What is vigil in Orthodoxy. Vespers - what is it? Explanation of church worship. How to Prepare for Fasting, Confession, and Communion

The content of the article

ORTHODOX SERVICE. Worship is a ritually formalized, conciliar (public) prayer addressed to God. Orthodox worship(as a liturgical system) was developed in the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and then adopted by the Orthodox Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, and is used to this day by all churches descended from these Patriarchates. The Orthodox liturgical system was a synthesis of Constantinopolitan and Palestinian rites, which took shape in the monasteries of the Orthodox world during the 9th-14th centuries.

Orthodox worship includes the Divine Liturgy, the sacraments (Eucharist, or communion; baptism; chrismation; unction, or unction; repentance; the sacrament of marriage; the sacrament of priesthood - ordination to the priesthood), daily worship (matins, vespers, midnight office, hours, vigil) and services of the liturgical year, with a calendar of fixed and movable feasts, as well as a number of less significant celebrations, such as the blessing of waters, fruits, etc. All the wealth of the liturgical rite is collected in the canonical liturgical books.

Divine services of the daily circle.

According to traditions dating back to the Old Testament, the service to God should be performed continuously throughout the day (the liturgical day begins at 6 pm). The following of this tradition in Orthodoxy is indicated by the names of the services of the daily circle. There are nine of them in total, and they are combined into three main services: evening (service of the ninth hour, vespers and compline), morning (midnight office, matins and first hour) and daytime (third hour, sixth hour and liturgy).

Evening worship.

Vespers is a service celebrated in gratitude for the past day and for the blessing of the coming night. Compline follows. With this divine service, the church admonishes those who go to sleep and prays to God for their preservation during sleep.

Morning worship.

The Midnight Office is served at midnight (currently before Matins). Its main content is the thought of the second coming of Christ; By the whole structure of this divine service, the church inspires believers with the idea of ​​the need to always be ready to meet God. Matins prayers are called to thank the Creator for the past night and to sanctify the beginning of the coming day.

Daily worship.

Hours (service of the first, third, sixth and ninth hours) are called short services, consisting of several selected psalms and edifying prayers. Cm. WATCH .

Vespers.

On the eve of Sundays and holidays, a vigil is served. It includes Vespers, Matins and the first hour service. The all-night vigil (or all-night vigil) was established in the 4th century. Archbishop of Constantinople John Chrysostom. In the 8th and 9th centuries it was significantly supplemented by John of Damascus and Theodore the Studite and adopted the solemn structure that distinguishes this type of worship to this day. In contrast to the daily Vespers and Matins, the service of the All-Night Vigil is served by the so-called. evening entry. The priest and the deacon with the censer come out of the altar to the pulpit (an elevation located opposite the royal doors in front of the salt of the temple) and after the prayers addressed to the Mother of God and the singing of the hymn to Jesus Christ Light quiet return to the altar through the royal gates. On the eve of the great holidays, paroemias are read at the all-night service - selected passages from books Old Testament- and a litia is performed (general intensified prayer), during which the priest blesses the wine, bread and oil. The inclusion of this rite is due to the fact that in ancient times in the East the all-night service lasted all night and at the end of its first part, wheat, wine and oil were distributed to the believers to strengthen their strength. The most solemn part of the all-night service is called polyeleos (Greek “many oil”, or “much consecration”). At this time, all the lamps are lit in the temple. The priest and the deacon with a censer and a candle bypass the temple and take out the Gospel from the altar. After reading a chapter from it, the Gospel is placed on a lectern in the center of the temple for worship. After the polyeleos, the canon is read - a prayer book composed of nine songs according to special rules. The All-Night Vigil ends with a solemn song in honor of the Mother of God Chosen governor is victorious.

Liturgy.

Despite the underlined solemnity all-night service, it is, in essence, just a common prayer, accompanied by singing and reading sacred texts. In contrast, the liturgy, or mass, is the culmination of everything that happens in the church, the focus of the entire liturgical system, since its central point is the sacrament of the Eucharist, or thanksgiving. The prototype of the liturgy was the Last Supper described in the Gospel, during which Jesus, raising a cup of wine with the words “This cup is the New Testament in My Blood”, gave the disciples-apostles a drink from it, and then, breaking the paschal unleavened bread and calling it His Body gave the apostles a taste of it. The memory of this event became the core of the liturgical service. However, in the liturgy, the remembrance of the Last Supper is transformed into a mystical meal of the unity of all those who are faithful to Christ. This is not an ordinary recollection of past events, but a daily confirmation of the true sojourn of the God-man in his church. It is a divine service that, through the remembrance of the deeds and sufferings of Christ and through the sensual eating of sacrificial food, unites the faithful with the Savior himself and elevates their minds to the knowledge of the innermost mysteries of the transcendent world.

Proskomedia.

The first part of the liturgy is called the proskomidia and is a rite of preparation for the actual Liturgy. Proskomidia is performed invisibly for the worshipers on the left side of the altar space on a special table, an altar, on which the priest prepares the substance for the sacrament of the Eucharist - sacrificial bread and wine. As sacrificial bread in the Orthodox Church, not unleavened bread (unleavened bread), as in the Western Church, is used, but leavened, baked from yeast dough prosphora, which are small round loaves with the image of a cross and the inscription IS XC NIKA. From the largest prosphora, the priest “takes out” (i.e. cuts out) a part called the Lamb, and puts it on a diskos (plate), and pours the right amount of wine mixed with water into the chalice (chalice). A part in honor of the Mother of God is taken out of the second prosphora and placed next to the Lamb to his right. From the third prosphora, nine particles are taken out in honor of John the Baptist, the prophets, apostles, Joachim and Anna, the parents of Mary, in honor of the saint commemorated on this day, and all the ranks of holiness. From the fourth prosphora, particles are taken out for the health of the living, and from the fifth - for the repose of the dead. They are placed to the left of the Lamb. In the rituals of the proskomedia, the events of the life of Christ before his entry into the path of public service are recalled.

