Preparation Sunday of the Great Lent

Readings

The readings of the Preparation Sunday of the Great Lent are read from the Great Fast Katameros.

Notes on the Rites

The service is prayed as usual, in the standard tune, with the following observations:

1. After the reading of the Gospel, the response of the Gospel for the Great Fast Sundays is chanted in the fasting tune
2. The fraction for Great Fast is chanted
3. Psalm 150 is chanted in the fasting tune
4. The hymn Ounishti may be said
5. A melody for the First Sunday of the Great Fast is chanted
6. The Conclusion Hymn for the Great Fast is said.

The Weekdays of the Great Lent (ie Monday to Friday)

Notes on the Rites

1. There is no Offering of Evening Incence (Vespers) on the Holy Fast weekdays
2. The hymns are chanted in the “sorrowful” tune of the weekdays of the Great Fast, without the use of cymbals; the exceptions are the first Monday and last Friday of the fast.
3. The rites of the first Monday and last Friday of the fast are similar to the rites of the Saturday and Sundays of the fast. See section below.

Midnight Praise

1. The Commemoration and doxologies are chanted in the “sorrowful” tune of the fast
2. The doxology for the Great Fast is chanted before the doxology of the Virgin Mary.
3. The appropriate Psali (Adam/Watos) for the fast is chanted (before the Psali of the day)

The Offering of Morning Incense

1. The priest prays the Thanksgiving Prayer, and the hymn “Kirie Eleyson” for the Great Fast is chanted instead of the verse of the cymbals. If this hymn is not known, please chant the regular verses of the cymbals starting with the verses for the Great Fast.
2. After the litanies of the sick and the travellers, the doxologies are said in the “sorrowful” tune, starting with the doxology for the Great Fast then the Virgin Mary and so on.
3. The response to the Gospel is chanted in the “sorrowful” tune of the fast.
4. The Concluding Hymn is chanted with the verse for the Great Fast.

The Divine Liturgy

1. The hours of the Agpeya are prayed until the Twelfth hour, inclusive.
2. The Oblations are offered and the hymn “Alleluia ei e-i” is chanted.
3. After the Thanksgiving prayer, “Sotis Amen” is chanted in the quick tune, followed by “Nefsenti”.
4. The priest says “Eklenomen ta ghonata” three times while doing prostrations and the deacons and congregation respond accordingly.
5. The deacons descend from the sanctuary while the congregation chants “Kirie Eleyson”.
6. The priest recites the Absolution of the Ministers
7. The hymn “Entho te tishori” is chanted, followed by “Tenouosht emmok”
8. The response before the Acts “Share Efnoti” is chanted, followed by “Ekesmarouout”
9. The response to the Gospel is chanted in the “sorrowful” tune of the fast.
10. The relevant verses of the Adam and Watos Aspasmos may be said.
11. The Fraction for the Great Fast is prayed.
12. The response to Psalm 150 in the “sorrowful” tune of the fast is chanted.
13. The hymn “Je efesmarouot” is chanted, followed by “Pimairomi”.
14. The Concluding Hymn is chanted with the verse for the Great Fast.

The Saturdays & Sundays of the Great Lent

Vespers Praise

1. The Ninth, Eleventh, and Twelfth hours of the Agpeya are prayed.
2. The hymn “Niethnos Tiro” is chanted in its great tune followed by the Fourth Hoos.
3. The last verse of Psalm 150 “Alleluia Pi-ouou fa Penoti pe” may be said in the great tune.
4. Psali Watos for the Great Fast is chanted
5. The Saturday Theotokia is chanted in the tune of the Great Fast and Kiahk, observing that the melody is chanted after each part, in the tune of “Je Peniot”.
6. The Eighth part “Aretenthouti” is chanted in the fasting tune.
7. The explanation (sherat) is chanted in the fasting fune.
8. The introduction to the Exposition is chanted in its tune followed by the reading of the Exposition.

