Menaion of the Orthodox Church

The 23rd Day of the Month of August

Leave-taking of the Dormition of the All-holy Theotokos

At Vespers

The usual kathisma. On “Lord, I have cried…”, 6 stichera of the feast; Glory…, Now and ever…, of the feast. But if vespers be celebrated on Friday evening: Glory…, of the feast; Now and ever…, the dogmaticon of the current tone. Prokimenon of the day, but no entrance or readings. Then straightway, “Vouchsafe, O Lord…”. Litany: Let us complete our evening prayer… Aposticha stichera and doxasticon of the feast. Trisagion through Our Father…, Troparion of the feast, once. Litany, and dismissal.

At Compline, the Kontakion of the feast.

At Nocturns, we read the kathisma as usual, and the usual Troparia, not that of the feast. We do say the prayer, “Remember, O Lord…”

At Matins, at “God is the Lord…”, the Troparion of the feast, twice; Glory…, Now and ever…, the Troparion again. After the kathismata, the Sessional hymns of the feast. Psalm 50. The canons of the feast: Canon I, with 8 Troparia, including the irmos; and Canon II, with 6 Troparia, including the irmos. We chant the irmoi of both canons twice. Katavasiae: the irmoi of Canon I. After Ode III, the hypacoï of the feast. After Ode VI, the Kontakion & ikos of the feast. Before Ode IX we do not chant the Magnificat, but rather the festal refrains, as on the feast itself. Exapostilarion of the feast, twice. On the Praises, 4 stichera of the feast; Glory…, Now and ever…, of the feast. Great Doxology. Trisagion; Troparion of the feast, once. Litanies, and dismissal. We read the First Hour in the narthex.

At the Hours, Troparion and Kontakion of the feast.

At Liturgy, on the Beatitudes, 8 Troparia, from Ode IX of both canons of the feast. After the entrance, the Troparion of the feast; Glory…, Now and ever…, the Kontakion. Prokimenon, Alleluia, and Communion Verse of the feast. Epistle and Gospel of the day and of the feast.

But if the Leave-taking fall on Sunday:

At Little Vespers, on Saturday evening, the resurrectional stichera on “Lord, I have cried…”, as usual. At the Aposticha, one sticheron of the resurrection, and the festal stichera, with their refrains (the Aposticha from Great Vespers of the feast); Glory…, Now and ever…, of the feast. Troparion of the resurrection; Glory…, Now and ever…, that of the feast.

At Great Vespers, after the usual kathisma, on “Lord, I have cried…”, 10 stichera: 4 of the resurrection; and 6 festal stichera, as chanted on the feast itself; Glory…, the doxasticon of the feast; Now and ever…, the dogmaticon of the current tone. At Litya, the stichera and doxasticon of the feast. At the Aposticha, the resurrectional stichera; Glory…, Now and ever…, the doxasticon of the feast. After the Blessing of the Loaves, “O Theotokos Virgin, rejoice!…”, twice; and the Troparion of the feast, once.

At Matins

At “God is the Lord…”, the Troparion of the resurrection, twice; Glory…, Now and ever…, that of the feast, once. After the kathismata, the Sessional hymns of the resurrection, with their Theotokia. Evlogitaria, hypacoï, hymns of ascent and prokimenon of the tone. “Let every breath…” Resurrectional Gospel. “Having beheld the resurrection of Christ…” Psalm 50. Resurrectional stichera, and the rest as usual. Canons: of the resurrection, with 4 Troparia, including the irmos; of the Theotokos, with 2 Troparia; and both festal canons, with 8 Troparia. Katavasiae: the irmoi of Canon I of the feast. After Ode III, Kontakion & ikos of the feast; hypacoï of the feast. After Ode VI, Kontakion & ikos of the resurrection. We do chant the Magnificat before Ode IX. Exapostilarion of the resurrection; Glory…, Now and ever…, that of the feast. On the Praises, 8 stichera: 4 of the resurrection, and 4 of the feast, including the doxasticon, with the festal stichoi; Glory…, the evangelical sticheron; Now and ever…, “All-blessed art thou…” Great Doxology. After the Trisagion, the resurrectional Troparion alone. Litanies, and dismissal. The First Hour is read in the narthex. Final dismissal.

At the Hours, Troparion of the resurrection; Glory…, that of the feast; Now and ever…, the Theotokion of the Hour. After Our Father…, we alternate the Kontakia of the feast and of the resurrection.

At Liturgy

On the Beatitudes, 10 Troparia: 6 of the resurrection, and 4 from Ode IX of the festal canons. After the entrance: Troparia of the resurrection and the feast; Glory…, Kontakion of the resurrection; Now and ever…, Kontakion of the feast. Prokimenon, Epistle, Alleluia and Gospel of the day and of the feast. Communion Hymns: Praise the Lord from the heavens…. I will receive the cup of salvation….