Liturgy of the catechumens

- the second part of the liturgy. In the ancient church, it was allowed to be present at it for those who were penitent and not baptized, but preparing to be baptized (catechumens, undergoing catechesis, i.e. catechesis). During the celebration of the Liturgy of the catechumens, the life of Christ is remembered from his incarnation to the suffering, and in the so-called choirs performed by the choir. pictorial psalms "depict" the fruits of the coming of the Son of God to earth. On great holidays, instead of pictorial psalms, the left and right choirs alternately sing solemn hymns - antiphons. An important component of the Liturgy of the catechumens is the reading of the Gospel, which is preceded by the ritual of the small entrance: the deacon takes the Gospel out of the altar, followed by the priest. Before the Gospel, which marks Jesus Christ and his teachings, a lit candle is carried. On Sundays and holidays, the Gospel is read on the pulpit, on weekdays - on the altar. The second part of the liturgy ends with the litany (prayer petition) for the catechumens, after which the catechumens left the temple in the ancient church.

Liturgy of the Faithful

- the final part of the liturgy. Its rituals symbolically depict the Last Supper, the suffering of Jesus Christ, His resurrection, ascension and second coming to earth. The prepared sacrificial bread and wine (Gifts) are transferred by the priest and deacon from the altar to the throne. This ritual is called the great entrance. The procession moves from the left pastophorium ( cm. ORTHODOX TEMPLE), where the altar is located, to the royal gates. In front are the deacons with candles and a censer, followed by the clergy, carrying a chalice and paten with the Gifts, as well as air, a cloth that covered the cooked bread and wine. Gifts are solemnly brought to the altar. The visually great entrance is the most dramatic rite of the liturgy, accompanied by singing Cherubic song. It was seen as a symbolic depiction of the death and burial of Christ. After the Great Entrance, preparations begin for the consecration of the Gifts. The special attention of the faithful to this part of the Liturgy is excited by the singing of the Creed. The priest, remembering the Last Supper, pronounces the words of Christ himself: “Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins” and further: “This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins." Then he takes the diskos and the chalice in the form of a cross and, with the words of a prayer, offers them as a gift to God, pronouncing the prayer of the epiclesis - invoking the Holy Spirit on the offered Gifts. At this time, by the power and action of the Holy Spirit, the Gifts are transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Christ. The believers are announced about this solemn and mysterious action by the blows of the bell. After the consecration of the Gifts, they are offered to God with prayer as a thanksgiving sacrifice (for the saints), as a propitiatory sacrifice (for the dead, but not yet blessed), and as a cleansing sacrifice for living Christians, i.e. for the whole church. Just as Jesus himself ended the Last Supper with a prayer to the Father for all who believe in him, so the Church, after the consecration of the Gifts, prays for all its members, living and dead. This prayer has special meaning: the priest prays that communion of the Body and Blood of the Savior will become a guarantee of the salvation of the faithful, so that through communion they will be united with God himself. Then the communion itself begins. First, priests partake of the Holy Gifts in the altar, after which the royal doors open and the deacon calls the faithful to communion. The priest comes out of the altar onto the salt of the temple and takes out the cup with the Blood and Body of the Savior. The communicants, with their hands folded crosswise on their chests, approach the chalice in turn, receiving a particle of the Body and Blood. After communion, the last blessing of those present follows. The priest pronounces the dismissal, or prayer of forgiveness, and the choir sings many years to all Christians. This concludes the liturgy. see also LITURGY; MASS. Orthodox worship performed in the temple is distinguished by the special beauty and solemnity of its rituals and still amazes everyone who attends it for the first time. Church rituals and choral singing, combined with the architecture of the temple and the richness of its interior decoration, including icons, frescoes, lamps, liturgical vessels, fabrics and clothes of priests, gave rise to a kind of symbolic image of the liturgical action, the power of which is evidenced by the legend of the visit of Constantinople by the ambassadors of the Russian prince Vladimir. Describing their impressions of the service in Hagia Sophia, they expressed them in the following words: “We did not know whether we were in heaven or on earth, for there is no such sight and beauty on earth.”

Orthodox theology and tradition have many terms that are still pronounced in the ancient Slavic language. One of these is the All-Night. It is important for every believer to know his religion, and not just blindly obey the priest. Faith that does not have a solid foundation is not true. The apostle James wrote, “Even the demons believe,” but their faith is of no use.

Each person has the opportunity to contact the clergyman in order to get an answer to his questions. God created the Church so that people would come and receive knowledge and instruction in the truth.

What it is

All-night vigil or Vigil is a joyful holiday for all Orthodox Christians. This communion of believers usually lasts from dusk to dawn. Therefore, it is called a vigil, since the parishioners and ministers of the church will be awake all night. How long the service will last also depends on the seasons. For example, in winter from 18:00 to 6:00, and in summer from 21:00 to 5:00.

The Slavic church tradition believes that in relation to this case it will be more spiritual to use phrases like: I'm going to Vespers; I'm returning from vespers etc. Sometimes people, in daily speech, may use the term "vespers" in the sense of the Paschal service, which takes place at night and consists of Midnight Office, Matins, Paschal Hours and Liturgy. The Roman Catholic Church similarly celebrates the Vigil (from the Latin vigilia).

The All-Night Vigil is usually held on the eve of the following events:

1. Sunday days.
2. Twelfth holidays.
3. Holidays marked with a special sign in the Typicon.
4. Days of temple holidays.
5. Any other holiday in accordance with the rector of the temple or with local tradition.

In the interval from Vespers to Matins, after the Litany, an intensified prayer is held. Christians are called with one heart to get rid of all unnecessary thoughts and fully devote themselves to crying out to the Almighty.

History and meaning

The interpretation of the all-night vigil is very simple - it is a night prayer performed by Christians on their knees. Many great saints believed, and still believe, that prayer is the highest of the virtues. Deeds can help a person, but when we pray, God Himself comes down and helps. About some prayer books in history it was said that the enemies were afraid of their prayers more than ten thousand strong army.

Reading the Scriptures, it is easy to notice stories about such practices already in the Old Testament church. For example, Joseph, the son of Israel, used to go out at night to pray and reason. And also King David often kept himself awake in order to be alone and pray. The most important confirmation is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and His apostles.

But historically, All-night vigil was defined and officially recognized Church in the time of John Chrysostom. Over time, the order of this divine service was improved and enriched by other saints, such as John of Damascus and Theodore the Studite. The vigil is often associated with the calling of Christians to always be sober, pray without ceasing, and remember that the Lord is coming.

Especially in times of persecution, Christians gathered for universal prayer precisely at night. They were often accused of corrupting children, of atheism, cannibalism, and other terrible things. Since they had to hide from the authorities, they chose more secret places, in catacombs and cemeteries.

