Liturgical Cycles: Rhythms of Prayer

The original Greek word was used of a public work of any kind, not only religious; but in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) it is applied particularly to the services of the Temple. The word in English is used [...] of all the prescribed services of the Church, e.g. including the canonical hours, as contrasted with private devotion.

Liturgy, as distinct from private devotion, is generally characterized by a strong biblical orientation and is normally celebrated in community

FOR I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”	Ἐγὼ γὰρ παρέλαβον ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου, ὃ καὶ παρέδωκα ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ κύριος Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ᾗ παρεδίδετο ἔλαβεν ἄρτον ²⁴καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασεν καὶ εἶπεν· τοῦτό μού ἐστιν τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν· τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν.
²⁵ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”	²⁵ ὡσαύτως καὶ τὸ ποτήριον μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι λέγων· τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ αἵματι· τοῦτο ποιεῖτε, ὁσάκις ἐὰν πίνητε, εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν.
²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.	²⁶ ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐὰν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ τὸ ποτήριον πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ κυρίου καταγγέλλετε ἄχρι οὗ ἔλθῃ.
²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. ³⁰ That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.	²⁷ Ὥστε ὃς ἂν ἐσθίῃ τὸν ἄρτον ἢ πίνῃ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ κυρίου ἀναξίως, ἔνοχος ἔσται τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ κυρίου. ²⁸ δοκιμαζέτω δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἑαυτὸν καὶ οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ ἄρτου ἐσθιέτω καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ποτηρίου πινέτω· ²⁹ὁ γὰρ ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων κρίμα ἑαυτῷ ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει μὴ διακρίνων τὸ σῶμα. ³⁰ διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄρρωστοι καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί.

Entrance hymn (s); Confession of Sin; “Lord have mercy” (Kyrie Eleison); [Hym – Gloria in Excelsis] Readings from Hebrew Scriptures and/or New Testament Letters; (solemn) Reading of Gospel; Sermon, Intercessory Prayers

Procession and Offering of Bread and Wine; Preface (prayers over Gifts); Hymn: “Holy Holy” (Sanctus); Consecration (“Words of Institution”); Hymn: “Lamb of God” (Agnus Dei); Elevation of Elements; Communion; Hymns; Concluding Prayers.

Eucharistic celebrations on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Communion is taken to hermits who live at a distance from the cœnobium; however some hermits who live in extremely remote sites participate in the Eucharist and receive communion only very rarely

On weekdays there is a brief communion service (probably with Terce) from reserved elements. On Sundays and Feasts the monks go to the local parish church for Mass. There are no priests in the monastic community

On weekdays there is a brief communion service (probably with Terce) from reserved elements. On Sundays and Feasts Mass is celebrated in the monastery by priest-monks

Gregory the Great emphasizes the value of frequent celebrations of the Eucharist “to keep the dread Lord at bay”. Masses for the dead become increasingly common.

Western monasticism becomes overwhelmingly clerical. Every day each priest-monk celebrates at least one (“low”, recited) private mass, usually for a deceased benefactor, and also attends the more solemn (“high”, sung) Conventual Mass, attended by the whole monastic community and public.

A single, daily celebration of the Eucharist by the whole monastic community is the norm. In some communities it stands alone, in others it is combined with an hour of the Divine Office, such as Lauds, Terce, or Vespers. Following the Second Vatican Council “concelebration” of the same mass by several priests is permitted and encouraged. Private masses, although permitted, are no longer encouraged. A very few Benedictine monasteries begin to debate whether the older pattern of masses celebrated only on feasts and Sundays should be revived.

