Two ways to serve the Vigil (14 ix 2011)

TWO WAYS TO SERVE A VIGIL

In the following, there is a consideration of how correctly to serve the usual Vigil for the Resurrection (Sundays), or Vigil for a Feast. Serving in this manner, as an important component of the Preparation for the Divine Liturgy, has for a very long time been the characteristic of Russian-Slavic practice. In fact, its roots are in the Typikon of St Sabbas of Palestine, which provides the main foundation of our worship over all. In the earliest times, the Vigil as we know it was indeed the core of an all-night vigil, and in Slavonic that factor remains until now in the title. And, today, in many parts of Europe, it is this all-night vigil that is participated in with enthusiasm by the faithful people on great feasts of local custom, often of a local saint or parish name-day. In Coptic Egyptian monasteries, a weekly all-night vigil is the normal experience. It is participated in by the community all together. It is not simply a choir singing by itself. There is a core of leaders, but all sing. On Mount Athos also, and in other monastic places, such true all-night vigils are often served, again with enthusiasm and with joy, particularly on the name-day of the Monastery. This rarely is seen in North America. Also, in North America, we live amidst an environment of mixed customs. In Constantinopolitan-custom communities, for instance, it is usual that only Vespers be served on the eve, and Matins immediately precedes the Divine Liturgy on the morning of the Sunday or Feast. Many Slavic-custom parishes have followed this example in recent decades, but they have ceased serving Matins altogether. In some places, in order to present the Gospel from Matins, this Gospel-reading has been added after the prokeimenon in Vespers. However there is little evidence as a precedent for adding it there. It is better to try to remain within what we have actually received.
The first-presented outline of the manner in which the Vigil is served is the prescribed format. It may be called a true vigil. In this format, there are often omissions, especially in a parish, but in accordance with both the blessing of the bishop, and the local custom.
The second-presented outline of the manner in which the Vigil might be served is a manner which is a reduction from the full service of Vespers and Matins. In fact, it should not be called a vigil, but rather it remains a sequence of Great Vespers immediately followed by Matins. It is to be remembered that many parishes have been for a long time serving only Great Vespers on the eves of the Resurrection and of Feasts. The purpose of this shorter form is to be considered as a sort of bridge towards being able to serve a Vigil in the usual manner. Nevertheless, this second form requires specifically the blessing of the ruling bishop before using it. Its use should be accompanied by a plan about moving towards a true vigil.
The third-presented outline, also requiring the bishop’s blessing, is an even shorter bridge, which is added into the end of Great Vespers, namely the Gospel-sequence from Matins. If it is felt too difficult to begin with the larger bridge-format, beginning with this form provides standard forms and melodies from which to grow into the second-presented outline.
Why serve a Vigil, instead of Vespers only?
First there is the obvious fact that a more substantial service allows for the development of deeper peace in the heart which comes with longer worshipping. “It is good to be here”: it is a joy to offer to the Lord our worship; it is a joy to spend as long as possible in His presence. This is emphasised when there are others participating together corporately in this worship, also. Then there is the fact that the full Vigil feeds the heart and mind with a full hymnographical description of the feast and persons involved. Then, still further, it is known that there are many places in the world in which the Orthodox deliberately prolong festal worship, especially when concerning local saints. In this connection, it is known also that there are places in the world where this worship can last from evening to morning. And yet again, there are places where people are eager to worship the Lord in this manner, passing the whole evening until the morning, concluding with the Divine Liturgy, every Saturday to Sunday.
It is a joy to worship the Lord, to experience His love, and to respond in the same manner.
On a mundane, “practical” level, in large urban centres, there is a developing attitude among parishioners that it is more worth while to drive for an hour each way to participate in a service of two hours, than to drive this same distance for a service of only forty minutes.
Many people are concerned about the length of such a service, and the ability of families to participate later in the evening. It is important that it be understood that families are not compelled to arrive punctually for services, and they may also leave before the end. What is important is to be able to be present for some of the evening preparation for the Divine Liturgy, and to be present for the most important parts. Proper education, proper preparation, proper encouragement are of the essence in helping the Faithful to recover their good habit of balanced, joyful worship, and a balanced life penetrated by the presence of the Lord.