In II-III centuries. ekah the movement of hermits and monks was very widespread. In addition to asceticism, they often spent the whole night in prayer, singing and praise. For the Fathers of the Church, vigil had eschatological overtones. Vigil was considered a way of spiritual life. The Christian must always remember the cross of Christ, the Holy Gospel, the forgiveness of sins, and the reward in heaven for faithfulness. The Greek term "agripnia" is found in the writings of Basil the Great. He wrote that such meetings were held in many places in the East and took place on the eve of Sundays.

How is it happening

Prayer nights are deep spiritual meaning. The Church proclaims that the beautiful light of the sunset depicts the spiritual image of the light of Christ. And also the eyes of the praying people are directed to the future light. God's Kingdom. The Lord promised that He would come for those who are waiting for him. And His coming will be in the presence of holy angels who will bring joy to those who believe, and disappointment and judgment to those who reject God's Son.

You can compare the all-night vigil with the principle that is present in our culture for the New Year. People part with the bad and welcome the good. In the same way Christians, at vigil, celebrate the new beginning; The darkness is gone and the light is triumphant. It is impossible to leave such a ministry unaltered. Therefore, the vigil serves as a preparation for the Divine Liturgy and for the Eucharist.

How long does this worship last?

The canon at the all-night vigil has its own characteristics and must meet certain criteria. Such a service has a rather long sequence, consisting of more than 20 actions.

At the moment, based on the fact that there are old and weak among believers, the tradition can be more indulgent towards people. Thus, it is possible to stay in the service for several hours, and then return home.

Confession during the All-Night Vigil

One of the most important components of the prayers of parishioners is the confession of their sins before God. In addition to confession before a priest, every Christian must come to God with prayers and confession. Confession has great power in itself. The Apostle John encourages us to live in the light and not remain in darkness. Sin by its very nature loves darkness. But we can only defeat it if we bring it into the light. Light sanctifies people and shows them what they are. God wants for Christians to confess. The Church explains that vigil can help a person get rid of bad and sinful habits.

Worship Structure

Such an ancient rite has historical significance and is a symbol of the Old and New Testaments. The structure that applies to such services is as follows:

Thus, the entire gospel is explained. People have the opportunity to understand Who God is, how holy and omnipotent He is; we disobeyed him and sinned; but He, in His great mercy, sent us a Savior. As a result, a person can believe in the most important teachings of Christianity and join the Church.

The gospel can satisfy the need of our hearts completely and exclusively. Do not think that if we belong to the Christian denomination and the church, then we no longer need anything. God is the need of the Christian heart. He made us for Himself and our souls will have no rest until they find it in Him. Beyond salvation which is gained through faith in Jesus Christ, the Christian needs constant sanctification. Therefore, you should continue to pray and cleanse your souls every day until the Lord comes.

It is everywhere and you can offer prayers to Him anywhere. Temples, cathedrals, churches - this is heaven on earth, where the Lord dwells in a special way, grants His grace-filled help in various matters, comforts the mourners, accepts gratitude from a person. Divine services are performed strictly according to the charter. To find out what time the service begins in the church, you need to call or go to the temple of interest.

As a rule, common prayers are performed in the morning, in the evening, sometimes in the afternoon. On fasts, holidays or ordinary days, the schedule of services changes. In monasteries they live according to a special regime, they work for God more often and longer. During special periods, such as Easter and Christmas, the liturgy takes place at night. All worship services are divided into:

• daily allowance;
• weekly;
• annual.

All services are held in full in the monasteries. In urban cathedrals and large temples of worship are held daily. Small urban and rural parishes schedule services based on the existing requirements of the laity and the capabilities of the clergy.

The liturgical church year starts on September 1, according to the old style, and all services of the year line up depending on the main holiday of Easter. Daily worship begins in the evening, based on biblical creation Universe: first there was evening, and then morning. Vespers is celebrated in honor of a feast or saint commemorated the next day according to the calendar. Every day the church creates a memory of some event from the earthly life of the Lord, the Queen of Heaven or the Saints.

Each day of the liturgical week is dedicated to an important event:

• Sunday - a special day, small Easter, remembrance of the resurrection of Christ;
• Monday pray to the Angels;
• Tuesday - the holy prophet John the Baptist;
• Wednesday - the betrayal of the Lord by Judas and the memory of the Cross, the day of fasting are remembered;
• Thursday - the day of the Apostle and St. Nicholas;
• Friday - service in honor of the sufferings of the Lord and the Life-giving Cross, the day of fasting;
• Saturday - the Mother of God, the memory of the saints and all the deceased Orthodox Christians are revered.

Modern evening worship consists of:

• vespers;
• matins;
• 1st hour.

The evening service is dedicated to the memory of events from the Old Testament: the creation of the world by God, the fall of the first people, the law of Moses, the activities of the prophets. Orthodox Christians thank God for the sorrows and joys of the day and ask for blessings for the coming night and morning.

Many are interested in the question: what time does the evening service in the church begin? Different parish churches develop their own tradition of holding common prayers, but on average, the beginning of vespers usually falls on the time interval from 15:00 to 18:00 local time. If there is a desire to participate in worship, it will not be superfluous to inquire in advance about the more accurate time in a particular church.

How long is the service in the church and what determines its duration

Divine service aims to tear a person away from earthly vanity, to touch eternity. It instructs in faith and prayer, disposes to repentance and thanksgiving. Believers communicate with the Lord through common prayer, the sacraments. In church services there is not a single action or word said for beauty or inappropriately, everything has a deep meaning and symbolism. How long the service in the church goes on will depend on parameters such as:

• parish church or monastery;
• type of service (holiday, regular Lenten, all-night service, liturgy, etc.);
• choir singing;
• the speed of the service by the clergy;
• the number of confessors and communicants;
• duration of the sermon.

In parish churches, divine services are greatly reduced due to the numerous earthly concerns of the believing laity, in monasteries they are held in full. During Lent, especially during Great Lent, the services are long, with the reading of the psalter and prayers of repentance. Church holidays are held with special grandeur and triumph, with numerous clergy and people. The greater the number of confessors and communicants, the longer the conciliar prayer. The style of conducting the service also matters: in some churches, the choir sings longer and prayers are pronounced slowly, clearly, but somewhere, on the contrary, the pace is faster. After the liturgy, the priest, for the edification of the faithful, delivers a sermon on the important events of the day or on the theme of a passage from the Gospel being read. One priest speaks for a long time, instructively, with examples from life, the other briefly, to the point.

