Doxastikon of Saint George                           This Doxastikon is chanted at the Matins service for St George, the Great-martyr, victory-bearer and wonderworker. Although the Saint’s feast day is normally celebrated on April 23, this date is moved to Bright Monday (the day after Easter) if it falls before Easter. In this way, the Church always celebrates St George’s memory after Holy Pascha, which is why the chant commences with calling the faithful to ‘be merry’ given that ‘Christ’s resurrection has shone brightly’. In a similar manner to how Christ [...]

“I have begotten you from the womb before the morning star” (Psalm 109:3/110:3) We hear a series of prophecies in the often cited Psalm 109, many of which are sung on Christmas day. Verse 3 is one such example. It is chanted on Christmas day by way of prokeimenon in the matins service, and as the entrance hymn following the small entrance during the Divine Liturgy. Verse 3 proclaims the first birth of Christ, who is referred to as the “morning star.” It is not the only place in which this description is used. It also appears in Revelation 22:16: [...]

O Gladsome Light   Φως ιλαρόν – O Gladsome Light Gladsome light of the holy glory of the holy, blessed, heavenly, immortal Father, O Jesus Christ: arriving at the hour of sunset and having seen the evening light, we praise the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God. It is worthy for You to be praised at all times with happy voices, O Son of God and Giver of life; and therefore the world glorifies you This well-known hymn is chanted during the Vespers service, at the conclusion of the ‘entrance’ with the priest holding the Holy Bible or censor. Once [...]

Pentecost Kneeling Prayers   “The Lord Jesus Christ sowed a most precious seed in the field of this world,” writes St Nikolai Velimirovich, “but the power of the Holy Spirit was needed to come upon it, to give it warmth and light, and make it grow.” At Pentecost, Orthodox Christians celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples and on the whole of the earth. Towards the conclusion of the Pentecost Divine Liturgy, it is the recent practice that the prayers of the Vespers service for the commemoration of the Holy Spirit on the next day are read. [...]

From the Service of Matins for the Annunciation of the Lady Theotokos   Ο Ευαγγελισμός της Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου Ὀρθρος «Χαῖρε κατάρας λύτρωσις, τοῦ Ἀδὰμ Θεοτόκε, χαῖρε σεμνὴ Μητρόθεε, χαῖρε ἔμψυχε βάτε, χαῖρε λαμπάς, χαῖρε θρόνε, χαῖρε κλῖμαξ καὶ πύλη, χαῖρε τὸ θεῖον ὄχημα, χαῖρε κούφη νεφέλη, χαῖρε ναέ, χαῖρε στάμνε πάγχρυσε, χαῖρε ὄρος, χαῖρε σκηνὴ καὶ τράπεζα, χαῖρε Εὔας ἡ λύσις.» (25 Μαρτίου, Β’ Εξαποστειλάριον, Ήχος β’) “Rejoice, Theotokos redemption of Adam’s curse, rejoice noble Mother of God, rejoice, living bush, Rejoice, O lampstand; rejoice, Ο throne. Rejoice, O ladder and gate. Rejoice, divine chariot. Rejoice, O swift cloud, rejoice [...]