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Orthros (Greek: ὄρθρος, meaning "early dawn" or "daybreak") or útrenya (Slavonic ѹ́тренѧ) in the Byzantine Rite of the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches, is the last of the four night offices (church services), the other three being vespers, compline, and midnight office.[1] Traditionally, in monasteries it is held daily so as to end immediately following sunrise, in contrast to parishes where it is held only on Sundays and feast days. It is often called matins after the office it most nearly corresponds to in Western Christian churches.

Orthros is the longest and most complex of the daily cycle of services. It is normally held in the early morning, often — always in monasteries — preceded by the midnight office, and usually followed by the First Hour. On great feasts it is held as part of an all-night vigil commencing the evening before, combined with an augmented great vespers and the first hour. In the Russian tradition, an all-night vigil is celebrated every Saturday evening, typically abridged, however, in spite of its name, to as short as two hours. In the Greek parish tradition, orthros is typically held immediately prior to the beginning of the divine liturgy on Sunday and feast day mornings.

The akolouth (fixed portion of the service) is composed primarily of psalms and litanies. The sequences (variable parts) of matins are composed primarily of hymns and canons from the octoechos (an eight-tone cycle of hymns for each day of the week, covering eight weeks), and from the menaion (hymns for each calendar day of the year). During great lent and some of the period preceding it, some of the portions from the octoechos and menaion are replaced by hymns from the triodion and during the paschal season with material from the pentecostarion. On Sundays there is also a gospel reading and corresponding hymns from the eleven-part cycle of resurrectional gospels.

Outline

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All of the psalms used herein are numbered according to the Septuagint, which is the official version of the Old Testament used by the Byzantine Rite. To find the corresponding KJV numbering, see the article Kathisma.
  • Matins usually opens with what is called the "Royal Beginning", so called because the psalms (19 and 20) speak of a king. The royal beginning is not used in Greek parish practice; also, it is omitted at all-night vigil (during Paschal season it is replaced by the paschal troparion sung thrice):
    • The priest's opening blessing: Blessed is our God ..., reader: Amen. and the usual beginning.
    • Psalms 19 and 20, during which the priest performs a full censing of the temple (church building and worshippers).
    • Glory... Both now... and the Trisagion prayers.
    • The Royal troparia:
    • A brief litany by the priest (not the deacon as is usual for litanies)
    • Ekphonesis by the priest: Glory to the holy, consubstantial, life-giving and undivided trinity, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages
  • The Six Psalms (3, 37, 62, 87, 102, and 142),[a] during which the priest says twelve silent prayers: six in front of the Holy Table (altar), and six in front of the Holy Doors. The monastic typikon orders the priest to read them in front of the closed altar doors.
    • The Six Psalms (Greek: Ἑξάψαλμος, Hexapsalmos) were originally associated with the Midnight Office, whose theme was primarily on the Second Coming and the Final Judgement. For this reason, there is traditionally no movement in the church including no reverencing of icons or making the sign of the cross.
  • The Litany of Peace
  • God is the Lord ... and the apolytikion (troparion of the day)
    • Verses from Psalm 117 are interspersed between each chanting of God is the Lord. These are Psalm 117:1, 117:10 & 117:23.
    • Many traditions recite Psalm 105:1 as the first verse. This is the result of a scribal error due to the similarities of that verse with the original verse quoting Psalm 117:1.
  • The Psalter (either two or three sections, depending upon the liturgical season). For each section the following order is followed:
    • The kathisma (section from the Psalter)
    • The Little Litany
    • Feast Days: If a third section of Psalter readings is appointed, it may consist of the Polyeleos (many mercies), or other Psalms as outlined below.
      • Feasts of the Lord: The Polyeleos, consisting of Psalms 134 & 135 is chanted.
      • Feasts of the Mother of God: Psalm 44 is chanted.
      • Meatfare Sunday & Cheesefare Sunday: Psalm 136 is chanted.
      • Eklogarion: Depending on the feast day, additional Psalm readings might be chanted.
    • The sessional hymns (Greek: kathismata, Slavonic: sedalen)
  • On Sundays: Evlogetaria (Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes)
  • On Saturday of Souls: Evlogetaria for the dead
  • The Little Litany
  • On Sundays and Feast Days:
    • The Hypakoë is chanted to prepare for the message of the Gospel reading
    • The Anavathmoi ("hymns of ascent") based on Psalms 119-133, called the Song of Degrees)
    • The Prokeimenon
    • The order of the Matins Gospel
    • On Sundays, and every day during Paschal season: Choir: Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ ...
  • Psalm 50 (Plain-read in Slavic traditions; Chanted in Greek traditions)
    • Pentecostarion (not to be confused with the Liturgical Book deriving its name from the 50 days after Easter):
      • Sundays and Feast Days: Glory ..., followed by an Idiomelon... then both now ... followed by a Theotokion... Have mercy on me... followed by a final festal Idiomelon.
      • Sundays, Feast Days and Lenten Days, the petition: O God, save your people and bless your inheritance ..."
  • The canon:
    • First and Third Odes (Second Ode is always skipped except during certain Lenten services)
    • Little Litany
    • Sessional hymns
    • Fourth through Sixth Odes
    • Little Litany
    • Kontakion and oikos
    • Synaxarion (commemorating the saints of the day)
    • Seventh and Eighth Odes
    • Ninth Ode, on most days preceded by the Magnificat, during which the deacon censes the church
  • Little Litany
    • On Sundays, Holy is the Lord our God, three times
    • The exapostilaria (hymns related to the day's gospel, or the day's feast; the name is derived from Psalm 42:3 which was originally chanted at this point)
  • The Lauds (Greek: Αἶνοι, Ainoi, "Praises"): Psalms 148, 149, 150; stichera are interspersed between the final verses on days the great doxology is sung,
  • The ending:
  • The doxastikon (the glory hymn), when chanted properly in Byzantine music is the longest, and usually the richest, hymn of the service. This is sometimes followed by another doxastikon or theotokion. On Sundays it is almost always the Theotokion: "You are Supremely Blessed...".
  • Doxology
    • Sundays and feast days: the Great Doxology is chanted, followed by the apolytikion, the two litanies and the dismissal
    • Weekdays: the Small Doxology is read, followed by the first litany, the aposticha, It is good to give praise unto the Lord..., the trisagion sequence followed by the apolytikion, and the second litany (there is no dismissal)
  • The First Hour

