Church Calendar for the Year 2012
Liturgics and Translations
The mission of the Department of Liturgics and Translations is twofold: both to provide parishes with approved liturgical texts, and to provide education and guidance as to the best and most appropriate practice of liturgics. Because liturgical rubrics and liturgical music share so many overlapping areas of concern, this department also works closely with the Department of Sacred Music. As the only source for archdiocesan-approved liturgical texts, the staff of this department is continually hard at work translating, re-working, and publishing service books that will help parishes navigate various kinds of liturgical situations and occasions. For example, knowing that our archdiocese now has more bishops than ever before, and that our parishes enjoy hosting them and praying with them, the department recently developed a book to help priests serve alongside their bishops smoothly and properly. As the department goes forward, it hopes to continue meeting the evolving needs of our unique Antiochian-American liturgical tradition while simultaneously safeguarding the tradition as it has been handed down to us.
An online liturgical guide is provided for each Sunday on this webpage; it includes variations in the order of service and the variable texts for the day. As this department exists to serve the immediate needs of parish liturgical life, it welcomes comments, suggestions, and questions
Contact:
The Department of Liturgics and Translations
V. Rev. Edward Hughes, Chairman
103 Pleasant St
Methuen, MA 01844
(978) 685-4052 or (978) 686-3274
fredwardh@aol.com
Liturgical Calendar for 2012
2012 Liturgical Guide Now Available
Click here to download order form (PDF)
His Eminence Metropolitan Philip writes:
Beloved Clergy, Chanters and Choir Directors:
Greetings in the name of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ.
We do hereby bless and approve the 2012 edition of The Liturgical Guide published by the Department of Liturgics and Translations of our Archdiocese. This guide should be used and referenced by all eastern rite parishes in our God-protected Archdiocese without exception. As the Apostle Paul stated in his letter to the Corinthians [I Corinthians 14:40), “Let all things be done decently and in order."
Orthodox Music Society Announces Online Publishing
Proceedings Books from ISOCM ConferencesJOENSUU, FINLAND [ISOCM] -- The International Society for Orthodox Church Music is pleased to announce that its new on-line publication, the Journal of the International Society for Orthodox Church Music, is accepting submissions for publication.
The first issue will be available as a PDF download on the ISOCM site in Spring 2012.
The ISOCM was founded with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Leo of Karelia and all Finland by an international group of musicians and scholars after the First International Conference on Orthodox Church Music, “The Traditions of Orthodox Music”, held at the University of Joensuu in University of Joensuu in June 2005. Members of the ISOCM are found around the world and in a variety of positions related to Orthodox Church music.
The ISOCM is delighted that Professors Hilkka Seppälä (University of Eastern Finland), and Christian Troelsgaard (University of Copenhagen), distinguished scholars in the field of Orthodox Church music, have agreed to be members of the Board of Honour.
Members of the Editorial Board include Dr. Yuliya Artamonova (Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, Moscow), Dr. Nicolae Gheorghita (National University of Music, Bucharest), Dr. Alexander Lingas (City University, London), Dr. Ivan Moody (Editor; CESEM – Universidade Nova, Lisbon), Dr. Aleksander Naumow (Jagiellonian University, Cracow), Dr. Nicolas Schidlovsky (Princeton University), Maria akala-Roszczenko, TM, FM (Secretary of the ISOCM; University of Eastern Finland), and Nikita Simmons (Editorial Secretary of JISOCM, Portland, Oregon, USA).
Liturgical Calendar for 2011
Church Calendar for the Year 2011
| Calendar for: | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Holy Pascha | April 24 | April 15 | May 5 |
| Western Easter | April 24 | April 8 | March 31 |
New AFR Podcast "Let My Prayer Arise" Focuses on the Psalter
The Psalms have been called the “Hymn Book of the Church” and contain rich and prophetic references to Christ. In this new Ancient Faith Radio podcast, "Let My Prayer Arise," Fr. Wilbur Ellsworth, priest at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Warrenville, Illinois, will be taking listeners through the Psalter to help them make the Psalms the prayer of their hearts. "The Lord's Prayer is the flower and the fruit, of the roots, stalk and stem of the Psalms," says Fr. Ellsworth. "When we pray, we are not alone," he adds. The Psalms, he explains, have three important aspects. First, they are a historical connection to the prayers of God's people. Secondly, the Psalms are Christological--Jesus Himself pointed out that the Psalms spoke of Himself. "They are nothing less than the prayers of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He would have been immersed in these prayers from infancy." Third, the Psalms are liturgical. "In this podcast, we will often reflect on where and how these Psalms are used in the Orthodox liturgy," promises Fr. Wilbur.