Considering all these points, the church service can go from 1.5 to 8 hours. On average, in parish churches, on ordinary days, prayer lasts 1.5–3 hours, and on Mount Athos and in other monasteries it reaches 6–8 hours. Before major feasts and Sundays, an all-night vigil is always performed, combining Vespers, Matins, and the 1st hour. In ordinary parish churches, it lasts about 2-4 hours, in monasteries - 3-6.

What time does the morning service start at the church?

In modern church practice, the morning service consists of:

• 3rd hour (commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles);
• 6th hour (in memory of the crucifixion of the Lord);
• Divine Liturgy (proskomedia, liturgy of the catechumens and the faithful).

The Liturgy or Eucharist (Thanksgiving) is the central service in the church, at which the main Sacrament takes place - the Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. This sacrament was approved by the Lord Himself at the Last Supper, on the eve of suffering on the Cross, and He commanded that this be done in His remembrance.

In the 4th century, Saint Basil the Great compiled and wrote down the rite of the Liturgy, and later Saint John Chrysostom offered an abbreviated version of the service. In the modern church, these two rites are still used. The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served 10 times a year: on Sundays of Great Lent, except Palm Sunday, on Great Thursday and Saturday of Passion Week, January 14 (on the day of memory of St. Basil) and on the feasts of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord.

During Great Lent, on Wednesdays and Fridays, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served. The rest of the year, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated.

Remembered at the Liturgy earthly life and the teachings of the Savior from birth to ascension. In ancient times, such a service was called the breaking of bread. In Holy Scripture it is called the Lord's Supper or Supper (1 Cor. 10:21; 11:20).

The answer to the question "What time does the morning service begin in the church?" will depend on the tradition that has developed in a particular parish, the number of communicants and thrones in the church, but we can say for sure that the liturgy is always served before noon. In large churches with a large parish, there may be three services, starting at 6 o'clock in the morning. Small churches with one throne cannot celebrate more than one liturgy per day. On average, the beginning of the morning service ranges from 06:00 to 10:00. The specific time can always be found in the temple itself.

You can pray to God everywhere, but the temple is a special place of God's presence. Any person, even far from the church, entering the house of the Lord, will feel the special grace that dwells there. As in any public place, there are important rules of conduct in the temple.

Approaching the house of God, you need to cross yourself three times with a short prayer: “Lord, have mercy” or learn a special one that is read at the entrance to the church. It is better for women to wear a skirt or dress below the knees and scarves, shoulders should be covered. Men are supposed to enter the temple without a headdress in decent clothes. It is not allowed to talk, let alone laugh, especially during the service.

It's best to arrive early to:

• buy and put candles;
• write notes for the repose and health;
• order a prayer service, magpie, memorial service (optional);
• venerate icons, relics, crucifixion.

Be sure to put a candle for the holiday on the central lectern with the icon of the day or saint, opposite the iconostasis. For the repose, they put it in a separate place (eve), usually near the crucifix. The rest of the candlesticks are all for health, as a rule, near the icon of the Most Pure Theotokos, saints or church holidays. There is no strict rule as to where and how much candles should be placed or donations should be placed: it all depends on the desire and capabilities of the person.

When the service begins, you need to stand in a free place, listen carefully to the reading and chants, try to delve into and pray with everyone. From the first time, everything will be incomprehensible, but if you wish, you can read special educational literature and gradually study the liturgical dispensation in the Orthodox Church. A good rule would be to follow the actions of the clergy and laity, to be baptized and bow down together with everyone. Only seriously ill people are allowed to sit during the service. The gospel is listened to with a bowed head, with special reverence. At the Divine Liturgy, the prayers "Symbol of Faith" and "Our Father" are read aloud by all those present, they must be memorized.

It is impossible within the framework of one article to consecrate the topic "How the service goes", because many different services take place during the year, and all of them differ from each other in chants and prayers. And there are also special services in the form of prayers, memorial services, which go according to a special rank. Lenten services are very penetrating, lengthy, with many kneeling prayers: at this time they read a lot and sing little. Festive services are held under the bright illumination of the temple, the Lord, the Mother of God, the Saints are majestically and magnificently glorified, and a person receives consolation, joy, is sanctified by grace.

All-night vigil. Meaningful explanation.

A person who comes to an evening service often does not understand what is happening, he hears incomprehensible prayers for him, sees incomprehensible actions on the part of the priest. This memo will serve as a good help in understanding the entire Evening service.

The All-Night Vigil consists of two parts: Great Vespers and Matins.

Part I THE GREAT VESSPER

Altar means heaven. At the beginning of the Great Vespers, the Royal Doors open, the open Royal Doors symbolize Paradise.

In the Bible we read that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, but the earth was unorganized and the Life-giving Spirit of God hovered over it in silence, as if pouring living forces into it.

The beginning of the All-Night Vigil - Great Vespers just meansTHE CREATION OF THE WORLD, the beginning of Vespers - takes us to this beginning of creation: the service begins with the silent cruciform incense of the Throne. This action is an image of the breath of the Holy Spirit in the bowels of the Holy Trinity.

Initial exclamation.

After incense, the priest stands in front of the throne and, making a cross in the air in front of the throne with a censer, proclaims: “Glory to the saints, and the Consubstantial, and Life-giving, and Indivisible Trinity always, now and ever, and forever and ever."

The meaning of these words and actions is that the priest, by his exclamation, confesses the beginning and the Creator of everything - the consubstantial and life-giving Trinity. Making at this time a censer sign of the cross, the priest shows that through the Cross of Jesus Christ, Christians were able to partially see the mystery of the Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

After the exclamation “Glory to the Saints…”, the clergymen glorify the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ, singing in the altar: “Come, let us bow down to our Tsar God… Christ Himself, Tsar and our God.”

Preliminary psalm.

The choir then sings the 103rd, "Initial Psalm", beginning with the words: "Bless the Lord, my soul" and ending with the words: "Thou hast made all wisdom!" This psalm is a hymn about the universe created by God - visible and invisible world. The main feeling that permeates this psalm is the admiration of a person contemplating the beauty and harmony of the world created by God.

During the singing of this psalm, the entire temple is incense with the royal doors open. This action was introduced by the Church in order to remind believers about hovering over God's creation.Holy Spirit. Burning incense at this moment symbolizes the Holy Spirit, which filled the whole world, the whole universe with Himself during the Creation of the World. Incense, or rather censer smoke, also symbolizes our prayers addressed to God.The open royal doors at this moment symbolize paradise, that is, the state of direct communication between people and God, in which the first people lived.

