What Makes a Prokeimenon "Great"?

This is currently being discussed on the choir director's list. Contrary to some people's opinions, a Great Prokeimenon (as opposed to a "prokeimenon" without the "great"), is not when the sopranos are all on the same note and the basses are not lagging a half-beat behind, though that would certainly make any choir director pretty happy.

The distinguishing characteristic of a Great Prokeimenon is multiple stichoi as opposed to a single stichos for a "regular" or "common" prokeimenon. Also, Great Prokeimena are found during Vespers only, and not during Divine Liturgy.

Although most people mean the Great Prokeimenon of Pentecost when they refer to the Great Prokeimenon (Who is so great a God as our God?), there are several other instances of Great Prokeimena during the liturgical year.

Great Prokeimena are found during the following Vespers:
Saturday Evening Vespers on Christmas Day, Dec. 25
on Theophany Day, Jan. 6
on Cheesefare Sunday
on the Sundays of the Great Fast (exclusive of Palm Sunday)
on Pascha & all the days of Bright Week
on Ascension Day
on Pentecost
on August 6, Transfiguration Day
on September 14, Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Although we classify Great Prokeimena as having multiple verses, there is also a hymnographic difference, particularly noticeable in Znamenny chant. The standard Prokeimena are sung to melodies that are generally formulaic, either according to the 8 Tones or according to a specific motif. However, the Great Prokeimena have more elaborate melodies which are more or less "unique" melodies for each text, and are written out individually in the traditional chant books. (One can almost say that Great Prokeimena are "Idiomela/Samoglasny" and standard Prokeimena are "Prosomoia/Podobny".)

Paschal Season beginnings and endings

This general pattern is repeated, with minor differences, until the leavetaking of Pascha

Paschal Beginning (done every day until the leavetaking of Pascha):
Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom . . .
Choir: Amen
Priest: Christ is Risen . . . (x 2.5)
Choir: And upon those in the tombs . . .

Priest exclaims: Christ is Risen! and people respond: Indeed He is Risen! (x3)

First and Second Antiphons as usual

Instead of "It is truly meet . . .,"The angel cried . . .Shine! Shine! . . .- - - - -

Communion hymn:
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion!

Communion of the Clergy: Canticle of Pascha "(Let God Arise")

People's Communion: Christ is Risen!

Paschal Ending (done every day until the leavetaking of Pascha)
Priest: O Lord, save Thy people and bless . . .
Choir: Christ is Risen (instead of We have seen the True Light)
Priest: Always now and ever . . .
Choir: Amen. Let our mouths be filled . . .

Paschal Dismissal (done every day until the leavetaking of Pascha)
Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ . . .
Choir: Christ is Risen . . . (x3)
Priest: May He who rose from the dead . . .
Priest exclaims: Christ is Risen! and people respond: Indeed He is Risen! (x3)
Choir: Christ is Risen . . (x1)
Choir: (Tone 8) And unto us He has given eternal life. Let us worship His resurrection on the third day!

About Presanctified Liturgy

This article is from Monachos.net. Here at St. Mary's, we don't usually do the Hours prior to Presanctified, and in fact, I personally have not seen that done in parish practice, ever, unless the Hours were done privately by the celebrant. Also, there was a raging discussion on the choir director's list last week about singing vs intoning of the kathismata (aka antiphons). The consensus was that because Presanctified Liturgy includes daily vespers rather than great vespers, they should be intoned rather than sung, and the St. Vlad's materials (which we use here at St. Mary's) which specify singing them are incorrect. However, the use of the St. Vlad's materials are widespread in the OCA, which, after 30 or so years, have become a sort of received tradition, so we will continue singing the kathismata, except as noted below where the kathismata numbers change on the Fifth week. I am working on getting a different melody which will give a little bit of variety to our parish practice.

And now, on to the article:

The following is an outline of the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, intended to be compact and to provide the reader with an overview of this Lenten service, its composition, and its movements. Very often, people attend this service without being aware of its structure and contents, thus deprived of aspects of its richness. This text is meant to aid in that awareness; it is not meant as a complete resource for keeping the service itself (and as such, the full texts of the prayers and hymns are not provided here).

The celebration of the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts begins with the Hours - normally the Third, Sixth and Ninth¹ - according to the Lenten order. Coming to the end of the Ninth Hour, we carry on as follows:

Conclusion of the Ninth Hour

After the priest's blessing at 'Our Father...', the Lenten verses are used in place of the kontakion, then the normal order to the end of the Hour. After the blessing:

Priest: Prayer of St Ephrem (short version, without 12 bows)

Reader: Conclusion of the Ninth Hour. After the prayer of St Basil the Great, we proceed immediately to:

The Typical Psalms

The Beatitudes, in the Sixth Tone (the curtain is opened)

In one custom, the choir sings all the verses, as well as the refrains, in the sixth tone - the final three refrains being sung more solemnly, with a prostration at each. In another custom, the chanter sings the refrain and the choir repeats; then the chanter sings the beatitudes, the choir following each with the refrain.