In very traditional monasteries, readings from the Church Fathers are read after each of the sessional hymns.

Types of Orthros

[edit]

There are seven types of Matins:

Basic forms

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  • Sunday orthros—The longest of the regular orthros services - Gospel Reading and Great Doxology. If this service is celebrated in its entirety it can last up to six hours but is typically abridged.
  • Daily orthros—Celebrated on most weekdays - No gospel reading, Small Doxology.
  • Feast-day orthros—Very similar to Sunday orthros, excluding those parts which are strictly resurrectional in nature - gospel reading and Great Doxology.

Special forms

[edit]
  • Lenten orthros—Weekdays during great lent, the Wednesday and Friday of Cheesefare Week, and, optionally when there is no divine liturgy, on the weekdays of the lesser fasting seasons (Nativity Fast, Apostles' Fast and Dormition Fast). The service follows the order of daily orthros but with penitential material added (hymns and prayers), most days have three kathismata from the Psalter, "God is the Lord" is replaced by "Lenten Alleluia" (from which fact these days are identified as "days with Alleluia"). The petition: "O God, save your people and bless your inheritance ..." is read by the priest. There is no gospel reading. The Small Doxology is read and there is special lenten ending of the service, including the Prayer of St. Ephraim.
  • Great and Holy Friday Orthros — Twelve Passion Gospels are interspersed throughout the service; Antiphons are used between the Gospels (these originated in a different office).
  • Great and Holy Saturday Orthros—Lamentations are chanted around the epitaphios, interspersed between the verses of Psalm 118. Contains some elements of the old cathedral office: reading of three pericopes (lessons from the Old Testament, epistle and Gospel) at the end - Great Doxology followed by the procession with epitaphios.
  • Paschal orthros—Celebrated during Bright Week, from the Sunday of Pascha (Easter) through Bright Saturday. The service is vastly different from the rest of the year; only the litanies, canon (the canticles of which are omitted) and lauds are the same; everything else, including the psalms, are replaced by special paschal hymns. The priest vests fully in his eucharistic vestments throughout the week. There is no doxology at all.

