THE OFFICE OF MATINS

THE ORDER OF DAILY MATINS

    After the conclusion ofDaily Midnight Office, ordinary Matins begins just as on Sunday. Afterthe com pletion of the Six Psalms, the priest says the Great Litany (page53). After the exclamation, God is the Lord, withits verses, he then goes into the sanctuary, and the usual kathisma areread. There are no litanies after them, except on Saturdays, on the prefeastsand postfeasts.

    Then Psalm 50 is read, andimmediately thereafter the canon is begun. After the 3rd and 6th Odes,the priest says the little litany. At the 9th Ode, he censes as usual.After the katabasia of the 8th Ode, he exclaims: The Theotokosand Mother of the Light . . . After the 9th Ode,the choir sings, Meet is it . . . Thepriest says the litany within the sanctuary. On prefeasts and postfeasts,Meet is it in truth . . . is not sung, butthe litany is said immediately.

    Then the reader says,Praise ye the Lord from the heavens . . . andthe rest. And if there are no stichera of the ainos, the following is saidafter the conclusion of the psalms:
    To thee belongeth glory, O Lord our God, and untothee do we send up glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the HolySpirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Glory to thee who hastshown us the light and the lesser doxology.

    The priest then says,Let us complete our morning prayer... (page66) After the exclamation, the choir sings he Aposticha according to therule. Then the reader says, it is a good thing . . . ,the Trisagion, and after Our Father . . ., thetroparion according to the rule. The priest then says the litany,Have mercy on us, O God . . . (page 65) Afterthe exclamation, the priest: Wisdom; the choir: Bless;the priest: He Who is, is blessed .. . the choir: Establish, O God . .. and immediately the reader reads First Hour.At the conclusion of First Hour, the priest gives the final dismissal.
    Then the Lity is said,except on Saturdays, on prefeasts and on postfeasts.

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