"I encourage you to listen with the Psalm text before you. Begin to read, and then, to memorize."
2011 Liturgical Guide Now Available
Place your order for the 2011 Liturgical Guide Today!Click here to download order form (Word Format)
Fr. Elia Shalhoub writes:
Beloved in Christ:
Greetings and best wishes to you in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
With the Grace of God and the blessings of our beloved Father in Christ His Eminence Metropolitan Philip I have prepared the 2011 Liturgical Guide which I have been preparing every year for the last Thirteen years.
For the Last 4 years, with Sayadna Philip’s blessings I took the chance to print and distribute the Guide on my own, I would like to thank every parish and every individual who supported the use of the hard copy of the Guide by purchasing one or more.
Improved Liturgical Resources Page Launched
The editors of Antiochian.org recently launched a newly improved Liturgical Resources section, accessed on the menu bar of the website's home page. One of the site's most popular destinations, the Resources page now features categories such as "Articles," "Music Resources," and "Podcasts and Audio." An aggregation of the most critical liturgical tools required by chanters, choir directors, deacons and priests, the page is also helpful to laypeople involved in Bible study groups or choir. Browsers can download music, an Akathist, even the Antiochian Archdiocese's well-loved "Little Red Prayer Book."
Recently, Antiochian.org spoke with the Very Rev. Fr. David Barr, respected Antiochian liturgist and Director of the St. Romanos Chanter's Training Program, about the importance of liturgy and music in the life of the Church.
1. Generally speaking, do parish musicians usually need formal training to chant in church? Why/why not? What would you recommend for that musically inclined parishioner who might be interested in chant, but shy?
To chant properly using Byzantine chant, one needs some formal training. Even though a great deal of Byzantine music exists today in western notation, it is important to understand the ethos.
Liturgical Calendar for 2010
Church Calendar for the Year 2010
| Calendar for: | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| Holy Pascha | April 4 | April 24 | April 15 |
| Western Easter | April 4 | April 24 | April 8 |
Audio Available of Department of Liturgics Presentation at Archdiocese Convention
Click here to listen to Department Chair V. Rev. Edward Hughes' presentation at the general assembly of the 2009 Archdiocese Convention.
More audio from the 2009 Convention is available from Ancient Faith Radio.
Date of Pascha in Coming Years
All dates given are according to the Revised Julian (or Gregorian) Calendar
|
Year |
Western Easter |
Orthodox Pascha |
Pentecost |
|
2008 |
March 23 |
April 27 |
June 15 |
|
2009 |
April 12 |
April 19 |
June 7 |
|
2010 |
April 4 |
April 4 |
May 23 |
|
2011 |
April 24 |
April 24 |
June 12 |
|
2012 |
April 15 |
June 3 | |
|
2013 |
May 5 |
||
|
2014 |
April 20 |
April 20 |
|
|
2015 |
April 12 |
||
|
2016 |
May 1 |
||
|
2017 |
April 16 |
April 16 |
|
|
2018 |
April 8 |
||
|
2019 |
April 28 |
||
|
2020 |
April 14 |
||
|
2021 |
May 2 |
||
|
2022 |
April 24 |
||
|
2023 |
April 16 |
||
|
2024 |
May 5 |
||
|
2025 |
April 20 |
April 20 |
For calculating the dates of Pascha and other feast days for any given year, check here.
Online Liturgical Guide
Please feel free to contact us for questions or special requests. Kindly notify us as well if you catch any typograpical or other errors, and we will correct the on-line texts promptly.
All liturgical notes are listed according to the Sunday of each weekend.
Click on the version below you would like to see.
Order Your Printed Liturgical Guide
Please read the 2012 order form letter
ORDER FORM for 2012 Liturgical Guide NOW available
If you want to Purchase a Liturgical Guide
Please fill out the Online order form or Print the PDF
| 2012 |
| Liturgical Guide Online - Complete (Remember to check online for any corrections) |
| ONLY Sundays will be posted on the website. Please order a Liturgical Guide. |
Please contact us for any corrections to the online Liturgical guide. Click here to send corrections to the department.
