.”

3 Except for the penultimate troparion in song, which is usually performed for “Glory.”

4 Except for the last troparion in song, which is usually performed on “And Now.”

5 In this and similar choruses it is possible to add the word “our”.

6 There is a tradition in such refrains to omit, as implied, the word “holy”.

Reading the canons in cell (home) prayer

Preparation for communion

According to the tradition established in the Russian Orthodox Church, the canons are part of those prayers that those wishing to receive communion read before performing the sacrament. Most modern Orthodox prayer books give the following instructions on this matter: “On the eve of communion, you must be at the evening service and read at home, in addition to the usual prayers for those who are coming to bed, the canon of repentance to the Lord Jesus Christ , the canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos and the canon to the Guardian Angel <... > The procedure for Holy Communion and, if desired, an akathist to the Sweetest Jesus . After midnight they no longer eat or drink, for it is customary to begin the Sacrament of Communion on an empty stomach. In the morning, morning prayers and the entire sequence for Holy Communion are read (if not read in the evening).”

What is a prayer service and how to order it correctly in church?

In ancient times in Rus', believers sanctified every step of life with prayer. On holidays and Sundays the whole family attended church services. Weddings, births of children, funerals - everything was accompanied by prayer in the temple. Before starting agricultural work, traveling, and even digging a well, prayers were ordered from the church. Any work was accomplished with God's blessing.

Now good traditions are forgotten. Many people do not know why a prayer service is needed, what it is and how to pray correctly before important life events. You should not wait for insurmountable difficulties or serious illness to turn to God. It is better to find out in advance how to order a prayer service and in what cases it should be performed.

The difference between a prayer service and home prayer

A prayer service is a short service that includes prayers and requests from a specific person or group of people for a specific undertaking. In the church, the prayer service is otherwise called “treba”, from the word “need”, “necessity”. Prayers can only be performed for living people baptized in the Orthodox faith. The prayer for the departed is called Panikhida.

Prayer service in church. Important! You can order a prayer service only on those days when the Church allows them to be performed. Petitionary requests are not served during the days of Great Lent, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday.

Why perform services in church when God hears sincere prayer anywhere?

By gathering for prayer in church, praying for each other, believers show Christian love and overcome mutual grievances, if any. The invoked saints invisibly stand next to those praying. God's grace present in the temple strengthens the unanimous petition and makes it pleasing to God. This is the meaning of conciliar (church) prayer.

To perform church prayer, a person has to put in effort and make sacrifices, albeit small ones. And any work for your neighbor and your own soul is pleasing to the Lord. Home prayer only prepares a person for church prayer. It is also necessary and audible to God, but has less power.

About the temple:

What is a custom prayer service?

Prayer services can be church-wide or custom-made. Following the former, the entire Church prays on major holidays or state events. The latter are carried out at the request of individual parishioners for the success of their private affairs.

Water Blessing Prayer. Attention! Custom prayer services can be held in a church or at home. You can also ask the priest to serve the service where the business is supposed to begin: at the site of laying the foundation of a house, in a field before sowing, in the room where a store or office is opening.

What types of prayer services are there?

Prayer services can be simple, thanksgiving, water blessing and akathist. Any of them can be ordered individually, but more often they are performed conciliarly, i.e. with a large crowd of people.

1. Water-blessing prayers are served in churches daily or on Sundays. It is obligatory for the customer to pray during the service, then take the blessed water and take it home with reverence. All family members drink it on an empty stomach in the morning and sprinkle it around the home. At the water blessing prayer you can submit icons and crosses for consecration.
2. Simple prayer services are performed on the occasion of saints' feast days. On it, short hymns are sung in honor of the Mother of God and the saint and a litany is pronounced - a series of petitions with the refrain “Lord, have mercy.” The litany remembers the names of those who ordered the prayer service and their relatives. Then a prayer is read to the saint. A simple prayer service is good to order on a name day or for a sick person.
3. A prayer service with an akathist is often served in front of miraculous or revered icons, on days of celebration of great saints. Usually the service is held weekly, at a certain time, which can be found out in the temple or monastery. When going to prayer, it is better to take the text of the akathist to follow the reading.
4. A prayer service of thanksgiving is served collectively on New Year's Day, Victory Day, the Nativity of Christ and other significant days. Having received what you asked from the Lord, you need to order a prayer of thanksgiving in the temple. On the note with the names “about health” the name of the prayer service is added. There is no need to write the reason why it is ordered. If it is not possible to serve the prayer individually, then petitions of thanks are included in the general prayer service performed according to the church schedule.

