Services of the Great Fast
This lesson describes the modified liturgical services during the Great Fast in the Byzantine Rite, including limitations on the Divine Liturgy and the introduction of special services like the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts and specific forms of daily prayers.
Chapter: Services of the Great Fast
The Services of the Great Fast
In the Byzantine Rite, the Eucharistic Divine Liturgy, at which bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, to be consumed by the faithful, is essentially joyful. For this reason, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated on days of strict fasting, such as the weekdays of the Great Fast.
During the Great Fast, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated on Saturdays and Sundays; that is why each of these days has special commemorations in the Triodion. On Saturday, the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is used; on Sundays, we celebrate the older Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil, which recounts more completely the course of the history of salvation. Other days of the Fast are aliturgical days - that is, days on which the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated except on the occasion of a very great feast.
Sunday afternoon Vespers
In the past, in addition to Great Vespers on Saturday evening, it was customary to celebrate Vespers on Sunday afternoon or evening. (In the Byzantine Rite, this is actually the daily Vespers that begins the services of Monday.) This custom, which is still kept by the Orthodox Old Believers, marks the transition from Sunday "back" to ordinary time.
Although Greek Catholics in the United States have often dropped this service on ordinary Sundays, it is frequently kept during the Great Fast. The service of "Sunday afternoon (or evening) Vespers" allows an opportunity for prayer, instruction and fellowship at a time which does not conflict with "weekday" schedules. The service of Sunday evening Vespers on Cheesefare Sunday, to begin the fast, concludes with a ceremony of mutual forgiveness among priest and people, and is called Forgiveness Vespers.
See the tutorial on Singing Sunday Evening Vespers during the Great Fast.
Daily Matins
In ancient times, meetings of the faithful were held twice daily during the Great Fast, in the morning and in the evening. The service of daily Matins during the Great Fast has some very ancient elements, such as the singing of Scriptural hymns called canticles as part of the Canon; the ordinary canon of 8 or 9 ones is supplemented with small 2-, 3-, or 4-ode Lenten canons called triodia. It is from these canons that the liturgical book, the Triodion, takes its name.
Lenten Hours
The daytime services of the Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours have special forms used during the Great Fast; like Matins and Vespers, they end with special Lenten prayers and the recitation of the Prayer of Saint Ephrem, with prostrations. Some parishes take the Sixth Hour, or a combined version of the Third and Sixth Hours called Tersext, as a weekday noon service in the Great Fast.
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
In order to allow the faithful to receive Holy Communion during the Great Fast, even on those days when the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated, the Church instituted a combined service of Vespers with Holy Communion, called the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. Here, "pre-sanctified" refers to the fact that the Holy Gifts distributed in Communion are those consecrated at a previous Divine Liturgy. This service is appointed to be celebrated on each Wednesday and Friday in the Great Fast, and is sometimes held on other days as well.
See the tutorial on Singing the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Other Lenten devotions
In some places, more recently composed services such as the Moleben to the Holy Cross are served on weekdays during the Great Fast. In some cases, these services are admirably in tune with the liturgical season; in others, they focus on the sufferings of Christ in a way more appropriate to Great and Holy Week.
The Akathist to the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is in a class by itself; this long and beautiful hymn is appointed to be sung on Saturday in the fifth week of the Great Fast. It is often anticipated on Friday evening, and in some places is used as a Wednesday or Friday service throughout the Fast.
Source: https://mci.archpitt.org/liturgy/Great_Fast.html
Recommended Reading
- The Great Forty Days Fast (Great Lent) - A Traditional Custom of the Byzantine Rite. Byzantine Leaflet Series, No. 13. (Pittsburgh: Byzantine Seminary Press, 1979).
- Father Alexander Schmemann. Great Lent. (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1969.)
- Father Basil Shereghy. The Liturgical Year of the Byzantine-Slavonic Rite. (Pittsburgh, PA: Byzantine Seminary Press, 1968.)
- A Monk of the Eastern Church (Father Lev Gilet). The Year of Grace of the Lord. (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2001.)
Quiz
1. Please read the question carefully.
2. Think of an answer.
3. Click to check the answer.
On which days of the week is the Divine Liturgy typically not celebrated during the Great Fast?
The Divine Liturgy is not celebrated on weekdays of the Great Fast.
Which Divine Liturgy is celebrated on Sundays during the Great Fast and recounts more completely the history of salvation?
On Sundays during the Great Fast, the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil is celebrated.
What is the name of the combined service of Vespers with Holy Communion that allows the faithful to receive Communion on weekdays during the Great Fast?
The combined service of Vespers with Holy Communion is called the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
What liturgical book takes its name from the small Lenten canons sung during daily Matins in the Great Fast?
The liturgical book that takes its name from these canons is the Triodion.
What ceremony takes place at the conclusion of Sunday evening Vespers on Cheesefare Sunday to begin the fast?
The Sunday evening Vespers on Cheesefare Sunday concludes with a ceremony of mutual forgiveness, called Forgiveness Vespers.
