THE OFFICE OF MATINS

THE ORDER OF MATINS

FROM THE OCHTOECHOS AND THE TRIODION

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP

    The arrangement of Matins forthe Repose of those o have fallen asleep is as prescribed for Daily Matinsand or Matins in the Holy and Great 40-day Fast. After the Six Psalms Alleluiais said three times with verses:

    Verse A: Blessedare they whom thou hast chosen and taken, O Lord.
    Verse B: Theirmemory is from generation to generation.
    Verse C: Theirsouls shall dwell amid good things.

    Then the 16th Kathisma andBlessed are the undefiled . . . in two portionswith refrains: Blessed art thou, O Lord... andO Savior, save me.

    At Blessed arethe undefiled, the priest, where it is the custom,opens the holy doors, and, having come out by the holy doors, stands beforea table prepared for a service for the repose of the departed. During thereading of the 17th Kathisma, there is a censing according to the rule.After the 1 st and 2nd portions, the priest says the Iitany for the departed,censing as he does.

    Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.
    Choir: Lord,have mercy.

    Again we pray for the repose of the souls of theservants of God, NN., who have fallen asleep, and that thou pardonthem all their offenses both voluntary and involuntary.
    Choir: Lord,have mercy.

    That the Lord God may make their souls to dwell wherethe righteous repose.
    Choir: Lord,have mercy.

    The mercies of God, the kingdom of heaven, and theforgiveness of their sins, let us ask of Christ, our immortal King andour God.
    Choir: Grantthis, O Lord.

Priest or deacon:

Let us pray to the Lord.

    Choir: Lord,have mercy. 40 times, softly

The priest says this prayer:

    O God of spirits and of all flesh, who hast trampleddown death and overthrown the Devil, and given life to thy world, do thou,the same Lord, give rest to the souls of thy servants, names,who have fallen asleep, in a place of light, in a place of verdure, ina place of repose, whence all sickness, sorrow, and sighing have fled away.Pardon every sin committed by them in word or deed or thought, for thouart a good and man-loving God; for there is no man that liveth and sinnethnot; for thou only art without sin and thy righteousness is an everlastingrighteousness and thy word is truth.

Exclamation:

For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life, and the Repose of thy servants,names, who have fallen asleep, O Christ our God, and unto thee dowe send up glory together with thy Father, who is without beginning, andthine all-holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and untoages of ages.
Choir: Amen.

    After the 3rd Ode of theCanon, the usual litany. Before the singing of the kontakion,With the saints give rest . . . . again the litanyof the departed, and the usual censing at the time of the singing of thekontakion. After this the priest goes back to the sanctuary and closesthe holy doors.

    Then, It is agood thing . . . , the Trisagion, the troparia,and the litany as prescribed for Daily Matins (page 65).

    Matins for the departedcustomarily is celebrated on Saturday, and therefore, there are no prostrations.


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