See also

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Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Orthros

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Orthros is the morning liturgical service of the in the Eastern Orthodox and , also known as , traditionally celebrated at dawn to commemorate Christ's resurrection and offer praise to God through hymns, psalms, and scriptural readings. This service forms a key part of the daily cycle of Orthodox worship, bridging the evening and the , and emphasizing themes of spiritual renewal, mercy, and salvation. The structure of Orthros includes both fixed and variable elements, with the fixed portions—such as the opening prayers, the Six Psalms, the Great , and the —recited consistently across services, while variable parts like the Apolytikia, Kathismata, Kontakia, and the Eothina Gospels rotate according to the eight-tone system and the ecclesiastical calendar. On , it particularly highlights the joy of the through narratives of the myrrh-bearing women at the and angelic proclamations, fostering a of and eternal life among participants. Historically rooted in early Christian traditions of nocturnal vigils and dawn prayers, Orthros has been adapted over centuries to incorporate Byzantine hymnography and scriptural recitations, maintaining its role in monastic and life despite varying observance in modern practice. In addition to its Sunday form, Orthros can be served daily, often in monasteries, with content tailored to saints' commemorations or feast days. The service's bilingual resources, such as those translated by scholars like Rev. Nomikos Michael Vaporis, support its accessibility in diverse congregations, underscoring its enduring significance in Orthodox spirituality.

Definition and Etymology

Core Meaning and Terminology

Orthros, derived from the ancient Greek word ὄρθρος (orthros), meaning "dawn" or "early morning," signifies the service's traditional timing at or near sunrise in the liturgical tradition of the Eastern Churches. This etymological root underscores the service's symbolic role in marking the transition from darkness to light, evoking themes of renewal and divine illumination. In the Byzantine Rite, Orthros—also known as Matins in Western terminology—serves as the principal morning prayer office, forming a core component of the daily liturgical cycle observed in Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. It functions primarily to offer praise and thanksgiving to God at the onset of daylight, incorporating vigil-like elements of nocturnal watchfulness and preparatory prayer to sanctify the coming day. As part of the broader cycle of divine services, Orthros integrates seamlessly with subsequent hours like the First Hour, emphasizing communal and personal devotion. While equivalent to the Western Christian in its canonical hour placement, the Byzantine Orthros is distinguished by its pronounced emphasis on extended psalmody and a profuse array of hymnody, which enrich the service with poetic and melodic depth reflective of Eastern . This focus on scriptural chanting and original compositions sets it apart, fostering a contemplative atmosphere centered on Christ's role as the light overcoming night's shadows.

Place in Byzantine Liturgy

In the Byzantine liturgical tradition, Orthros occupies the position of the primary morning service within the daily cycle of prayer, following —which initiates the liturgical day at sunset—and preceding the daytime Hours (First, Third, Sixth, and ). This sequence structures the rhythm of worship around the natural divisions of time, with Orthros typically celebrated at or near sunrise to mark the transition from night to day. On Saturdays and the eves of major feasts, it forms an integral part of the , combining with Great and often the First Hour to create an extended period of communal prayer that spans the night. Orthros plays a crucial preparatory role for the faithful, especially on Sundays and feast days, where it immediately precedes the , fostering spiritual readiness through themes of praise and that anticipate the eucharistic celebration. In this context, it serves as a bridge between the nocturnal and the day's central act of , sanctifying the morning hours and orienting participants toward the mysteries of Christ's victory over death. As one of the rooted in early monastic tradition, Orthros holds a prescribed place among the offices that divide the day into structured times of , drawing from the ascetic practices of communities like those on and in the Egyptian desert. While mandatory and fully observed daily in monasteries to maintain the complete cycle, its celebration in parish settings is often optional or abbreviated, typically limited to weekends and feasts to accommodate lay participation. Symbolically, Orthros embodies the "morning offering" of the soul to , evoking the sentiment of Psalm 5:3—"In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and will look up"—and linking the service to motifs of , renewal, and the dawn of new creation in Christ. This etymological connection to the Greek word for "dawn" underscores its role as a liturgical enactment of awakening to .