Immediately after the temple priest incense, the royal doors are closed, just as Adam's original sin closed the doors of paradise and alienated him from God. Now fallen humanity, in front of the closed gates of paradise, is praying for a return to the path of God. At this time, Depicting the penitent Adam, (the deacon in front of the royal doors) or the priest, if there is no deacon, proclaims the Litany (Prayer) Let us pray to the Lord in peace. "World" does not mean the whole world, butAT Peace with everyone!

Great Litany

Litany is a collection of short prayer requests-appeals to the Lord about the earthly and spiritual needs of believers. The litany is a particularly fervent prayer that is read on behalf of all believers. The choir, also on behalf of all those present at the service, answers these petitions with the words “Lord, have mercy.

In the peaceful litany, the Church prays for world peace, for the unification of all Christians, for the native country, for the temple in which this service takes place, in the litany, travelers, the sick, captives are also remembered and a request is heard for deliverance from "sorrow, anger and need .

Blessed husband.

Blessed is the husband As if God's answer to the Great Litany sounds like a biblical psalm again. This psalm - "Blessed is the husband" - the first one found in the book of psalms, the Psalms, is, as it were, an indication and warning of believers from erroneous, sinful ways of life.

Psalm "Lord, cry" and incense.

After the singing of “Blessed is the husband” and the small litany, verses from the 140th and 141st psalms are heard, beginning with the words “Lord, I cry to Thee, hear me.” These psalms tell about the longing of a man who has fallen into sin for God, about his desire to make his service to God true. During the singing of these verses, the entire temple is incensed.

What is the meaning of this censing?

The Church gives the answer in the already mentioned words of the psalm: “May my prayer be corrected, as a censer before Thee…”

The rising smoke of incense symbolizes the prayers of the faithful ascending to heaven. When a deacon or priest who performs censing censes in the direction of the worshiper, he in response bows his head as a sign that he accepts censing in his direction as a reminder that the prayer of the believer should also easily ascend to heaven, like incense smoke. Censing in the direction of those who pray also reveals the deep truth that the Church sees in every person the image and likeness of God, the living icon of God.

Stikhira are church songs composed in honor of a holiday or a saint. Therefore, special songs are sung revealing the essence of the holiday, the memory of which is celebrated on this day.

small entrance

At the last stichera, the royal doors open as a sign that paradise, in the sense of man's communion with God, closed by the sin of Adam, is reopened by the coming of Jesus Christ to earth. At this time, a "small" entry is made. Through the side door of the iconostasis, the priest comes out following the deacon or sexton with candles, just as the Son of God appeared to people in the forerunner of John the Baptist. This entrance denotes the quiet and humble appearance of Christ, not in His Glory, but imperceptibly to the outside world.

Therefore, the singing of the prayer "Quiet Light" immediately begins.

"Light of the Quiet" is known under the name of "evening song", as it is sung at all evening services.

This chant denotes the quiet, imperceptible, evening appearance of Christ into this world.

According to legend, the Prayer "Quiet Light" was said by the martyr Athenogenes in the 3rd century during his procession to the fire. Subsequently, this prayer became part of the evening service.

Following the singing of the “Quiet Light”, the serving clergy from the altar proclaim a series of small words: “let us listen”, “peace to all”, “wisdom”.

"Wonmem" is a form of the verb "heed". In Russian, we would say “we will be attentive”, “we will listen”.

"Peace to All" - Blessing of Christ to those who pray through the priest.

Special Litany

With the advent of Christ into the world, represented in the actions of the small evening entrance, the intimacy between God and man intensified, and their prayerful communion also intensified. That is why the Church immediately invites the believers to deepen their prayerful communion with God through "a special litany."

A special litany is an intensified litany, to which the choir sings Lord have mercy three times for each petition.

Prayer "Voyage, Lord"

After a special litany, a prayer is read or sung, “Vouchee, Lord, this evening.”

This prayer is for the sending down of a sinless evening, a petition for the granting of mercy, admonition, and also, the evening doxology of the Most Holy Trinity.

Pleading Litany

Following the reading of the prayer "Vouchee, O Lord," the final litany of vespers is confessed - "petitionary". In the petitionary litany, there is a prayer for success in spiritual life, i.e. about how to end this day without sin, about the Guardian Angel, about the forgiveness of sins, about a calm Christian death and about being able to give Christ a correct account of your life at the Last Judgment.

For each petition, the choir answers "God grant"

worship of heads

After the Petitionary Litany, the Church calls on those praying to bow their heads before the Lord. At this moment, the priest turns to God with a special "secret" prayer, which he reads to himself. It contains the idea that those who bow their heads expect help not from people, but from God, and ask Him to protect those who pray from any enemy, both external and internal, i.e. from evil thoughts and from dark temptations. “Bowing of the head” is an external symbol of the departure of believers under the protection of God.

lithium

Following this, on major holidays and on the days of commemoration of especially revered saints, a “lithia” is performed. "Lithia" means intensified prayer. It begins with the singing of special stichera, glorifying the feast or saint of the given day. At the beginning of the singing of the stichera “on the lithium”, the clergy depart from the altar. A candle is carried ahead.

At this time, a table is placed in the middle of the temple with a vessel with five loaves of bread, wheat, wine and oil, which are then consecrated in memory of the ancient custom of distributing food to those praying, who sometimes came from afar, so that they could refresh themselves during long Divine Services, which continued "all-night", that is, all night. In modern liturgical practice, blessed loaves, cut into small pieces, are distributed during the anointing of the worshipers. The rite of blessing the loaves dates back to the liturgical practice of the first Christians and is a remnant of the early Christian "Vespers of Love" - ​​"Agapa", when Christians gathered, ate and prayed, performing the service.

Five loaves are blessed in memory of the Savior feeding 5,000 listeners of His sermon with five loaves. The priest then anoints the worshipers with consecrated oil after applying to the festive icon at Matins.

Prayer "Now let go"

Translation into Russian. “Now you release (me) your servant, Lord, according to your word, in peace; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.”

This is a doxology delivered by St. Simeon the God-Receiver, when he received the Divine Infant Christ in his arms in the Jerusalem Temple on the fortieth day after His Nativity. In this prayer, the Old Testament elder thanks God for allowing him before his death to see the Salvation (of Christ), which was given by God for the glory of Israel and for the enlightenment of the Gentiles and the whole world.

The first part of the Vespers is coming to an end. Vespers begins with a remembrance of the creation of the world, the first page of the Old Testament history, and ends with the prayer “Now let go,” symbolizing the end of the Old Testament history.