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1. The Order of the Vigil

The order for serving the full vigil of a Feast, or the full vigil of the Resurrection on Saturday Evening is as follows:

Reading of the Ninth Hour, immediately followed by:

Great Vespers, with opening censing and sung beginning; with Psalmody (kathisma) perhaps in reduced form; with the Entrance; with or without Litya and the blessing of Loaves and Wine; and with the conclusion leading to Matins, which follows immediately.

Matins, beginning with the Six Psalms (Hexapsalmoi); the Great Litany; the responsory “God is the Lord”, and verses of Psalm 117; the Psalmody (kathisma) with prescribed tropars (which is often reduced or omitted in a parish).
This is followed by Psalm 118 or the Polyeleion (Psalms 134 & 135; and in the Triodion time Psalm 136), and the Magnification (Megalynarion) if it is a feast-day.
On Sundays follow the Hymns on Psalm 118, the Evlogitaria.
Then are sung or read the Hymns of the Stairs (“gradual”) in the tone of the week (on feast days, a reduction of Tone 4 “From my youth”) (These are read or sung while the deacon goes to the Altar for the Gospel-book).
Then is sung the proper Prokeimeon; and then the fixed Matins Prokeimenon (“Let every breath praise the Lord”).
After this is read the prescribed Gospel Reading.
This is followed by the Resurrectional Tropars, or by the Festal Tropars, in response.
After this, Psalm 50 is read; then the Intercessions.
Then follows the Canon with the Magnificat, and the Exaposteilarion or Hymn of Light.
Then follow the Praises (Psalms 148-150), the Great Doxology, and the Tropar.
Then follow the two Litanies, and the Great Dismissal.

The reading of the First Hour follows immediately after the dismissal.

2. The “Bridge-Vigil”

The order for serving the “Bridge Vigil”, that is Great Vespers immediately followed by Matins, of a Feast, or of the Resurrection on Saturday Evening is as follows:

Reading of the Ninth Hour, immediately followed by:

Great Vespers, but without “Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial...”. If there is no previous reading of the Ninth Hour, then Great Vespers begins with “Blessed is our God...”, and all the prayers of the “usual beginning”. There is no censing, and a read beginning, and a read Psalm 103; the Entrance; the Evening Prokeimenon; Deem us worthy; the Evening Litany; the Apostikha; the Trisagion prayers and Tropars of the day; the Augmented Litany; the short dismissal, and then the beginning of Matins immediately.

Matins:
Begins with “Come, let us worship...”; the Six Psalms (Hexapsalmoi); the Great Litany; the verses from Psalm 117 (“God is the Lord”); the Troparia; and the Psalmody (kathisma — nearly always omitted in parish usage) with prescribed hymnody.
Then follows Psalm 118 or the Polyeleos (Psalms 134-5; during Lent, add Psalm 136: “By the waters of Babylon”).
If prescribed, the Magnification (Megalynarion) is sung (on feast days only).
Then are sung, with censing, the Evlogitaria (on Sundays only: “Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes”) (these are Hymns on Psalm 118). There is a lenten replacement.
Then are sung or read the Anabathmoi (Hyms of the Stairs) (“gradual”) (on feast days only: “From my youth”).
Then the proper Prokeimenon.
Then the fixed Matins Prokeimenon: “Let every breath praise the Lord”.
Then is introduced and read the Gospel of the Resurrection (or of the feast).
This is followed by the Resurrection Tropars (on Sundays only: “Having beheld the resurrection of Christ”), or other Tropars prescribed in response to the Gospel.
Then the Augmented Litany, also in response to the Gospel.
Great Dismissal.

The First Hour would be expected to be read immediately following the conclusion.