Department of Liturgics and Translations
V. Rev. Edward Hughes, Chairman
103 Pleasant St
Methuen, MA 01844
(978) 685-4052 or (978) 686-3274
Send an email message: Fr Edward Hughes
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader (to read PDF files)
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|---|---|
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| 2012_letter1.pdf | 30.73 KB |
2012 Liturgical Guide Order Form
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Liturgical Service Structures
Structure of Services
Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Structure of the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
1. "Blessed is The Kingdom..."
2. "O come, let us worship..." and Psalm 104
3. Great Ektenis
4. Reading of the 1st Antiphon from the Psalms (Pss. 119-123)
(On the 5th Wednesday of Lent - 7th Kathisma of the Psalter (46-48)
NOTE: If the Priest completes the transfer of the Presanctifted Gifts from the Altar table to the Table of the Protheses during the reading of the 1st or 2nd antiphon, then the remaining antiphon(s) may not be read, in order to shorten the service.
5. Little Ektenia
6. Reading of the 2nd Antiphon from the Psalms (Pss. 124-128)
(On the 5th Wednesday of Lent - 7th Kathisma of the Psalter (49-50)
7. Little Ektenia
8. Reading of the 3rd Antiphon from the Psalms (Pss. 129-133)
(On the 5th Wednesday of Lent - 7th Kathisma of the Psalter (51-54)
9. Little Ektenia
10. "Lord I have cried unto Thee..." In the Tone of the week.
a. Proper stichera from the Triodion and the Menaion, if any.
b. Glory..., for the Menalon (Saint)
(If no Glory, then Glory & now are sung followed by the Theotokion)
c. Now..., for the Theotokos of the Triodion.'
11. Little Entrance, During the singing of the Theotokian.
(This is always done with the censer, except when there is a reading from the holy Gospel, in which case the Little Entrance is done with the Holy Gospel instead of the censer.)
12. After the Little Entrance: "O Gladsome Light..." is said, not sun
13. Proper Prokeimenon and Readings, as follows:
1st Reading:
Priest: Let us attend!
Reader: Reads the Prokeimenon
Priest: Wisdom!
Reader: The reading is from Genesis (Exodus during Holy Week)
Priest: Wisdom! Let us attend!
Reader: (The Reading)
2nd Reading:
Reader: Reads the proper Prokeimenon: Command!
Priest: Wisdom! Let us Attend!
The Light of Christ! Illumineth All!
Reader: The reading is from Proverbs (Job during Holy Week-)
Priest: Wisdom! Let us Attend!
Reader: (The Reading)
14. "Let my prayer..." with its stichoi, sung alternately by the Priest and the Chanter or Choir; the Priest begins the chanting with, "Let my prayer. . ." and concludes the chanting with "let my prayer..." the last time it is sung.
15. If there is a reading from the Holy Gospel, it follows in the usual form. (There are Readings from the Gospel on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week, and on the Feast Days of any Great Saint.)
16. Ektenias:
a. of the Fervant Supplication
b. Ektenis of the Catechumens, said alone without the Ektenia of Those Awaiting Baptism until Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lent. During that period the Priest says: "Help us, save us... Wisdom! Through the gift of thy Christ. . ."
c. Ektania of Those Awaiting Baptism, said from the Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent until the end of Holy Wednesday.
17. Hymn of the Entrance:
a. "Now the powers of Heaven. . ." (is sung up to the words) "is ushered in. .
b. Entrance of the Presanctified Gifts, made in silence while the Priest says in a soft voice, "Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers. . . " The path of the Entrance is as short as possible, as in the Little Entrance.
c. After the Entrance, the Chanter concludes the Entrance Hymn: "Let us draw near ... Alleluia."
18. Ektenia before The Lord's Prayer
19. The Lord's Prayer
20. The Peace
21. Communion of the Clergy as usual, while the Chanter sings the Koinonikon (Communion Hymn): "O Taste and See. . ." or the proper Koinonikon for the Feast if any.
22. Communion of the Faithful, as usual
23. Ektenis of Thanksgiving
24. Prayer behind the Ambon: "O almighty Lord… "
25. "Blessed be the name...," sung in monotone.
26. Dismissal
The above order is according to the Antiochian usage.
The variations of the Stichera, Theotokia, and Readings are found in the Liturgical Guide under the proper day and date.
Evening Divine Liturgy Structure
The Structure Of The Evening Divine Liturgy
1. "Blessed is the Kingdom. . ."