Historical Development

Origins in Early Christianity

The origins of Orthros, the morning prayer service in Eastern Christian liturgy, trace back to Jewish practices that profoundly shaped early Christian worship. Early Christians, emerging from a Jewish matrix, adapted elements from synagogue prayers and temple rituals, including the recitation of Psalms at dawn and the structure of communal prayer gatherings. The daily Tamid sacrifice in the Jerusalem Temple, offered at sunrise and accompanied by Psalmody and priestly blessings, provided a model for sanctifying the morning hours with praise and thanksgiving, influencing the rhythmic pattern of Christian dawn vigils as a continuation of this sacrificial devotion. In the apostolic and ante-Nicene periods, these practices evolved into informal dawn vigils among communities. , writing around 200 AD, described early observing morning as a disciplined response to Christ's , often extending from nocturnal gatherings into praise. Similarly, Hippolytus's (c. 215 AD) outlines a daily that includes at cockcrow, following night vigils of Scripture reading and , reflecting a structured yet simple adapted for lay and clerical use in Roman circles. These accounts highlight Orthros-like services as communal acts of vigilance and scriptural meditation, distinct from Eucharistic celebrations. Patristic writers further developed these foundations through monastic emphases on psalmody. Basil the Great, in his fourth-century monastic rules, prescribed nocturnal psalmody concluding with collective prayer at dawn, urging monks to "anticipate the dawn" with hymns to align their lives with divine light and combat spiritual darkness. John Cassian, in his fifth-century Institutes, detailed Egyptian monastic practices where the night office of twelve Psalms transitioned seamlessly into a morning hour of additional psalmody, including Psalm 50 and the Gloria Patri, fostering continuous prayer from vigil to daybreak. These contributions elevated dawn prayer as a cornerstone of ascetic discipline, blending Jewish heritage with Christian typology. Amid the rise of in the fourth century, particularly in and , these informal dawn gatherings coalesced into more structured services, as communities sought to regulate prayer amid growing ascetic movements. Early witnesses like the pilgrim Egeria's account of dawn vigils in Jerusalem's Anastasis basilica (late 4th century) and Cyril of Jerusalem's catechumenal lectures provide evidence of established morning prayer practices. This shift, driven by figures like and Cassian, marked Orthros's emergence as a formalized , preserving early Christian roots while adapting to communal life without yet incorporating later Byzantine elaborations.

Evolution in the Byzantine Rite

The evolution of Orthros in the Byzantine Rite during the medieval period marked a shift toward greater uniformity, building on earlier Christian vigils to create a structured monastic and cathedral service. In the 8th and 9th centuries, monastic reforms at the Studion Monastery in Constantinople, led by St. Theodore the Studite (759–826), helped standardize liturgical practices, including Orthros, by promoting a rigorous daily office influenced by Palestinian monastic traditions within a Constantinopolitan framework. Later developments produced the synthesis known as the Neo-Sabaite Typikon, which emphasized the all-night vigil format for Orthros, incorporating psalmody, canons, and hymns while promoting daily observance in monastic communities. The Horologion, emerging as a key textual authority by the 9th century, provided fixed prayers and rubrics that unified diverse local practices across the Byzantine Empire by blending invariant elements like the Hexapsalmos with variable troparia. Following the 10th century, the Slavonic tradition significantly influenced Orthros through its adoption in Kievan Rus', where Byzantine missionaries translated liturgical texts into Church Slavonic, adapting the service to local linguistic and cultural contexts while retaining the Studite framework. In Kievan Rus' and subsequent Russian Orthodoxy, these adaptations preserved the vigil structure of Orthros, emphasizing choral psalmody and festal enhancements, which became integral to Slavic monastic life and spread eastward, shaping Orthodox practices in regions like Novgorod and Moscow. The Studite Typikon's influence persisted in these Slavic variants, ensuring continuity in the service's canonical and hymnographic elements despite regional emphases on communal singing. The 14th-century Hesychast controversy further refined Orthros amid spiritual renewals on , where hesychastic practices influenced liturgical intensity, as seen in the Diataxis of Patriarch Philotheos Kokkinos (1353–1354, 1362–1376), which prescribed detailed rubrics for the service to foster contemplative prayer. In the later Byzantine period, following the in 1204, developments introduced subtle variants; in the Greek tradition, Orthros aligned closely with Athonite models, while Antiochene practices incorporated local melodic traditions and abbreviated forms suited to urban parishes in the , though both maintained the core Byzantine structure from the and Typika. These evolutions solidified Orthros as a of Byzantine spiritual life, balancing monastic rigor with communal devotion across diverse Orthodox jurisdictions.

