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Greek Orthodox Catechism
Constantine Callinicos, London, 1926
Part III. Ceremonial, 43. Evensong and Matins
Let us now come to some of the more customary Pan-ecclesiastical ceremonies. Of what elements is Evensong composed?
Evensong is composed of readings from the Scriptures, psalm singing and prayers, of which the whole, in its details, is a little complicated. The outstanding features of what is, so to speak, its framework, are the following:—The Prooimiakos, i.e., the majestic 104th Psalm, which begins “Praise the Lord, O my soul,” enumerates aloud the works of creation, ends by the “Thou makest darkness, and it is night. O Lord, how manifold are Thy works!” and in a general way introduces us to the whole Service. The antiphonal singing of Psalms 141, 142 and others, of which the first two verses are the well-known:—“Lord, I have called upon Thee,” and “Let my prayer be set forth as incense before Thee.” The imposing emergence of the Priests in chasubles from the left door of the Sanctuary, their standing in semi-circle in the middle of the Catholicon of the Church, their intoning of the very old evening hymn “Oh, gladsome Light” to a very ancient air, and their entrance into the Sanctuary through its middle door. The reading on great Festivals of prophecies and admonitions from the Old Testament appropriate to the day. And at the end, the Nunc Dimittis, that is “Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart, O Lord,” which Simeon the righteous and devout said when he saw the Salvation of all peoples. (Luke ii. 29—32.) These, however, are the bones, so to say, of the Service of Evensong; which are filled up, as with flesh, with different “stichera” and “troparia,” the products of our ecclesiastical poets, among whom the first to be numbered is John of Damascus, the composer of the “Eight Tunes” or “Octaechos.”
What are the chief elements of Matins?
The Exapsalmos, the Cathismata, the Euloghitaria, the Anavathmoi, one of the eleven Morning Gospels, the Canon, the Catavasiae, the Exaposteilaria, the Lauds and the great Doxology. The Exapsalmos is composed of six psalms from the Psalter, by which the soul awakening to God, pours out its warm morning prayer. The Euloghitaria are so called, because they begin with the verse from the psalms:—“Blessed are Thou, O Lord; teach me Thy statutes,” the Greek equivalent of “blessed” being “euloghitos.” The Anavathmoi are touching and short anthems, with a style similar to the Psalms; they speak of different virtues, by which as if by “steps” (this is the meaning of “anavathmoi”) our soul ascends to Heaven. The eleven Morning Gospels turn around the eleven appearances of the Risen Saviour. The Canon is a long chain of troparia, ordered in nine series, the musical tune of which is fixed and regulated beforehand; hence the name “canon.” The Catavasiae are the initial troparia of each of the Canon’s nine series; while they are being sung, we “descend” (in Greek “catavainein”) from our stalls. The Exaposteilaria are so called, because they have as their subject the “sending forth” (in Greek “exapostellein”) of the Apostles by our Lord in order to preach the new tidings. The Lauds are rightly so called, as commencing by the well known verses of the 148th and 150th Psalms:—“Praise ye the Lord.” Finally, the great Doxology is that elevating and triumphant sweet paean, the opening words of which were sung by the heavenly host on the night of the birth of our Redeemer. With the “Gloria in excelsis” of the great Doxology, the Service of Matins is closed, and there follows immediately the Divine Liturgy, the crowning Service of all the Christian Services.