When a priest is not present in order to celebrate the Divine Liturgy
Note: The translation used is primarily that of Fr. Lawrence of Jordanville. The order of service is based primarily on the Reader Service Typikon by Bishop Daniel (the Old Rite Bishop of the ROCA) and translated by Fr. George Lardas. All the psalms are from The Psalter According to the Seventy, © Copyright Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA, used by permission. Some other material, such as prayers and hymns, are also Copyright HTM, used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, beyond printing out a single copy for personal non-commercial use, without the prior written authorization of Holy Transfiguration Monastery.
If Typika is not preceded immediately by the hours, begin with the usual beginning: “Through the prayers of our holy fathers…”; the Trisagion, “Lord, have mercy!” (x12); “Glory…Both now…”, and then “O Come let us worship”. Otherwise, after the conclusion of the 6th hour, we begin Typika as follows:
O come let us worship God our King.
O come let us worship and fall down before Christ our King and God.
O come let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and God.
The First Antiphon
Bless the Lord, o my soul; blessed art Thou, O Lord. * Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name. * Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all that He hath done for thee. * Who is gracious unto all thine iniquities, Who healeth all thine infirmities. * Who redeemeth thy life from corruption, Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion. * Who fulfilleth thy desire with good things; thy youth shall be renewed as the eagle’s. * The Lord performeth deeds of mercy, and executeth judgment for all them that are wronged. * He hath made His ways known unto Moses, unto the sons of Israel the things that He hath willed. * Compassionate and merciful is the Lord, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy. * Not unto the end will He be angered, neither unto eternity will He be wroth. * Not according to our iniquities hath He dealt with us, neither according to our sins hath He rewarded us. * For according to the height of heaven from the earth, the Lord hath made His mercy to prevail over them that fear Him. * As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our iniquities from us. * Like as a father hath compassion upon his sons, so hath the Lord had compassion upon them that fear Him; * for He knoweth whereof we are made, He hath remembered that we are dust. * As for man, his days are as the grass; as a flower of the field, so shall he blossom forth. * For when the wind is passed over it, then it shall be gone, and no longer will it know the place thereof. * But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity, even unto eternity, upon them that fear Him. * And His righteousness is upon sons of sons, upon them that keep His testament and remember His commandments to do them. * The Lord in heaven hath prepared His throne, and His kingdom ruleth over all. * Bless the Lord, all ye His angels, mighty in strength, that perform His word, to hear the voice of His words. * Bless the Lord, all ye His hosts, His ministers that do His will. *
Bless the Lord, all ye His works, in every place of His dominion.
Glory to the Father, * and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit. * Both now and ever, * and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, * and all that is within me * bless His holy name; * blessed art Thou, O Lord.
The Second Antiphon
Glory to the Father, * and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit. * Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord in my life, I will chant unto my God for as long as I have my being. * Trust ye not in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation. * His spirit shall go forth, and he shall return unto his earth. In that day all his thoughts shall perish. * Blessed is he of whom the God of Jacob is his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God, * Who hath made heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is therein. * Who keepeth truth unto eternity, Who executeth judgment for the wronged, Who giveth food unto the hungry. * The Lord looseth the fettered; the Lord maketh wise the blind; the Lord setteth aright the fallen; * the Lord loveth the righteous; the Lord preserveth the proselytes. * He shall adopt for His own the orphan and widow, and the way of sinners shall He destroy. * The Lord shall be king unto eternity; thy God, O Zion, unto generation and generation.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. O only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art immortal, yet didst deign for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change didst become man, and was crucified, O Christ God, trampling down death by death. Thou Who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.
Third Antiphon
Note: Troparia are read between these verses, as appointed by the typikon.
In Thy kingdom remember us, O Lord, * when Thou comest in Thy kingdom.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, * for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[In 12 verses]
Blessed are they that mourn, * for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, * for they shall inherit the earth.
[In 10 verses]
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, * for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, * for they shall obtain mercy.
[In 8 verses]
Blessed are the pure in heart, * for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, * for they shall be called the sons of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, * for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, * and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, * for great is your reward in the heavens.
Glory to the Father, * and to the Son, * and to the Holy Spirit.
Both now and ever, * and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Entry Hymn
O come let us worship and fall down before Christ, [Who rose from the dead,]* O Son of God, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
*This is how it is sung on Sundays, but on weekdays sing “Who art wondrous in the saints”, unless it is a feast of the Theotokos, in which case we sing “through the prayers of the Theotokos”.
Troparia
[The appointed Troparia of the day]
Trisagion
Holy God, Holy mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us. Thrice
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Holy Immortal have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us.
Prokimena
[The prokimena, as appointed by the Typikon]
Epistle
Reader: The reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to ____________
After the Epistle is read:
Reader: Alleluia in the ___ tone:
Then the verses are read and the choir sings Alleluia in the appropriate tone, as at a liturgy
The Gospel
Reader: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to St. _____.