2. Psalm 104
3. Great Ektenia
4. "O Lord, I have cried. . .," in the proper tone
Glory and Now for the Feast.
5. Little Entrance with the Gospel
6. After the Little Entrance:
a. "O Gladsome Light. . ."
b. Troparion of the Feast
c. Troparion of the Patron Saint
d. Kontakion of the Feast
7. Trisagion Hymn
8. Epistle: of the Feast
9. Gospel: of the Feast
10. The rest of the Divine Liturgy
11. Megalynarion: of the Feast
12. Koinonikon (Communion Hymn): of the Feast
13. Instead of "We have seen the true light. . .," sing the Troparion of the Feast. (Only if it is one of the twelve great feasts.)
14. Dismissal: For the Feast
The Structure of Orthros (Matins)
THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORTHROS SERVICE
(When followed by the Divine Liturgy)
Priest: "Blessed is our God. . ."
"Glory to thee. . .'
"O heavenly King. . ." (Not said from Easter to Pentecost)
Chanter: "Amen," Trisagion Prayers ("Holy God. . ." through Lord's Prayer)
Priest: Exclamation: "For thine is the Kingdom. . ."
Chanter: "Amen."
"O Lord save thy people. . ."
Glory. . . "Do thou, who of thine own. . ."
Now. . . "O Champion dread, who cannot. . ."
Priest: Ektenia: "Have mercy on us. . ."
"Again we pray for pious. . ."
"Again we pray for our father and Metropolitan PHILIP. . ."
Chanter: "Amen."
"Glory to God in the highest. . ." (3 times)
Between Pascha and Ascension this should be replaced by, "Christ is risen from the dead."
"O Lord open thou my lips. . ." (2 times)1
Six Psalms
Priest: Great Ektenia
Chanter: God is the Lord. . . preceded by the verses, "O give thanks unto the Lord. . ."
Proper Apolytikion (Troparion and Theotokion)
Priest: Little Ektenia
Chanter: Proper Kathismata
Evlogetaria (not sung on certain Sundays)
Priest: Little Ektenia
Chanter: Proper Hypakoe, Anabathmoi, and Prokeimenon
Priest: "Let us pray to the Lord."
Chanter: "Lord, have mercy."
Priest: "For Holy art thou. . ."
Chanter: "Amen." "Let everything. . ."
Priet: READ THE MATINS GOSPEL
Chanter: "In that we have beheld the Resurrection. . ." (not said on certain Sundays)
Psalm 50
Troparia
Priest: Intercession: "O God save thy people. . ."
Chanter "Lord, have mercy." (12 times)
Priest: Exclamation: "Through the mercies. . ."
Chanter: "Amen." The Kontakion and the Ikos for the Tone or for the day and the Synaxarion are read and then the proper Katabasia.
Priest: Little Ektenia
Chanter: "Holy is the Lord. . ." (3 times)
"Exalt ye the Lord. . ." (except from Good Friday until Pentecost)
Proper Exaposteilarion and Theotokion
Proper Praises (Ainoi), preceded by the verses.
Proper Doxastikon and Theotokion
Great Doxology, in proper Tone
Proper Troparion
The Structure of Great Vespers
The Structure Of The Great Vespers Service
Priest: "Blessed is our God. . ."
Chanter: "Amen. O come let us worship. . ."
Psalm 104
Priest: Great Ektenia
Chanter: "O Lord, I have cried unto Thee" in the proper tone
Psalms 141, 142, 130, 117 sung alternately
Stichera, preceded by the proper verse.
Glory. . .
Now and ever... (During which the Little Entrance is performed)
Priest: "Wisdom! Attend!"
Chanter and
Priest: "O Gladsome Light. . ."
Priest: "The Evening Prokeimenon"
Chanter: Proper Prokeimenon
Priest: Ektenia of Fervent Supplication: "Let us say with all our soul. . ."
Chanter: "Vouchsafe, O Lord. . ."
Priest: Ektenia: "Let us complete our evening prayer. . ."
Chanter: Proper Aposticha
Glory. . .
Now and ever. . .
Priest or
Chanter: St. Simeon's Prayer
People: Trisagion Prayers ("Holy God. . ." through Lord's Prayer)
Priest: Exclamation "For thine is the Kingdom. . ."
Chanter: Proper Troparion and Theotokion
Priest: Dismissal