3. The “Bridge-Vespers”:

Ninth Hour is read, immediately followed by:

Great Vespers, but without “Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial...”. If there is no previous reading of the Ninth Hour, then Great Vespers begins with “Blessed is our God...”, and all the prayers of the “usual beginning”. There is no censing, and a read beginning, and a read Psalm 103; the Entrance; the Evening Prokeimenon; Deem us worthy; the Evening Litany; the Apostikha; the Trisagion prayers and Tropars of the day.
The Gospel-sequence follows immediately.
This sequence is read and sung with the clergy remaining at the Holy Table.
The Hymns of the Stairs (“gradual”) are read or sung in the tone of the week (on feast days, a reduction of Tone 4 “From my youth” instead).
Then is sung the proper Prokeimeon; and then the fixed Matins Prokeimenon (“Let every breath praise the Lord”).
After this is read the prescribed Gospel Reading.
This is followed by the Resurrectional Tropars, or by the Festal Tropars, in response.
Then follows the Augmented Litany, after which the Great Dismissal is taken, as would be at the end of Great Vespers or of Matins.

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The second proposed manner of serving is a version of what may be considered to refer in a way to ancient practice, according to what Dr Paul Meyendorff writes :
“For 700-800 years, in the Cathedral of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, the Saturday evening service was very much like this, consisting of Vespers and a brief service called a Pannychis (= vigil). It contained much singing, processions, incensations; and all the people sang the responses to the psalmody. This can still be seen in the refrains at the Polyeleos and the Evlogitaria, and there is no reason why these should not be sung by the entire congregation.”

This congregational singing is, in fact, presently done in some countries, even in a full vigil, and of more portions than Dr Meyedorff suggests. On the other hand, although this proposed “parish vigil” may appear shorter, were the manner of singing of the previous days at Hagia Sophia to be returned in full, this form would not at all be brief. At that time, for instance, psalms, even prokeimenons, were sung in full, and the kontakion was a very long and elaborate piece of poetry....

Evening worship, or any worship, does not and cannot involve a concern about the length of time required for the service of the Lord — not if we sincerely concern ourselves with worshipping the Lord. It is a concern to offer to the Lord that for which we were created — true, beautiful worship, with sweet singing. It is a concern also to prepare our hearts to receive the Holy Mysteries. Concern about minimising time is to offer to the Lord the least possible: the opposite of the teaching of the Scriptures, the opposite of the offering of true love, the opposite of giving true gratitude. Worshipping in an attitude of gratitude, offering the Lord our best in worship is indeed an uplifting experience, and a fulfilment of our true selves.

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Following is an outline of Festal/Resurrectional Matins, as provided by Dr Paul Meyendorff, with some explanatory comments:

The Matins is a composite service consisting of four distinct units:

1-An opening section called a Royal Office, consisting of fixed opening prayers, Pss 19-20, troparia in honour of the emperor (“O Lord, save your people”), and a brief litany interceding for the civil authorities. This section is often omitted in parish usage.

2-A Nocturnal Office, consisting of the Six Psalms (Hexapsalmoi), the Great Litany, the verses from Ps 117 (“God is the Lord”), the Troparia, and the Psalmody (kathisma — nearly always omitted in parish usage).

3-A Cathedral Vigil, consisting of:
Ps 118 or the Polyeleos (Pss 134-5; during Lent, add Ps 136: “By the waters of Babylon”)
Megalynarion (on feast days only)
Evlogitaria (on Sundays only: “Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes”)
Anabathmoi (Hymns of the Stairs) (on feast days only: “From my youth”)
Proper Prokeimenon
Matins Prokeimenon: “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord”
Gospel of the Resurrection (or of the feast)
Resurrection Troparia (on Sundays only: “Having beheld the resurrection of Christ”).
This entire unit is not an integral part of matins, and it is omitted at daily matins. It does not pertain to any time of day and focuses exclusively on the celebration of Sunday or the feast.

4-The Morning Office proper, consisting of Ps 50, the Intercessions, the Canon with the Magnificat, the Exaposteilarion, the Praises (Pss 148-150), the Great Doxology, the Troparion, the Litanies and the Dismissal.