Liturgical Components

Invariable Elements

The invariable elements of Orthros form the unchanging core structure of the service in the , providing a consistent framework regardless of the liturgical day or season. These fixed components emphasize praise, supplication, and scriptural recitation, drawing primarily from the and ancient forms preserved in the . They establish the service's meditative tone before any variable hymns or readings are incorporated. The service commences with the priest's opening blessing, intoning "Glory to the holy and consubstantial, and life-giving, and undivided Trinity, always, now and forever, and to the ages of ages," to which the faithful respond "Amen." This invocation underscores the Trinitarian foundation of the liturgy and is followed by the standard introductory prayers, including the Trisagion ("Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us") repeated thrice, the Lord's Prayer, and petitions such as "O Heavenly King, Comforter," setting a tone of communal invocation. Immediately after, the Six Psalms are recited in a subdued tone by the reader or , comprising Psalms 3, 37, 62, 87, 102, and 142 according to numbering (corresponding to Hebrew 3, 38, 63, 88, 103, and 143). These psalms, known collectively as the Hexapsalmos, progress from themes of personal lament and trust in God to broader , and are chanted with specific refrains like "Alleluia" after each, while the priest offers silent intercessions at designated points. Prostrations or bows are prescribed at the after Psalms 37, 62, and 102, fostering a posture of and adoration during this nocturnal portion of the service. The Great of Peace follows, led by the or with petitions beginning "In , let us pray to the ," seeking divine favor for from above, the of souls, the Church, the world, and local needs such as the city, the weather, and travelers. The congregation responds ", have mercy" to each, emphasizing communal . This is succeeded by shorter litanies, including the of Fervent for the living and the for the , which invoke mercy upon the catechumens, the faithful, and those who have fallen asleep in the , concluding with a prayer for . Next comes the "God is the Lord" (Theos ) section, drawn from (118 in ), where the refrain "God is the Lord and has appeared to us. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" is chanted eight times, typically in the tone of the week, interspersed with verses from the psalm. This is followed by the appointed troparia of the day, reinforcing themes of divine revelation and thanksgiving. The concluding kathisma from the then occurs, consisting of selected psalm portions with intervening hymns (stichera) that glorify God, often drawn from the weekly cycle to maintain continuity. The fixed elements draw to a close with the Trisagion Prayers, recited anew to reaffirm the service's doxological focus. The Apolytikion, a concise summarizing the day's theme—such as the on Sundays—serves as the dismissal, intoned by the with a final : "Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us." These components ensure Orthros remains a stable anchor of praise within the daily .