Next At Sunday Vespers, the Troparion of the Mother of God is sung three times"Virgin Mother of God, rejoice." This troparion is sung at the end of Sunday Vespers because the joy of the Resurrection of Christ was proclaimed after the joy of the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God. The words of this troparion consist mainly of an angelic greeting to the Mother of God.

The priest ends the first part of the Vespers - Vespers - from the pulpit, teaching the worshipers an ancient blessing on behalf of the incarnate Jesus Christ with the words "The blessing of the Lord is upon you, by His grace and love of mankind always, now and ever and forever and ever."

Part II. MATINS

Six Psalms

Matins, celebrated in the context of the Vespers, immediately begins with the reading of the Six Psalms, that is, six selected psalms, namely 3, 37, 62, 87, 102 and 142, read in this order. The reading of the Six Psalms is preceded by two biblical texts: the Bethlehem angelic doxology - “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards men”, which is read three times.

According to the charter, during the reading of the Six Psalms, the candles in the temple are extinguished. The ensuing darkness, which marks that deep night in which Christ came to earth, glorified by angelic singing: "Glory to God in the highest." The twilight of the temple contributes to greater prayerful concentration.

At this time, the worshipers stand exactly on the line, making the sign of the cross only to the words “Glory to the Father and the Son ..”, in the middle of the Six Psalms and at the end, as a sign of the concentration and depth of the content of the prayers.

The Six Psalms contains a whole range of experiences that illuminate the New Testament Christian life - not only its general joyful mood, which is contained in the first three psalms, but also the sorrowful path to this joy, contained in the last three psalms.

In the middle of the Six Psalm, at the beginning of the reading of the 4th, the most mournful psalm filled with mortal bitterness, the priest leaves the altar and continues to read 12 special prayers to himself in front of the royal doors. At this moment, the priest, as it were, symbolizes Christ, Who heard the sorrow of fallen mankind and not only descended, but also shared its suffering to the end, which is spoken of in Psalm 87 being read at that time.

The “morning” prayers, which the priest reads to himself, contain a prayer for the Christians standing in the temple, a request to forgive them their sins, give sincere faith in unfeigned love, bless all their deeds and honor the Kingdom of Heaven.

Great Litany

After the completion of the Six Psalms and morning prayers, is pronounced again, as at the beginning of the Vespers, at Vespers, the Great Litany. Its meaning in this place at the beginning of Matins is that the Intercessor who appeared on earth, Christ, whose birth is glorified at the beginning of the Six Psalms, will fulfill all petitions for spiritual and bodily blessings, which are spoken of in this litany.

Sunday Troparion

After Mirnaya, or as it is also called the “Great” litany, there is singing from the 117th psalm - “God is the Lord, and appear to us, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The church charter appointed the singing of these words in this very place of Matins in order to direct our thoughts to the remembrance of Christ's entry into public service. This verse, as it were, continues the glorification of the Savior, begun at the beginning of Matins during the reading of the Six Psalms. Singing the verses "God the Lord has appeared to us .." informs us of a joyful, solemn mood. Therefore, candles are lit again, which were extinguished during the reading of the repentant Six Psalms.

Immediately after the verses "God is the Lord" the Sunday troparion is sung, which tells of the sufferings of Christ and His resurrection from the dead - events that will be covered later.

Kathismas

Kathismas are the expression of a repentant, contemplative spirit. They call for reflection on sins and are accepted by the Orthodox Church as part of her divine services so that the listeners delve into their own own life, in their actions and aggravated their repentance before God.

On Saturday evening, the 2nd and 3rd kathismas are usually read, they are prophetic in nature. They describe the suffering of Christ: His mockery, the perforation of His hands and feet, the stripping of His clothes with casting lots, His death and resurrection from the dead.

The kathismata at the Sunday Vespers lead the worshipers to the central and most solemn part of the service - to the "polyeleos".

Polyeleos

“Praise the name of the Lord. Hallelujah". With these and subsequent words, extracted from the 134th and 135th psalms, the most solemn moment of the Sunday vigil - "polieles" - dedicated to the remembrance of the Resurrection of Christ, begins.

The word "polyeleos" comes from two Greek words, which are translated as “many-merciful singing”: the polyeleos consists in singing “Praise the name of the Lord” with the refrain returning at the end of each verse of the psalms “for his mercy is forever”, where the Lord is glorified for many mercies to the human race and, above all, for his salvation and redemption.

At the polyeleos, the royal doors open, the entire temple is illuminated, and the clergy emerge from the altar, burning the entire temple incense. In these sacred rites, the worshipers really see, for example, in the opening of the royal doors, how Christ rose from the tomb and reappeared among His disciples - an event depicted in the procession of the clergy from the altar to the middle of the temple. At this time, the singing of the psalm “Praise the name of the Lord” continues, with the chorus of the angelic exclamation “Hallelujah” (Praise the Lord), as if on behalf of the angels calling on those praying to glorify the risen Lord.

Sunday troparia “Blessed be Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy justification.”

The first to know about the resurrection of Christ, and the first to announce it to people, were angels, so the polyeleos, as if on their behalf, begins with the chant "Praise the name of the Lord." After the angels, the myrrh-bearing wives, who came to the tomb of Christ according to the ancient Jewish custom, learned about the resurrection to anoint the body of Christ with fragrant oils. Therefore, after the singing of the angelic “Praise,” Sunday troparia is sung, telling about the visit of the myrrh-bearing women to the tomb, the appearance of an angel to them with the news of the resurrection of the Savior and the command to tell His apostles about it. Before each troparion, the refrain is sung: "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy justification." And finally, the last of the followers of Jesus Christ who learned about His resurrection from the dead were the apostles.

This moment in the gospel story is celebrated in the climax of the entire Vespers - in the reading of the Sunday Gospel. What symbolizes the joyful news of the apostles about the Risen Christ.

"Forgive wisdom, let us hear the holy gospel." The word "wisdom" means with attention, the word "forgive" means directly. This word is an invitation to stand upright and reverently, with reverence and sincerity to hear the Word of God.

Gospel reading.

As we have said more than once, the culminating moment of the All-Night Vigil is the reading of the Gospel. In this reading, the voice of the apostles is heard - the preachers of the resurrection of Christ.

The reading of the Sunday Gospel comes from the altar, since this main part Orthodox church in this case depicts the Holy Sepulcher.