Other church commemorations - masses, magpies, proskomedia - do not belong to prayer services, but are performed during the Liturgy.

How to write notes

To remember at a prayer service, you must submit a note with names about health to the candle box (kiosk).

On a special form or neat sheet of paper, write the heading “Prayer of supplication (or thanksgiving) for health,” then indicate to whom the service is being ordered: the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos, the saint (name).

Below in a column, in legible handwriting, the names of living, baptized Christians are listed. A note with a donation is passed to the kiosk or directly to the table where the demand is sent.

Notes for prayer

Additional petitions at prayer services

Traditionally, churches serve one prayer service for everyone, including individual petitions indicated in notes. For different cases, you can order the following petitions:

1. about the health of the sick
2. about those going on a trip (trip, business trip)
3. thanksgiving to God
4. about the beginning of every good deed

Prayers performed outside the temple

A priest can be invited home to perform the following requirements:

1. consecration of a house (served in a newly built house or apartment if necessary), office space, or enterprise.
2. consecration of a field or garden
3. consecration of vehicles
4. laying the foundation, well (water-bearing well).

Special prayer services exist for the beginning of the construction of the church, the installation of the cross, and the raising of the bells.

Custom prayer service

Annual prayer services

• The New Year is a special celebration celebrated in the church on the civil New Year, on the New Year according to the old style.
• Thanksgiving prayer for the Nativity of Christ - served in memory of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812
• The Great Blessing of Water is the feast of the Epiphany. The main one of the water-blessing prayers.
• Thanksgiving on the first Sunday of Great Lent (Triumph of Orthodoxy) - in honor of the restoration of the veneration of icons in the 9th century. Christians owe this event many miraculous icons and the opportunity to pray in front of the images of the house.
• Consecration of honey (Honey Savior) is a prayer service held on August 14, in memory of the “removal of the Trees of the Cross of the Lord.” During epidemics raging in the summer in the 7th and 8th centuries in Byzantium, it was customary to go around cities with a shrine - particles of the Cross of the Lord, asking the Lord for deliverance from the disease. This event has nothing to do with honey, but since honey harvesting began in Rus' by mid-August, the first fruits of the harvest were brought for blessing and donation to the church. At the water blessing service held on this day, a prayer is read for the blessing of honey.
• Consecration of fruits (Apple Savior), August 19 - refers to the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. On this day, a water-blessing prayer service is served with the reading of prayers for the consecration of fruits. A separate prayer is read for the consecration of grapes; this fruit is especially revered in the Church; wine for Communion is made from it.
• Nut Savior is a holiday in memory of a miracle performed by the Lord at the request of King Abgar. Wanting to have a portrait of Christ, the king sent a painter to paint Him. Taking the canvas from the artist, the Lord applied it to his face and the Most Pure Face was displayed on it. On this day, on the occasion of the ripening of nuts, the consecration of the first harvest takes place.
• The beginning of the youths' teaching is a special prayer service held on the occasion of the beginning of the school year. Notes with the names of schoolchildren and students are submitted. Such prayer services are also performed in educational institutions.

You can submit health notes at any of the listed prayer services.

Which saints are prayed for?

Notes about health are most often submitted for prayer to the Lord and the Mother of God, holy healers and unmercenaries, for travelers - St. Nicholas the Pleasant, the Apostles Luke and Cleopas. They pray to St. John of Sochava and St. Spyridon of Trimifunt for successful trade. On your birthday or angel, you need to remember your patron saint.

More prayers on other days of the year:

• Prayer for the New Year
• Birthday Prayers

St. Spyridon of TrimifuntskyImportant! The moleben is an additional prayer and cannot replace constant participation in the main church service - the Liturgy.

Watch the video of the prayer service to Saints Nicholas and Spyridon and the healer Panteleimon

Mar 9, 2021 12:28Administrator

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