THE OFFICE OF MATINS

The Order of Matins in the Holy and Great 40-Day Fast

    Matins is preceded by MidnightOffice, with its prostrations according to the order of the Fast, excepton Saturdays. The beginning of Matins is as described at Sunday Matins.After the completion of the Six Psalms and he litany, the priest says,Alleluia, four times, with its verses, (page 55),and then, having finished the verses, he goes into the sanctuary. Thenthe kathisma are read according o the rule, without litanies.

    After Psalm 50, the priestsays, Save, O God, thy people . . . onall days except Saturdays and on the Thursday of the Great Canon. Thenthe canon and the rest, as prescribed in the order of ordinary Matins.

    After the conclusion ofthe Aposticha, It is a good thing . . . issaid twice, then the Trisagion, and after the exclamation, the reader says,Standing in the temple . . . and Lord,have mercy, 40 times. Then the priest says,He who is, is blessed . . . and the reader,O King of heaven. then the priest makes threeprostrations saying the Prayer of St. Ephraim, and twelve lesser reverences,and again the whole prayer with one prostration. And immediately the readerreads First Hour and the kathisma, if one is appointed.

    After the Psalms, the priest,standing before the holy doors, says, In the morning do thouhear my voice. . . .page 89) with verses. AfterMore honorable . . . three prostrationswith the Prayer of St. Ephraim, and then twelve lesser reverences and againthe whole prayer with one prostration. Then the priest gives the finaldismissal.


    On a day when the Polyeleonis celebrated, after the Six Psalms, the deacon says the Great Litany onthe ambo, and then God is the Lord . . . withits verses. After the last kathisma, the little litany is said. The Polyeleonis then sung. The priest censes the whole temple as usual with the deacon,and there follow the prokeimenon and the Gospel of the feast. After thereading of the Gospel, the Gospel Book is not brought to the center ofthe temple. The deacon says, Save, O God, thy people . . . onthe ambo, and he immediately goes into the sanctuary and closes the holydoors. After It is a good thing . . . andafter the Our Father . . . , the troparia.The priest says the litany Have mercy on us, O God ... (page 65).After the exclamation, there are made three reverences only. And immediatelyFirst Hour is read, with the troparion of the feast. AfterMore honorable . . . , three prostrationsare made, and then the dismissal is given.

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