Refrain: Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom.

The clergy are here vested and wash their hands, as usual.

Reader: Troparia of the angels

Creed

Prayer (‘Loose, remit and pardon…’)

Our Father

Reader: Kontakia for the day, the Church and the dead, and the Theotokion 'Steadfast protectress of Christians...' (as set out in the Service Book and Triodion)

Lord, have mercy (forty times)

Glory... Now...

More honourable than the Cherubim…

Priest: Blessing

Priest: Prayer of St Ephrem (with 12 bows)

Reader: Trisagion prayers; Lord, have mercy (twelve times)

During fourth week of Lent: Veneration of the Cross

Prayer to the Holy Trinity ('O Most Holy Trinity, consubstantial Power...')

Priest: Wisdom!

Choir: ‘It is truly meet…’ Stop after: ‘…ever blessed and most pure and Mother of our God’.²

Priest: Most holy Mother of God, save us.

Choir: More honourable than the Cherubim…

On Wednesday of Passion Week, the Forgiveness Prayer is inserted here.

Priest: Dismissal.

[Here, following the dismissal of the Typical Psalms, it is customary in many places to do a Litya for the Departed.]

The bells are again rung, to mark the beginning of Vespers.

Vespers and Liturgy

Priest: Blessing (choir: Amen)

Reader: O come, let us worship… (thrice)

Psalm 103 (The priest reads the Prayers of Light before the Holy Doors, omitting the first three)

Great Litany

Reader: Kathisma 18 (Psalms 119-123 / 124-128 / 129-133)

But on Wednesday of Fifth Week: Kathisma 7 (Psalms 46-48 / 49-50 / 51-54)
On Thursday of Fifth Week: Kathisma 12 (Psalms 85-87 / 88 / 89-90)

In the normal way, each stasis of the kathisma is followed by: Glory… Now…; Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, glory to Thee O God (thrice); Small Litany; Lord, have mercy (thrice); Glory… Now….

DURING THE FIRST STASIS: The curtain is closed³; the priest unfolds the antimension, places the paten thereupon, and transfers the presanctified Lamb from the pyx to the paten. It is covered with the Star and veil, and a candle is set before it (in another custom, it is left uncovered on the paten, and is not covered until it is placed upon the Table of Oblation during the third stasis).

DURING THE SECOND STASIS: The deacon precedes the priest with a candle, as the priest censes the Holy Table from each side, thrice.

DURING THE THIRD STASIS: The presanctified Lamb on the paten is processed from the Holy Table to the Table of Oblation by way of the High Place, proceeded by the deacon with candle and censer, walking backwards. The faithful make a sustained, low reverence during the procession, the reading of the Psalms temporarily suspended until its completion; they then rise and the reading resumes.⁴ The priest pours water and wine into the chalice as usual, the offerings are veiled and covered, and a candle is set before them. The priest then returns to the Holy Table and folds the antimension, and replaces the Holy Gospel upon it.

The curtain is opened at the litany following the third stasis.⁵

Choir: Lord, I have cried… with ten appointed stichera from the Triodion and Menaion

The deacon makes a full censing before the Little Entrance is made with the censer (or the Gospel, if so appointed).

Vesperal Entrance

Standing before the Royal Doors, the priest blesses the entrance and the deacon intones: Wisdom! Stand aright! Then, as is customary at Great Vespers, the choir sings:

Choir: O Gentle Light...

Prokeimenon (from the Triodion, not of the day)

Reader: Reading from Genesis (or Exodus)

Second prokeimenon

Priest: Blessing with incense and candle: 'The Light of Christ…'

Reader: Reading from Proverbs (or Job)

Choir: Let my prayer be set forth… with verses

Two practices / customs prevail for this portion of the service: In the first, the reader stands in the middle of the nave and chants the verses to a solemn and slow tone. In some parishes it is customary to kneel throughout these verses, while in others it is the custom to make the sign of the cross with a deep bow at each refrain.

In the second common practice, the faithful to remain prostrate during the singing of the verses, usually done by a trio in the middle of the church. The faithful rise during the singing of the responses by the choir, during which time the trio is prostrate.

During the singing, the priest censes the Holy Table and (from the verse 'Incline not my heart...') the Table of Oblation.

Priest: Prayer of St Ephrem (short version)

Litany

[When appointed, the reading from the Epistle and Gospel are inserted here. During Passion Week, there is a reading from the Gospel only.]