After reading the Sunday Gospel, the priest takes out the Holy Book for kissing; he comes out of the altar as from a tomb, and holds the gospel, showing, like an angel, the Christ whom he preached. The parishioners bow to the Gospel like disciples and kiss it like a myrrh-bearing wife, and they all sing "The Resurrection of Christ Who Seen".

Canon

The miracle of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ sanctified human nature. The Church reveals this sanctification to those who pray in the next part of the All-night Vigil after the Gospel reading - the “canon”. The canon in modern liturgical practice consists of 9 cantos. Each song of the canon consists of a certain number of separate troparia.

The canons cover in detail the meaning of the holiday and the life of the saint, as an example of the transformation of the world that is already taking place. In these canons, the Church, as it were, triumphs, contemplating the reflections of this transfiguration, Christ's victory over sin and death.

The canons are read, but the opening verses of each of his individual songs are sung in unison. These initial verses are called "irmos" (from the Greek. to bind.)

Irmoses denote a representative, that is, a prophetic-symbolic meaning for the New Testament:

Irmos of the 1st ode recalls, in the light of Christian thought, the miraculous passage of the Jews across the Red Sea; The Lord is glorified in it as the Almighty Redeemer from evil and slavery.

The irmos of the 2nd ode is built on the material of the accusatory song of Moses in the Sinai desert, which he uttered to awaken the feelings of repentance among the Jews who fled from Egypt. The 2nd ode is sung only during Great Lent.

Irmos of the 3rd ode is based on the thanksgiving song of Anna, the mother of the prophet Samuel, for giving her a son.

In the irmos of the 4th song, a Christian interpretation is given of the appearance of the Lord God to the prophet Habakkuk in the brilliance of sunlight from behind a wooded mountain. In this phenomenon the Church sees the glory of the coming Savior.

In the 5th irmos of the canon, the motif of which is taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah, Christ is glorified as a peacemaker and it also contains a prophecy about the resurrection from the dead.

6th irmos - from the story of the prophet Jonah, who was thrown into the sea and swallowed by a whale. This event, according to the Church, should remind Christians of their immersion in the sinful abyss. This irmos also expresses the idea that there is no such misfortune and horror, among which the voice of one who prays with all his heart would not be heard.

Irmoses of the 7th and 8th odes of the canon are based on the songs of three Jewish youths thrown into the fiery Babylonian furnace. This event is a prefiguration of Christian martyrdom.

Between the 8th and 9th songs of the canon in honor of the Mother of God, a song is sung, beginning with the words “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior” during this singing, the whole church and those praying are incense, which symbolizes how we are above they said, our prayers are lifted up to God.

Irmos of the 9th song always glorifies the Mother of God.

After the Canon, Stichera is sung again, revealing the essence of the holiday that is celebrated on this day.

Great Doxology

The priest, standing in the altar in front of the throne, with the royal doors open, proclaims: "Glory to Thee, who showed us the light."

In ancient times, or even now, in those monasteries where Vespers are actually celebrated “all night,” the sun rises in the second half of Matins. At this time, the Lord is glorified by a special, ancient Christian hymn - "The Great Doxology", beginning with the words "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth."

End of Matins

Matins at the All-Night Vigil ends with the "excessive" and "petitionary" litanies - the same litanies that were read at the beginning of the All-Night Vigil at Vespers. Then the last blessing of the priest and "let go" are given. The priest prayerfully addresses the Mother of God with the words "Most Holy Theotokos, save us!" The choir responds with the Mother of God doxology “The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison ...” Following this, the priest once again glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ with the exclamation “Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee.” The choir answers "Glory, and now ..." showing by this that the glory of Christ is also the glory of the Most Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thus the Vigil ends, as it began, with the doxology of the Holy Trinity.

Watch

Following the last blessing of the priest, the “First Hour” is read - the last, final part of the All-Night Vigil.

The first hour, the service of a humble, repentant aspiration to God.

Except the First Hour, in the daily liturgical circle Orthodox Church three more hours: the Third and Sixth, which are read together before the start of the Divine Liturgy, and the Ninth Hour, read before the start of Vespers. From a formal point of view, the content of the clock is determined by the selection of material relevant to a given hour of the day. However, the mystical, spiritual meaning of the clock is quite special, as they are dedicated to the remembrance of the various stages of the passion of Christ.

Whole life path For Orthodox Christians, it is a struggle with bad thoughts, a negative attitude, and bad deeds. The rite of the All-Night Vigil, with explanations of the essence of which all Orthodox should familiarize themselves, helps to get rid of spiritual and bodily sins, find peace, peace, God in the soul.

It is a symbol of the transition from the Old Testament to the New, preparing for the acceptance of grace. All-night Vigil - what is it, how long does this service last and what is its meaning?

In Orthodoxy, following the example of the Savior and the Holy Apostles, there is a custom to celebrate the All-Night Vigil in the church. What is the All-Night Vigil?

This is a combination of Vespers or Great Compline with Matins, as well as the service of the first hour. That is, one divine service unites three at once.

follow and general form This service was formed over many centuries, they finally took shape by the time of John Chrysostom.

Theologians John of Damascus, Theodore the Studite, and other songwriters supplemented this great service with the most beautiful hymns that can be heard even now.

Undoubtedly, every believer in the Lord God should not only know what it is, but also attend these services. The parishioners and ministers of some parishes celebrate the All-Night Vigil with wonderful hymns in the evening, but the remarkable practice of serving it at night has been preserved.

The interpretation of the All-Night Vigil is supplemented by an explanation of the meaning of life, the spiritual light of Christ. At the All-Night Vigil, believers reflect on the coming day, imagine the beauty of the rising sun.

The explanation of the meaning of the All-Night Vigil by the Holy Fathers is as follows: in prayers we thank God for the past day, we accept the grace of the day to come, we lift up prayers to the Lord.

What is the All-Night Vigil in Orthodoxy - this is parting with the past, leaving sins and greeting the bright present.

Believers often make confession at the All-Night Vigil and prepare for the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

The name itself speaks for itself what it is and how long it lasts. This service continues, as a rule, all night, but now it is often shortened in parish churches.

Important! Confession in our days is often held at the Liturgy, this is done out of indulgence for our infirmities. However, it is recommended to go to confession on the eve of the Eucharist at night, in order to come to the divine service prepared and cleansed in the morning.

This divine service takes us back to the time of the first Christians, in whom the evening meal, the offering of prayer to the Lord God, the commemoration of the dead, the Liturgy formed a single whole. In some monasteries, traces of this tradition have survived to this day.

