Book of Needs of the Holy Orthodox Church: With an Appendix Containing Offices for the Laying on of Hands

Of thy mysterious supper, Son of God, me a communicant accept to-day; for I thy mystery to thy foes will not betray, nor give to thee a kiss as Judas did; but, as the thief, I will confess thee: Lord, in thy kingdom O remember me.

(The procession.)

Of thy mysterious supper.... the whole again, concluding with the thrice sung Alleluia.

And at the Liturgy of the Presanctified,

Now serve the heavenly powers unseen with us; for, lo, the King of glory cometh in. Behold, the mystic sacrifice, that perfected hath been, is borne in on the spears.

(The procession.)

Let us draw near with faith and love, that we of life immortal may partakers be. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Condakion. A short verse expressing the purport of any given festival or occasion. See Canon.

Dismissal. The concluding words of an office. A full form of these is given at page 222, but in other places, when they are expressed at all, it is in a more or less fragmentary manner.

Ectenia. A form of prayer consisting of a number of rogations with responses. There is a great, and a little Ectenia, an Ectenia of earnest prayer, and one of supplication. The normal form of these is as follows,

The great Ectenia, called also the Ectenia of peace.

In peace let us pray to the Lord. Response. Lord, have mercy, and so after the succeeding rogations. For the peace that is from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord. For the peace of the whole world, the good estate of the holy churches of God, and for the union of them all, let us pray to the Lord. For this holy temple, and for them that with faith, piety, and fear of God enter into it, let us pray to the Lord. For the most holy Governing Synod, and for our Metropolitan, name, for our Archbishop, or Bishop, name, according to the eparchy, for the honourable presbytery, the diaconate in Christ, and for all the clergy and the laity, let us pray to the Lord. Here follow rogations for the Emperor and the Imperial Family, mentioning them by name. To aid them and to subdue under their feet every enemy and adversary, let us pray to the Lord. For this city (if it is monastery, For this holy habitation), for every city and country, and for them that in faith dwell therein, let us pray to the Lord. For healthiness of weather, for plentifulness of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord. For them that voyage, that journey, that are sick, that are suffering, that are in bonds, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord. Here are inserted additional rogations for special circumstances. For our deliverance from all affliction, passion, and want, let us pray to the Lord. Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Commemorating our most holy, most pure, most blessed glorious Lady, the God-bearing Ever-virgin Mary, together with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and one another, and all our life to Christ our God. Response. To thee, O Lord. Exclamation by the priest. For to thee is due all glory, honour, and Worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Response. Amen.

The little Ectenia.

Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord. Help us.... Commemorating.... as in the great Ectenia, with a varying exclamation.

The Ectenia of earnest prayer.

Let us all say with our whole soul, and with our whole mind let us say, Response. Lord, have mercy. O Lord almighty, O God of our fathers, we pray thee, hear, and have mercy. Response. Lord, have mercy. Have mercy upon us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hear, and have mercy. Response. Lord, have mercy, three times; and so after the succeeding rogations, the next being for the Emperor and the Imperial Family, mentioning them by name. Then the Synod, the Metropolitan, and all sorts and conditions of men, and those especially for whom the occasion serves are mentioned, and the Ectenia is concluded by the priest with the exclamation, For thou art a merciful and man-loving God, and to thee we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and ever, and to ages of ages. Response. Amen.

The Ectenia of supplication.

Let us fulfil our supplication to the Lord. Response. Lord, have mercy. Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Response. Lord, have mercy. That the whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask of the Lord. Response. Vouchsafe, O Lord, and so successively. An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord. Pardon and forgiveness of our sins and iniquities, let us ask of the Lord. What is good and profitable for our souls, and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord. That the remaining time of our life may be accomplished in peace and repentance, let us ask of the Lord. A christian end of our life, painless, unashamed, peaceful, and a good answer at the fearful judgment-seat of Christ, let us ask. Commemorating.... as before written, with an exclamation, or, Having prayed.... See page 69.

Epigonation. A lozenge shaped ornament, worn by bishops and archimandrites, suspended from the girdle and resting upon the knee. It signifies a spiritual sword, with which the wearers should defend those committed to their charge.

Epitrachelion. The priest’s stole.

Exapostilarion. A verse said or sung before the psalms of praise (Psalms cxlviii, cxlix, and cl). Some derive the term from the verse being sung by one of the clergy who is sent out of his place in the choir into the middle of the church to sing it; but others from it being a verse substituting a more ancient series of verses (Lucerns), in which the Lord is prayed to send forth light unto us.

Hypacoë. A term implying that the verse bearing its name should be listened to with particular attention.

Icos. A stanza. See Canon.

Idiomelon (pl. Idiomela). A verse that is of its own mode, i.e., one not composed upon an Irmos, or model.

Irmos (pl. Irmi). See Canon.

Kathisma. A verse during the singing of which it is permitted to sit.

Omophorion. The bishop’s pall.

Orarion. The deacon’s stole.

Phelonion. A vestment or cope.

Prokimenon. A verse, taken from the psalms, sung before the reading of an appointed epistle. With this is conjoined another verse, and the mode of saying and singing these is as follows. The reader says the prokimenon, and the choir repeats the same. Then the reader says the conjoined verse, and the choir again sings the prokimenon. Finally the reader says half the prokimenon, and the choir sings the remaining half.

Sloujébnik. The service book containing the prayers said by the priest and deacon at Vespers, Matins, and Liturgy.

Stasis. A subdivision of the psalter. The whole psalter is divided into twenty sections, and each of these is subdivided into three parts.[3]

Sticharion. A tunicle.

Stichera. Ecclesiastically composed verses, usually conjoined with verses selected from the psalms.

Theotokion. A verse addressed to the God-bearing Virgin.

Tone. The ecclesiastical tones are eight in number, and are based upon the ancient classical modes, namely, the Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Ionian for tones i to iv, and the minors of these for tones v to viii. The Slavonic, Greek, and Gregorian tones correspond thus,

Slavonic. Greek. Gregorian. I. I. I. II. II. III. III. III. V. IV. IV. VII. V. I minor. II. VI. II minor. IV. VII. Grave. VI. VIII. IV minor. VIII.

Trisagion. The thrice-holy hymn, the words of which are as follow,

Holy God, holy mighty one, holy immortal one, have mercy upon us, sung three times.

When sung in a more solemn manner at the Liturgy and other offices before the reading of the epistle and gospel the mode is thus,