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, Glory to Thee!
[The Gospel is then read in a normal voice]
Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, Glory to Thee!
Choir: [In the 6th Sticheron Tone]
Remember us, O Lord, when Thou comest in Thy kingdom.
Remember us, O Master, when Thou comest in Thy kingdom.
Remember us, O Holy One, when Thou comest in Thy kingdom.
The heavenly choir praiseth Thee and saith: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.
Stichos: Come unto Him, and be enlightened and your faces shall not be ashamed.
The heavenly choir praiseth Thee and saith: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
The choir of Holy angels and archangels, with all the heavenly hosts praiseth Thee and saith: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.
In plain chant:
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The Creed
Note: This may be sung to a melody of the choir director’s choosing, or simply read
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, / Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. / And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, / the Only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages; / Light of Light, true God of true God; / begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made; / Who for us men and for our salvation came down from the heavens, / and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; / And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, / and suffered and was buried; / And arose again on the third day according to the Scriptures; / And ascended into the heavens, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; / And shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; / Whose kingdom shall have no end. / And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life; Who proceedeth from the Father; / Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. / In One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. / I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. / I look for the resurrection of the dead, / And the life of the age to come. Amen.
Reader: Remit, pardon, forgive, O God, our offenses, both voluntary and involuntary, in deed and word, in knowledge and ignorance, by day and by night, in mind and thought; forgive us all things, for Thou art good and the Lover of mankind.
Choir: Our Father, Who art in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Reader: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us.
Choir: Amen.
Kontakia
Reader: Lord, have mercy. Twelve Times
O All-Holy Trinity, the consubstantial dominion, the indivisible Kingdom, and cause of every Good: Show Thy good will even unto me a sinner; make steadfast my heart and grant it understanding, and take away mine every defilement; enlighten my mind that I may glorify, hymn, worship, and say:
Choir: One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the Glory of God the Father. Amen.
Reader: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Psalm 33
Note: This may be sung, or simply read.
I will bless the Lord at all times, * His praise shall continually be in my mouth. *In the Lord shall my soul be praised; * let the meek hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me, * and let us exalt His name together. * I sought the Lord, and He heard me, * and delivered me from all my tribulations.
Come unto Him, and be enlightened, * and your faces shall not be ashamed. * This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, * and saved him out of all his tribulations.
The angel of the Lord will encamp round about them that fear Him, * and will deliver them. * O taste and see that the Lord is good; * blessed is the man that hopeth in Him.
O fear the Lord, all ye His saints; * for there is no want to them that fear Him. * Rich men have turned poor and gone hungry; * but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good thing.
Come ye children, hearken unto me; * I will teach you the fear of the Lord. * What man is there that desireth life, * who loveth to see good days?
Keep thy tongue from evil, * and thy lips from speaking guile. * Turn away from evil, and do good; * seek peace, and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, * and His ears are opened unto their supplication. * The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, * utterly to destroy the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, * and He delivered them out of all their tribulations. * The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, * and He will save the humble of spirit. *
Many are the tribulations of the righteous, * and the Lord shall deliver them out of them all. * The Lord keepeth all their bones, * not one of them shall be broken.
The death of sinners is evil, * and they that hate the righteous shall do wrong. * The Lord will redeem the souls of His servants, * and none of them will do wrong that hope in Him.
Megalynarion
Note: When appointed on feast days, the appointed Zadostoinik can be sung instead of “It is truly meet….” During lent, or any other time the liturgy of St. Basil would be appointed, “All creation rejoices in Thee…” may also be sung.
It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and most blameless, and Mother of Our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
O Lord, Bless.
Senior Reader (Facing the East, rather than facing the people):
If it be Sunday: Thou that didst rise from the dead, O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of our holy and God-bearing fathers, of _____ (The Patron of the Temple ), of _____ (saints of the day), and all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for Thou art good and the Lover of mankind.
If not: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of our holy and God-bearing fathers, of _____ (The Patron of the Temple ), of _____ (saints of the day), and all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for Thou art good and the Lover of mankind.
Choir: Amen.
At this point the Synaxarion, or some other edifying material may be read. Then, while the people come up to venerate the Cross and the Gospel, and then to partake of some holy water and prosphora, the choir sings:
In the 6th Sticheron Tone:
We who are walled about by the cross are ranged against the enemy, not fearing his devices and ambushes, for the proud one hath been destroyed and trampled underfoot by the power of Christ crucified on the Tree.
Glory….
[First sticheron from the Lity for the patronal feast of the temple]
Both now…
[Theotokion from the Lity for the patronal feast of the temple]
Our Great Lord and Father, N. the most holy Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia; * our Lord the Very Most Reverend Metropolitan N., First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, * and our Lord the Most Reverend Archbishop (or Bishop) N.; * the brotherhood of this holy temple (or monastery), and all Orthodox Christians: * preserve, O Lord, for many years.
Lord, have mercy. Thrice