Litany of Fervent Supplication (antimension partially unfolded)

Litany of the Catechumens (antimension fully unfolded); dismissal of the catechumens

From fourth week on: Litany for those preparing for Illumination, and their dismissal

Two Litanies of the Faithful

Great Entrance with the Consecrated Gifts

Choir: ‘Now the powers of heaven…’ (in place of the Cherubic Hymn)

The deacon makes a censing of the Holy Table, the Table of Oblation, and the priest. The entrance is made in silence, the clergy passing east of the central icon of the Temple, with all the faithful prostrate to the ground. The priest gives the proclamation in a quiet voice, the choir concluding:

Choir: ‘With faith and love let us draw near…’

Priest: Prayer of St Ephrem (short version)

The curtain is drawn closed halfway.

Litany before the Our Father

Choir: Our Father (Lenten tone)

Priest: ‘Peace be with you all…’

Prayer at the bowing of the heads

‘The presanctified Holy Things are for the holy’, at which point the priest touches - but does not elevate - the Lamb (as it has already been elevated at the Divine Liturgy of St Basil)

The curtain is fully closed.

Choir: ‘One is holy…’

Clergy Communion

Communion verse: O taste and see that the Lord is good. Alleluia.

[Reader: Prayers of preparation for Communion (until Royal Doors are opened)]

Priest: ‘With fear of God, with faith and love, draw near.’

Choir: ‘I will bless the Lord at all times…’

Priest: ‘I believe, Lord, and I confess…’

Communion of the Faithful. (During the reception of the Holy Mysteries, the communion hymn sung is ‘Taste and see that the Lord is Good…’. The Alleluia is not sung at its conclusion.)

Priest: ‘O God, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.’

Choir: ‘Taste the heavenly Bread…’

The priest blesses the faithful with the chalice from the Royal Doors. Then:

Choir: ‘Amen. Let our mouths be filled with Thy praise…’

Litany of Thanksgiving

Prayer at the Amvon

Blessed be the Name of the Lord… (thrice)

Reader: Glory… Now...

Psalm 33

The priest pronounces the blessing from the Sanctuary, then:

Amen.

Priest: ‘Glory to Thee, O Christ our God…’

Reader: Glory… Now…

Lord, have mercy (thrice)

Father, give the blessing.

The priest gives the closing blessing, and the service ends with ‘Amen’.

1. In some places only the Sixth and Ninth Hours. [back]

2. This is one practice. Another is for the entire hymn to be sung; then, after the 'Most holy Mother of God, save us' that follows, the final section ('More honourable than the Cherubim...') is repeated. [back]

3. In some practices. In others, the curtain remains open at this point. [back]

4. In many places, where the curtain is not drawn during the first stasis (above), it is drawn here at the moment the priest begins to make the process with the Lamb. The faithful prostrate themselves at this point. Once the Lamb has been placed upon the Table of Oblation, the curtain is reopened and the faithful rise. [back]

5. Unless the custom of closing and opening the curtain at the procession with the Lamb is followed; see above note. [back]

Lenten Rubrical Notes - 2009

Is it really time to put together my annual Lenten Rubrical Notes? Yep, Sunday was Zaccheus Sunday, so that means that Great Lent is right around the corner. Indeed, the Lenten Triodion begins this coming Sunday.

February 8: (Publican and Pharisee) Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. Open to Me for Priest's Communion.

February 15: (Prodigal Son) By the Waters of Babylon after the Polieley, and Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. Thy Fatherly Embrace for priest's communion.

February 22: (Meatfare) By the Waters of Babylon after the Polieley, and Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. By the Waters of Babylon for priest's communion.

March 1: (Cheesefare/Forgiveness Sunday) By the Waters of Babylon after the Polieley, and Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. By the Waters of Babylon for priest's communion.

March 8: Sunday of Orthodoxy @ Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church this year. (Polieley is not sung, and neither is By the Waters of Babylon. Sing Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. Open to Me for Priest's Communion)

March 15: (St. Gregory Palamas) Polieley is not sung, and neither is By the Waters of Babylon. Sing Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. Open to Me for Priest's Communion

March 22: (Veneration of the Cross) Polieley is not sung, and neither is By the Waters of Babylon. Sing Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. Open to Me for Priest's Communion.

March 29: (St. John of the Ladder) Polieley is not sung, and neither is By the Waters of Babylon. Sing Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. Open to Me for Priest's Communion.

April 5: (St. Mary of Egypt) Polieley is not sung, and neither is By the Waters of Babylon. Sing Open to Me after Psalm 50; the rest as usual. Open to Me for Priest's Communion.

April 12: (Palm Sunday) - Yay!