Variable and Cyclical Elements

The variable and cyclical elements of Orthros adapt to the liturgical calendar, ensuring the service reflects the weekly tone, seasonal themes, and commemorations of saints or feasts. These components primarily include readings from the , specific hymns following those readings, the central canons, proclamation, and additional variable hymns such as exaposteilaria and , all drawn from designated liturgical books. Readings from the form the foundational variable portion, divided into 20 kathismata—each comprising three stases or subsections of —for systematic recitation over the week. In the standard weekly cycle, two or three kathismata are appointed for Orthros each day, progressing sequentially to cover the entire ; for example, on Sundays during the summer period (from Thomas Sunday to September 21), Kathismata 2 and 3 are read, while winter Sundays (September 22 to the Prodigal Son Sunday) include Kathismata 4, 5, and 6 or the Polyeleos in place of the third. This assignment varies by season, with three kathismata daily in winter and (except the fifth week), but only two in summer and post-Pentecost periods, omitting readings entirely during Bright Week. Following each kathisma, sessional hymns (known as kathismata in Greek or sedalen in Slavonic) are chanted as troparia that meditate on the just read, varying according to the weekly tone from the or the feast's theme. These short hymns, typically three per set, conclude with a small and the , providing thematic continuity; for instance, in the first tone, they might emphasize repentance and divine mercy. The core of Orthros' variable structure lies in the canons, poetic compositions structured in nine odes based on the biblical canticles, chanted after the readings and often abbreviated to odes 1, 3, and 4–9 in practice. These canons originate from key hymnographers, such as St. for the and St. for en compositions like the Great Canon in the Triodion, and are selected from the for its eight-week tonal cycle, the Menaion for monthly saints, the Triodion for , or the Pentecostarion for the Paschal season. Katavasiae—refrains honoring the or the Cross—are interpolated after specific odes, further varying by the appointed source book. On Sundays, the Gospel reading introduces an eleven-part cycle of Resurrection narratives (eothina), rotated weekly, beginning on Thomas Sunday with Matthew 28:16–20 and including accounts like the (Mark 16:1–8 as the second eothinon), drawn from the . This sequence advances through the accounts and completes the cycle over eleven weeks, resuming uninterrupted thereafter unless overridden by a major feast. The priest chants it solemnly from the altar, followed by a with candles if a rank is observed. Additional variable hymns enhance the cyclical nature, including hypakoai (short responses after the canons' second ode) and kontakia with oikoi (stanzas) that echo the day's tone or commemoration, such as resurrection themes in the first tone: "As God, You rose in glory from the grave." Exaposteilaria, or "light-sending" hymns, follow the canons and vary by the eothinon cycle or feast, often depicting post-Resurrection events like the women's visit to the tomb, with a Theotokion appended. Lauds (ainoí), chanted during Psalms 148–150, consist of variable stichera in sets of four per tone, praising the Resurrection or saint, such as "We praise Your saving Passion, O Christ" in the first tone. These elements integrate through the Typikon's ranking system, where propers from the Menaion, Triodion, or Pentecostarion replace or supplement Octoechos material on feast days of polyeleos, vigil, or great rank; for example, a vigil feast's canon and exaposteilaria supplant the weekly tone's, while lower ranks blend both via common hymns. This hierarchical approach ensures thematic priority, with the Octoechos providing the baseline cycle unless overridden.

Variations by Occasion

Standard Daily and Weekly Forms

In the standard form of weekday Orthros, observed during non-festive periods, the service adopts a shorter structure compared to Sundays, typically featuring a single canon drawn from the , which provides hymns aligned with the weekly tone and thematic focus for each day, such as angels on or the Holy Cross on Wednesday. This canon consists of selected odes rather than the full nine, emphasizing praise through biblical canticles and troparia, and omits the Gospel reading to maintain brevity, with the service concluding after the Lesser and apolytikion of the day. In monastic settings, this form lasts approximately 30-45 minutes, allowing integration into the fuller daily office cycle without extending into prolonged . Sunday Orthros, by contrast, extends into a more elaborate observance to commemorate the Resurrection, incorporating a complete nine-ode canon from the Octoechos that interweaves themes of Christ's triumph over death with hymns to the Theotokos and daily dedications. Central to this form is the Gospel reading, selected from the eleven-part Eothina cycle of Resurrection narratives, which rotates through passages from the Gospels of John (such as John 20:19-31, the appearance to the disciples) and Matthew (such as Matthew 28:16-20, the Great Commission), chanted after the canon to proclaim the empty tomb and apostolic witness. The service highlights Resurrection motifs through the Theos Kyrios troparia, sung responsively after "God is the Lord" with verses from Psalm 118, evoking the dawn of salvation and renewal, often extending the duration to one hour or more in fuller celebrations. The weekly cycle of Orthros integrates the system, assigning one of eight tones (echos) to govern the melodic and textual framework of hymns, troparia, and kontakia, with each new tone commencing at on evening and persisting through the following to structure the progression of Resurrectional and festal elements. This cycle ensures thematic continuity, such as Tone 1 emphasizing divine mercy in the opening week after , while 17—comprising , known as the "Psalm of the Law" for its meditation on divine precepts—is appointed specifically for Orthros, recited divisions to frame the service with extended psalmody before the canons. Rubrics for Orthros vary between monastic and contexts, with monasteries following the full, unhurried forms of the Athonite or Studite traditions, which preserve the complete sequence of , odes, and litanies as outlined in ancient typika to support contemplative . In , adaptations abridge these elements—such as shortening kathismata or limiting canons to key odes—to accommodate lay participation and practical constraints, often reducing the service to essential praises and dismissals while retaining the core structure.