The Offering of the Evening & Morning Incense

The service is conducted as usual, in the fasting tune, with the following observations:

1. The Litany of the Departed is prayed
2. No prophecies are read and no litanies are prayed
3. The verses of the cymbals for the Great Fast are chanted, before the verses of St Mary.
4. The doxologies for the Great Fast are chanted before the doxology of St Mary.
5. The response to the Gospel “Je Peniot” is chanted.
6. The Concluding Hymn is chanted with the verse for the Great Fast.

Midnight Praise

1. The Midnight hours of the Agpeya are prayed
2. The hymn “Tentheeno” is chanted in its great tune
3. The Great Hoos for the Great Fast is chanted in its tune.
4. The eight psalies for the Great Fast are said before the following eight parts of the Midnight Praise:
   • First Hoos
   • Second Hoos
   • Third Hoos
   • The Commemoration of Saints
   • The Doxologies
   • Forth Hoos
   • The Sunday Theotokia
   • Eight part of the Theotokia, “Shashf Ensop Emeeni”
   • The Exposition and the Antiphonarium are red
   • The Ending of the Adam Theotokia is chanted
   • The Praises are concluded as usual

The Divine Liturgy

1. The Third & Sixth hours of the Agpeya are prayed.
2. The Oblations are offered, and the hymn “Alleluia Fai Pe Pi” is chanted
3. After the Thanksgiving Prayer, the hymn “Sotis” is chanted in its tune.
4. “Tai Shori” is chanted.
5. The hymn of the Intercessions is chanted as usual.
6. The response to the Acts, “Aripamevi” is chanted.
7. After the Synaxarion, the hymn “Meghalou” is chanted, followed by “Apenchois”. The two verses of “Ou-estoinofi” and “Marenhous” may be chanted, but not necessarily.
8. The Trisagion is chanted
9. The response to the Gospel is chanted in the fasting tune.
10. The relevant verses of the Adam and Watos Aspasmos are chanted.
11. The Fraction for the Great Fast is prayed.
12. The response to Psalm 150 in the fasting tune is chanted.
13. The hymn “Ounishti” is chanted may be chanted.
14. The appropriate melody of the week is chanted
    • 1^st Sunday melody – from Preparation Sunday to first Sunday.
    • 2^nd Sunday melody – from second Monday to second Sunday.
    • 3^rd Sunday melody – from third Monday to third Sunday.
    • 4^th Sunday melody – from forth Monday to forth Sunday.
    • 5^th Sunday melody – from fifth Monday to fifth Sunday.
    • 6^th Sunday melody – from sixth Monday to sixth Sunday.
    • Last Friday of Lent melody – from seventh Monday to last Friday of Lent.
15. The Concluding Hymn is chanted with the verse for the Great Fast.

The First Monday & Last Friday of the Great Fast

Notes of the Rites

The rite is a combination of the rites of the weekdays and Sundays of the Great Fast.

Midnight Praise

The praises are conducted as described in the Midnight Praises of the Great Fast Sundays.

The Offering of Morning Incense

The service is conducted as described in the Morning Offering of Incense of the Holy Fast Sundays, while observing the readings of the Prophecies and the litanies after “Evnoti Nai Nan” as described in the Morning Offering of Incense of the Great Fast weekdays.

The ‘Unction of the Sick’ Prayer

1. Prayed on the last Friday of the Great Fast.
2. The ‘Unction of the Sick’ is prayed in the second section of the Church
3. All those present are anointed with the oil of the Unction.

The Divine Liturgy

1. The priests and deacons put on their service vestments.
2. The hours of the Agpeya are all prayed, starting with the third until the twelfth, inclusive.
3. The Oblations are offered, and the hymn “Alleluia Je Evmevi” is chanted.
4. After the Thanksgiving prayer, “Sotis Amen” is chanted in the quick tune, followed by “Nefsenti”.
5. The priest says “Eklenomen ta ghonata” three times while doing prostrations and the deacons and congregation respond accordingly.
6. The deacons descend from the sanctuary while the congregation chants “Kirie Eleyson”.
7. The priest recites the Absolution of the Ministers.
8. The deacons chant “Ti shori” and the hymn of the Intercessions, then the service is continued as described in the Sundays of the Great Fast observing to chant the hymn “Meghalou” after the Sinaxarion.