Entrance Hymn from the Divine Liturgy Δεῦτε προσκυνήσωμεν καὶ προσπέσωμεν Χριστῷ. Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ   This hymn is the entrance hymn used in most Sunday and weekday Holy Liturgies of the Church Calendar (different hymns are used on the major feast days). It is called an entrance hymn because it is chanted as the priest, holding the Holy Gospel in an elevated position, enters the Sanctuary to complete the Little Entrance. Nowadays, the Little Entrance is more of a symbolic procession, as it begins where it ends (in the Sanctuary). However, up until the [...]

8th Ode of the Katavasiae of Pascha   Αὕτη ἡ κλητὴ καὶ ἁγία ἡμέρα, ἡ μία τῶν Σαββάτων, ἡ βασιλὶς καὶ κυρία, ἑορτῶν ἑορτή, καὶ πανήγυρις ἐστὶ πανηγύρεων, ἐν ᾗ εὐλογοῦμεν, Χριστὸν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. This chosen and holy day is the first of Sabbaths, the Queen and Lady, the Feast of Feasts and the Festival of Festivals on which we bless Christ to all the ages.   This hymn is the 8th Ode of the Katavasiae of Easter, chanted for the first time in the Church Calendar during the Matins service of Easter Sunday and then for the following [...]

From the Service of the Royal Hours of Christmas - Hymn of the 1st Hour   Ἦχος πλ. δ', Ποίημα Σωφρονίου Πατριάρχου Ἱεροσολύμων Βηθλεὲμ ἑτοιμάζου· εὐτρεπιζέσθω ἡ φάτνη· τὸ Σπήλαιον δεχέσθω, ἡ ἀλήθεια ἦλθεν· ἡ σκιὰ παρέδραμε· καὶ Θεὸς ἀνθρώποις, ἐκ Παρθένου πεφανέρωται, μορφωθείς τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς, καὶ θεώσας τὸ πρόσλημμα. Διὸ Ἀδὰμ ἀνανεοῦται σὺν τῇ Εὔᾳ, κράζοντες· Ἐπὶ γῆς εὐδοκία ἐπεφάνη, σῶσαι τὸ γένος ἡμῶν. Tone 8. By Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem Bethlehem make ready; let the Manger be prepared; let the Cave receive. The truth has come, the shadow has passed away, and God has appeared among men [...]

Dismissal Hymn of St Demetrios the Great Martyr Ἦχος γ' Μέγαν εὕρατο ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις, σὲ ὑπέρμαχον ἡ οἰκουμένη, Ἀθλοφόρε τὰ ἔθνη τροπούμενον. Ὡς οὖν Λυαίου καθεῖλες τὴν ἔπαρσιν, ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ θαρρύνας τὸν Νέστορα, οὕτως Ἅγιε, Μεγαλομάρτυς Δημήτριε, Χριστὸν τὸν Θεὸν ἱκέτευε, δωρήσασθαι ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. The whole world has found you as a mighty champion in dangers, O victor, who rout the nations. Therefore as you destroyed the pride of Lyaios in the stadium by giving Nestor courage, holy great Martyr Demetrios, implore Christ God to grant us his great mercy   Saint Demetrios, the Great Martyr [...]

Hymn of Lauds, Sunday Matins Κύριε, ὅπλον κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου, τὸν Σταυρόν σου ἡμῖν δέδωκας∙ φρίττει γὰρ καὶ τρέμει, μὴ φέρων καθορᾷν αὐτοῦ τὴν δύναμιν∙ ὅτι νεκροὺς ἀνιστᾷ καὶ θάνατον κατήργησε∙ διὰ τοῦτο προ-σκυνοῦμεν, τὴν Ταφήν σου καὶ τὴν Ἔγερσιν. Lord, you have given us your Cross as a weapon against the devil; for he quails and trembles, una-ble to contemplate your power; for you raise the dead and made death of no effect: therefore we worship your Burial and your Rising.   The Cross is the trophy of the Orthodox Church, intimately linked with the life of Our Saviour [...]