Festal, Lenten, and Paschal Forms

In the , festal Orthros elevates the standard structure through the inclusion of the Polyeleos, a solemn chanting of 134 and 135, performed on great feasts to signify divine mercy and praise. This is followed by the festal Matins , a from the proclaimed after the canons, which underscores the theological significance of the feast, such as the Nativity. Multiple canons, drawn from the Festal Menaion, are sung, often comprising nine odes with festal troparia and kontakia that poetically expound on the event, replacing or supplementing the weekly cycle. Lenten Orthros, guided by the Lenten Triodion, adopts a penitential tone with stichera emphasizing repentance and the soul's journey toward salvation, chanted at "Lord, I have cried" without the usual festal elaborations. The service omits the "God is the Lord" trope, substituting it with repeated Alleluias to reflect the period's austerity and focus on lamentation. A highlight occurs on the Thursday of the first week, when the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read in full during Orthros, comprising 250 troparia that interweave biblical narratives with calls to metanoia, often accompanied by prostrations. Paschal Orthros commences at midnight on , marking the with the Paschal Canon of St. , whose nine odes celebrate Christ's victory over death through vivid imagery of light triumphing over darkness, refrained by the "Christ is risen from the dead." Responses of "Christ is Risen!" echo throughout, supplanting typical litanies and petitions, which are absent until to emphasize unbridled joy. Unique adaptations appear in specific occasions, such as the Great and Royal Hours preceding (Epiphany), a distinct service with extended scriptural readings from the prophets, , and Gospels to prefigure Christ's baptism, chanted with festal antiphons. In Holy Week, elements like the Epitaphios during the evening Lamentations service ( of Holy Saturday) on Great and Holy Friday incorporate the service with the of Christ's entombment borne in solemn , evoking the while foreshadowing .

Role and Observance

Integration with the Daily Office

In the , Orthros occupies a central position within the daily cycle of prayer, commencing after or in the evening and extending into the early morning hours, before transitioning to the First Hour. This sequence reflects the liturgical day's structure, which begins at sunset and emphasizes the progression from evening repose to morning praise. On Saturdays and eves of major feasts, Orthros is often integrated into the , combining seamlessly with to form a unified service of vigil and anticipation. The service concludes with prayers that echo themes of emerging light and doxological praise, providing a natural bridge to the Hours and maintaining the continuity of the prayer cycle throughout the day. Certain variable elements, such as festal troparia, may recur in the subsequent services to reinforce thematic unity. On feast days, particularly Sundays, Orthros flows directly into the without interruption, enhancing the overall rhythm of worship. Practices vary significantly between monastic and parish settings: in monasteries, the all-night vigil incorporating Orthros can extend up to six hours or longer, embodying an intensive ascetical discipline observed from early evening until dawn. In contrast, parish celebrations abbreviate the vigil to approximately 2-3 hours total, making it more accessible for lay participation while preserving essential elements. Orthros shares conceptual similarities with the Roman Catholic office of Lauds as a morning service of praise and psalmody, yet it diverges in its psalm selections—drawing from a broader Byzantine tradition—and in the extended length and complexity of its hymnographic components, such as the canons and stichera.

