THE MONTHLY CALENDAR
CONCERNING THE SIGNS USED IN THIS CALENDAR
It is to be noted
that the feasts are classified as Great, Medium, and Lesser.
The Great Feasts are those of the Lord, those of the Theotokos, two of the Forerunner
(his Nativity and his Beheading), and that of the Foremost Apostles Peter and
Paul. They are indicated by the circled cross 
(I in this Service Book). These feasts have a Vigil, and the
whole service is for the feast according to the rule.
The Medium Feasts of
the Saints have two signs, the first a cross and halfmoon 
(II in this Service Book). On these festivals,
the Vigil is celebrated, and at Matins a Canon of the Theotokos is included
according to the rule. The second is a cross only 
(III in this Service Book). On these feasts, the
Vigil is not celebrated. At Vespers,
Blessed is the man . . . the
first antiphon, and at Lord, I have
called . . . stichera
on 6 (and if you will on 8) 3 readings, and its own aposticha. At Matins,
Polyeleon and Gospel, Canon on 8, and the Great Doxology, and the rest of the
service according to the rule.
The Lesser Feasts
have two signs: three dots in incomplete circles, one is red 
(IV in this Service Book). On these feasts, at
Vespers, the usual kathisma, at Lord, I have called ... stichera on 6, and at
Matins, the Canon on 6, and the Great Doxology, and the rest of the service
according to the rule. The black one (V in this Service Book) indicates that at
Vespers, at Lord, I have called
. . . stichera
on 6, at Matins, the Canon on 6, and the Liturgy according to the order of the
rule. Those not having a sign have only 4 stichera and the Canon on 4 at
Matins.
The English letters
a, g, f, e, d, c, and b have been used in the calendar section of this Service
Book to accompany the dates and to stand for the letters 
and 
respectively of the Slavonic Sluzhebnik calendar sections.
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