MATINS	The Second Coming of Christ	Watchfulness in Darkness
LAUDS	Rising Sun; Darkness banished	Resurrection of Christ
PRIME	The New Day	Preparation for the day’s work
TERCE	Come, Holy Spirit	Descent of the Holy Spirit
SEXT	Deliverance from sin	Christ on the Cross
NONE	Perseverance	The Death of Christ; the Last things
VESPERS	Thanksgiving	Last Supper
COMPLINE	Contrition: Protection for the night	Heavenly banquet Our Lord in Gethsemane

a long passage from scripture, usually arranged so that in any one week, all the readings come from the same text

a long hagiographical passage, such as an account of a saint‘s martyrdom, or a theological treatise commenting on some aspect of the scriptural reading, or a passage from the documents of the Second Vatican Council

on nights preceding Sundays and feast days, the office may be expanded to a vigil by inserting three Old Testament canticles and a reading from the gospels

two psalms, or one long psalm divided into two parts, and a scriptural canticle (taken from the Old Testament in the morning and the New Testament in the evening)

a canticle taken from the Gospel of Luke: the Canticle of Zechariah (Benedictus) for morning prayer, and the Canticle of Mary (Magnificat) for evening prayer

a blessing given by the priest or deacon leading Morning or Evening Prayer, or in the absence of clergy and in individual recitation, a short conclusion

the Canticle of Simeon, Nunc dimittis, (Lord, now let your servant depart), framed by the antiphon Protect us, Lord

In each office, the psalms and canticle are begun and concluded with antiphons, and after each is prayer the Gloria Patri (“Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit…”)

Greek	English	Time	Spiritual Association
Mesonyktikon (Μεσονυκτικόν)	MIDNIGHT OFFICE	Midnight	Prayed in monasteries in the middle of the night.
Orthros (Ὂρθρος)	MATINS or ORTHROS	Dawn	the watches before dawn. Praising God at the rising of the sun.
Prōtē Hōra (Πρῶτη Ὣρα)	First Hour (PRIME)	~7 AM	the Creation, Banishment of Adam and Eve from Paradise, appearance of Christ before Caiaphas.
Tritē Hōra (Τρίτη Ὣρα)	Third Hour (TERCE)	~9 AM	descent of the Holy Spirit.
Hektē Hōra (Ἓκτη Ὣρα)	Sixth Hour (SEXT)	Noon	Christ’s crucifixion
Ennatē Hōra (Ἐννάτη Ὣρα)	Ninth Hour (NONE) *	~3 PM	the death of Christ
Hesperinos (Ἑσπερινός)	VESPERS	Sunset	The beginning of the (liturgical) day. Meditating on Christ as the “Light.”
Apodeipnon (Ἀπόδειπνον) lit. “after-supper”	COMPLINE	Bedtime	Our death.

FALL

ADVENT

WINTER

CHRISTMAS

Preparation for Christmas (Advent)

Christ's Birth (Christmas)

and Epiphany (Manifestation of Christ)

SPRING

LENT

EASTER

Preparation for Easter (Lent)

Christ's Resurrection (Holy Week and Easter)

SUMMER

PENTECOST

ORDINARY TIME

The Feast of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost)

The Season of Ordinary Time


FALL
ADVENT	Preparation for Christmas HEAVEN
WINTER
CHRISTMAS	The Birth of Christ INCARNATION = SANCTIFICATION / THEOSIS of CREATION
[WINTER]
LENT	Preparation for Easter SPIRITUAL GROWTH Ascesis / Exercise
SPRING
EASTER	The Resurrection of Christ RESURRECTION = SANCTIFICATION/THEOSIS of INDIVIDUALS
SUMMER
ORDINARY TIME PENTECOST TRANSFIGURATION	The Gift of the Holy Spirit MISSION = CONSECRATION of WORLD by GOSPEL [Lectio Divina/ Lectio Vita]

This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 2000....x.... ’ “”.

MON	TUES	WED	THURS	FRIDAY	SAT	SUNDAY

				CHRIST'S DEATH		CHRIST'S RESURRECTION
		FAST		FAST		FEAST

MON	TUES	WED	THURS	FRIDAY	SAT	SUNDAY
Holy Angels	St. John the Baptist	Cross & Theotokos	Holy Apostles & St. Nicholas	Cross & Theotokos	All Saints & the Departed	Resurrection of Christ