Contemporary Practices and Adaptations

In contemporary Eastern Orthodox parishes, particularly in urban and diaspora settings, Orthros is frequently abbreviated to approximately 45 to 90 minutes to accommodate modern schedules, often serving as a prelude to the Sunday Divine Liturgy. This shortened form typically employs reader services, where lay readers chant or recite key elements such as the Six Psalms and canons, replacing more elaborate choral arrangements to facilitate participation in communities with limited musical resources. Monastic communities maintain the full, traditional length of Orthros, often beginning before dawn and extending over two hours, as preserved in centers like and . These extended services, featuring intricate polyphonic chanting, continue to influence broader Orthodox practice through online broadcasts and recordings, allowing global audiences to access live streams of Athos monastic vigils and Valaam choir performances. Post-Vatican II reforms have shaped Orthros observance in , emphasizing the retention and organic renewal of Byzantine liturgical traditions, including the use of vernacular languages for accessibility while preserving the rite's integrity. Ecumenical revival efforts since the have further promoted shared resources, such as digital apps providing rubrics and texts for Orthros, enabling both Orthodox and Eastern Catholic users to follow variable elements like tonal cycles. In communities, such as those , Orthros adaptations often feature shorter formats and increased English translations, with widespread adoption beginning in the 1970s to engage second- and third-generation immigrants. The from 2020 to 2022 accelerated virtual adaptations, with parishes offering online Orthros streams and encouraging home-based reader services using accessible liturgical books, fostering continued observance amid restrictions.

References

  1. https://www.goarch.org/-/sunday-orthros
  2. https://www.goarch.org/-/daily-orthros
  3. https://ccrma.stanford.edu/~kermit/website/papers/lostvoices_booklet.pdf
  4. https://www.goarch.org/-/orthodox-worship
  5. https://mci.archpitt.org/liturgy/DailyCycle.html
  6. https://oxfordre.com/religion/oso/viewentry/10.1093%24002facrefore%24002f9780199340378.001.0001%24002facrefore-9780199340378-e-56
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  23. https://orthodox.net/redeemingthetime/2009/11/04/the-great-litany-the-litany-of-peace-a-short-introduction/
  24. https://www.saintjonah.org/services/matins.htm
  25. https://mci.archpitt.org/liturgy/EightTones.html
  26. https://orthodoxwiki.org/Matins
  27. https://mci.archpitt.org/liturgy/Kathismata.html
  28. https://www.oca.org/liturgics/outlines/kathisma-readings-at-matins
  29. https://orthodoxwiki.org/Sessional_Hymn
  30. https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2017/05/the-easter-gospels-of-byzantine-rite.html
  31. https://mci.archpitt.org/setting/Divine_Liturgy_feastday.html
  32. https://mci.archpitt.org/liturgy/Canons.html
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  34. https://ieropsaltis.wordpress.com/2015/01/25/a-brief-guide-to-the-service-of-the-orthros-matins/
  35. https://mci.archpitt.org/sheetmusic/general/SundayMatins.pdf
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  38. https://www.goarch.org/-/feast-of-the-holy-theophany-of-our-lord-god-and-savior-jesus-christ
  39. https://www.goarch.org/-/great-friday
  40. https://www.stgeorgeparish.org.au/information/1029/1138/
  41. https://shrewsburyorthodox.com/divine-services/the-all-night-vigil-agrypnia/
  42. https://mci.archpitt.org/other_files/CANTOR-L.txt
  43. https://saintandrewgoc.org/visiting-our-parish
  44. https://www.saintgeorgekearney.com/schedule
  45. https://www.mountathosfoundation.org/about/faqs/
  46. https://www.monasticrepublic.com/en/monastic-radio
  47. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzE7_00772s
  48. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_orientalium-ecclesiarum_en.html
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  52. https://www.oca.org/questions/parishlife/archaic-english
  53. https://publicorthodoxy.org/2020/04/12/holy-week-at-home-covid-19/
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