When and how is it done?

The All-Night Vigil - what it is, how many services it connects and how long it lasts, we learned, but when is this Liturgy held, when can you visit the temple? So, you can come to church for such a service on the occasion of the following holidays:

• days of temple holidays;
• Sundays
• special holidays marked with a sign in the Typicon (for example, in memory of John the Theologian or St. Nicholas);
• twelfth holidays.

In addition, the rector of the temple has the right to hold a Sunday or other All-Night Vigil, explaining that such a service is appropriate in relation to local traditions. The sacred night service has a certain sequence. It consists of the following parts.

It personifies the creation of the world, Old Testament times, the fall of man, his expulsion from paradise. Vespers consists of prayers for a broken heart, salvation, hope in Jesus, God's love.

The service begins with the opening of the royal doors. The burning of the altar reflects the creation of the world, it is instantly filled with clouds of smoke. I recall the words that the Earth was empty, only the Holy Spirit hovered over the primordial substance. The words of the Creator have not yet been heard, so the ritual is performed by the priest and the deacon in silence.

Further, the clergy, standing in front of the throne, glorify the Great Trinity, call on the parishioners to bow three times to our Tsar God.

The choir sings a psalm about the creation of the world, reminding that everything began to exist only through Him.

The censing of the temple by a priest with a candle personifies the stay of the first people in paradise, when God was among them. Blissful, heavenly life, when there were no barriers, hardships, hardships of life.

As a sign of this, the deacon leaves the altar, makes a great petition before the closed gates. The burning of the temple by the deacon shows the plight of the people. Together with the craving for sin, they had needs, sufferings, illnesses.

Right now, believers with a contrite heart, with their heads bowed, are crying out to the Lord God for mercy!

Interesting! The open Royal Doors testify that paradise was then open to everyone.

Old Testament verses are combined with New Testament hymns, they are sung in honor of the holiday, the Mother of God is glorified, the dogma about the origin of the Son of God from the Mother of God is expounded.

The gates open, evening entry takes place.

The clergy come out of the altar through the northern doors, the deacon proclaims: “Forgive wisdom!”, which means a call to wakefulness, the attention of God's wisdom.

The choir continues to sing of the Lord Jesus Christ, because it is he who is our way to salvation, a quiet light that came from the Father. The sacred texts of prayers mention that sinful lips are not worthy to sing of His bright name, and only the voices of the Reverends can do this.

Evening entry tells us about the coming of the Messiah - the Son of the Lord God; here he appeared according to the prophetic traditions. The incense rushes up when burned, as if our prayers are ascending to God.

This symbolizes the presence of the Spirit of God, therefore, at the will of the Lord, the gates to paradise are opened again for us, but not everyone will be able to get there. Then a short verse from the Holy Scriptures, prophetic texts, instructions from the Holy Fathers are read.

Many Christians are wondering what is this All-Night Vigil with lithium? From Greek, this word means universal prayer.

Divine services with lithium are held on great holidays. This prayer ascends after short verses from the Gospel and a special litany, that is, a petition.

A church ceremony is performed in the porch so that all the penitents who come can take part in the service. Often after this, a blessing is performed, as well as the consecration of gifts.

Previously, food was offered to pilgrims who came from afar so that they could refresh themselves after prayer. The tradition of consecrating five loaves is a thing of the past, when, according to legend, five thousand people were fed with the same amount of bread.

End of supper and beginning of matins, polyeleos

Next, verses are sung in memory of the past event, then the prayers of the elder Semyon the God-bearer are read, who for a long time awaited the coming of the Savior. He, as you know, left this world only after his eyes saw the Child. The Supper ends with the Angelic greeting of the Theotokos.

The entire morning part of the Vigil represents the New Testament period, when Jesus Christ appeared for our salvation.

The morning service begins with the reading of six selected Davidic psalms, which indicate the sinful state of people and the expectation of the Messiah.

The beginning of the morning service embodies the Nativity of Christ. People now pray with special reverence, hoping and waiting for the mercy of the Lord.

The Sunday or holiday service continues with the recitation of the great litany, the singing of verses about the appearance of the Son of God.

Important! Troparia - prayers sung in honor of a Saint or a holiday. They follow the great petition, then read the kathismas. These are separate parts of the Psalter, read in a row, which make us think about our sinful position.

It is allowed to sit during kathisma. This is followed by a small litany and the most solemn episode of the service.

Translated from the Greek "polyeles" means an abundance of mercy, sanctification. This is the climax, in which the grace of God is glorified in prayers.

Solemn laudatory verses reflect all human gratitude for the fact that the Lord sent down his Son to Earth, thereby saving people from the devil, death.

The royal doors are now opening, and the clergy, leaving the altar, are burning incense.

Depending on the holiday, Sunday troparia or short laudatory prayers are read in honor of a church event - magnification.

After this, the service continues with the reading of the litany and the prokeimenon.

Reading the Gospel and Canon

Readable chapters Holy Scripture refer to the celebrated event; at Sunday services they read texts about the Resurrection or about the appearance of Christ to their disciples. After reading them, the Gospel is brought to the middle of the temple for the worship of believers, they come up and venerate the Shrine.

Then they are anointed by the priest, bread is distributed to them, short prayers are said.

The Canon of Matins is a rule consisting of nine odes. Linking texts are called irmos, and main texts are called troparia. The content of the canon at the All-Night Vigil includes, as already mentioned, irmos, where Old Testament times are mentioned, as well as troparia - with New Testament events presented.

The Canon at Matins is the glorification of the Mother of God, our Savior Jesus Christ. Great theologians compiled valuable texts, but they were guided by the ancient prayers of the prophets Moses, Jonah, Habakkuk, Isaiah, Zechariah, and others. The choir sings to the Mother of God, and the deacon, after the ninth irmos, comes out to burn incense.

After the canon, laudatory psalms are sung, the royal doors open, the priest praises the Lord. After the great doxology, in which people thank the Lord for the light, two litanies follow: an august one, a petitionary one. Matins ends with a dismissal.

The first hour is the last part of the All-Night Vigil, consisting of prayers, appeals to the Lord God, petitions to hear us, to correct our deeds. After the pronunciation of the dismissal of the first hour, the service ends.

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Summing up

According to the elders, in an age of vanity, constant needs, we need a longer prayer to the Lord. It is she who will help us reunite with God, find balance, tranquility, enlightenment, peace. Attending the All-Night Vigil is a gift that each of us can bring to God.