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Matins
,Several emendations, clarifications, etc.
'''Matins''' (also spelled "''Mattins"'', from the Latin, ''matutinae'', "morning"), ''in Greek, also called '''Orthros''''' (which also means from Greek, meaning "morning", "dawn" or "day break"), is the longest and most complex of the [[Daily Cycle|daily cycle]] services. Unless Matins is celebrated in the morning, unless it is celebrated as part of a [[All-Night Vigil|vigil]] in the evening.{{Services}}==General structure of Sunday Matins==While some sections of Matins follow the eight-[[tone]] cycle, Matins is celebrated in others follow the eleven-part cycle of the Resurrectional Gospels (the morning[[eothinon|eothina]]).
*Then the following hymns are usually sung:
"Glory..." "Through the intercessions of the Apostles..." "Both now.." "Through the intercessions of the Theotokos..." "Have mercy on me, O God..." "Jesus having risen..."
* On Sundays of the [[Triodion]] (excluding Palm Sunday, or a Sunday on which Annunciation might fall), the following hymns are sung in place of the four hymns just cited:
"Glory..." "The doors of repentance..." "Both now..." "Guide me in the paths of salvation..." "Have mercy on me, O God..." "When I think of the multitude of evil things I have done..."
* The Priest exclaims "O God, save thy people and bless thine inheritance..." The choir responds with "Lord, have mercy" (12 times), and the priest replies with the exclamation "Through the compassions ..."
*The [[Canon (hymn)|Canon]] is now chanted in the following order: The Choir chants the 1st Ode of the Resurrectional Canon (Tone of the week), the Canon to the Cross and Resurrection, the Canon to the Theotokos (all in the tone of the week), and the Canon of the Saint of the day. They then chant the 1st [[Biblical Odes|Ode]]'s sesonal [[Katavasia]]. The 3rd Ode is chanted in the exact same manner.
*After the Katavsia of the 3rd Ode the Deacon intones the Little Litany, at the end of which the Priest exclaims "For Thou art our God..."
*The Reader reads the Saint's [[Kontakion]] and Oikos, if there is one. The Choir then chants the Kathisma hymn that is appointed to be read After the 3rd Ode.
*The Reader reads the following Odes of the Canon as follows: Ode 4 to Ode 8 (Resurrectional, Cross and Resurrection, Theotokos, Saint of day).
*The Choir immediatly begins to chant the sesonal Katavasia of Odes 4 to 6.
*The Deacon intones the Little Litany, at the end of which the Priest exclaims "For Thou art the King of Peace..."
*The Reader reads the Resurrectional Kontakion & Oikos of the Tone of the week, followed by the [[Synaxarion]] of the Day from the [[Menaion]] (see after 6th Ode of Saint's canon).
*The Choir chants the Katavasies of the 7th and 8th Odes.
*The Deacon exclaims "The Theotokos and Mother of Light..."
*The Choir sings "Higher in honour then the Cherubim..." with its verses. The 9th Ode of the Canon immediately follows, in the exact way the 1st Ode was chanted. During the 9th Ode, the Deacon censes the Temple.
*The Deacon intones the Little Litany, at the end of which the Priest exclaims "All the choirs of angels bless Thee, and to Thee do we send up glory..."
*The Choir chants "Holy is the Lord our God". After, they chant the Resurrection (Sunday) Exaposteilarion corresponding to the Matins Gospel that was read. Then "Glory ..." and the Exapostilarion of the saint, if there is one. Then "Both now ..." and the Exapostilarion of the feast, if there is one; if not, the Resurrection Theotokion Exapostilarion corresponding to the Gospel and the Sunday Exapostilarion that were read.
*The Choir chants the Praises (Psalms 148-150) in the Tone of the week: "Let everything that has breath" and "Praise Him all His angels..."
*The Reader reads the rest of the Psalms' verses up until the verse "To do in them..."
*The Choir chants the [[Stichera]] of the Praises, inserting them between the last few verses of the Praises.
*The Choir chants "Glory" and the corresponding [[Doxasticon]] to the Matins Gospel and the Sunday Exapostilarion.
*The Choir chants "Both now... Most blessed art thou, Virgin Theotokos..."
*The Choir chants the Great [[Doxology]] in the Tone of the week.
*The Choir chants (if the current Tone is 1 - 4) "Today is salvation..." or (if it is tone Pl. 1st - Pl. 4th) "Having risen..."
*The Deacon intones the Litany of Fervent Supplication, at the end of which the Priest exclaims "For a merciful..."
*The Deacon intones the [[Litany of Completion]], at the end of which the Priest exclaims "For Thou art a good God..."
*The Priest exclaims "Peace be unto all..." and the Deacon intones "Let us bow our heads..."
*The Priest reads silently the "Prayer at the Bowing of the Heads..." and then exclaims "Thine it is to have mercy..."
*The Deacon intones "Wisdom", the Choir "Bless", the Priest "Blessed is the existing One..."
*The Reader reads the prayer "Establish Lord God..."
*The Priest exclaims "Most Holy Theotokos save us!"
*The Reader reads "More honourable..." and "Glory. Both now" "Lord have mercy" (thrice) "Holy Father bless!"
*The Priest reads the [[Dismissal]] "Glory to Thee our God... May He who has Risen from the dead, Christ our true God..."
*The Reader reads "Come let us worship..." and the 1st Hour.
*The [[Divine Liturgy]] is served.
There are seven types of Matins:
===Basic Formsforms===
*'''''Sunday Matins:''''' the longest of the regular matins services. If this service is celebrated in its entirety it can last up to three hours. It usually contains a combination of [[canon]]s taken from the [[Octoechos]], [[Menaion]], [[Triodion]], and/or [[Pentecostarion]]. As a result, in parishes, abbreviations are often made. Often, this matins is part of a vigil (particularly in Slavic practice).
*'''''Feast-day Matins''''' with Gospel.
===Special Formsforms===
*'''''Lenten Matins:''''' penitential material added (hymns and prayers).
Matins services related to the [[Pascha]]l feast:
*'''''[[Christ The Bridegroom (O Nymphios)|Bridegroom Matins]]:''''' served on Great and Holy Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday).
*'''''Great and Holy Friday Matins:''''' there are twelve Gospel lessons; [[Antiphon]]s are used (originating in a different office). The [[troparion]] sung at the 15th antiphon: ''Today is hung upon the cross...'' (Simeron krematai).
==Sources==
*A handout given to [[seminarian]]s seminarians participating in the 2004-2005 altar groups at the [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology]]
*''Orthros for Sunday: Resurrectional Hymns'' in the original Greek, with a new English translation by Spencer T. Kezios, [[Protopresbyter]], published by Narthex Press, 2nd edition, 1998.
==External Linkslinks==*[http://sgpmwww.goarchagesinitiatives.orgcom/dcs/ematinspublic/matins.htm ''e''Matins Pagedcs Digital Chant Stand] (PDF files) of the produced by [[Sthttp://www.agesinitiatives. Gregory Palamas Monastery org AGES Initiatives (HayesvilleCharlotte, OhioNC)]]. Greek/English or English-only versions available. English translations by Fr. Seraphim Dedes''et al''.*[http://www.goarch.org/en-/chapel/liturgical_texts/SUNDAYORTHROS.asp sunday-orthros Service of the Sunday Orthros] from the website of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]
*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/matins.htm Matins as a Reader Service]
*[http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/dailymatins.htm Daily Matins as a Reader Service]
[[Category:Liturgics]]
[[el:Όρθρος]]
[[fr:Matines]]
[[ro:Utrenia]]