Rubrics for

March 25^th - Great Feast of the Annunciation

when it coincides with Thursday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent

 

References:

1. The Typikon of the Great Church of Christ (T) by George Violakis
2. The Liturgikon (L) published by the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America
3. The Menaion: August (M) published by Sophia Press
4. The Festal Menaion (FM) by Mother Mary & Kallistos Ware
5. The Lenten Triodion (LT) by Mother Mary & Kallistos Ware
6. The Lenten Triodion: Supplment (LTS) by Mother Mary & Kallistos Ware

 

When the Great Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, March 25^th, coincides with Thursday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent (Thursday of the Great Canon of Repentance by St Andrew of Crete), the Typikon (T) prescribes that the following order of divine services be observed.

 

On the evening of
TUESDAY - MARCH 23^rd

We serve Daily Lenten Vespers (L p. 52). Lord, I have cried (L p. 44) is chanted in Tone 8 with six stichera: three for the Fifth Tuesday O ye faithful… and Through a tree… in Tone 8, and We praise thy life-giving Cross… in Tone 2 (LTS p. 220); and three for the Forefeast The mystery hidden…, A dazzling palace…and The Archangel Gabriel… in Tone 4 (M p. 63). Then Glory… Both now… is chanted in Tone 2 with the doxastikon for the Forefeast Today Gabriel made the announcement… (M p. 64). There is no entrance. O gladsome Light… (L p. 45) is said. The prokeimena and Old Testament readings are those appointed for the Fifth Tuesday (LTS p. 221). Then the order of Lenten Daily Vespers continues with Vouchsafe, O Lord… (L p. 45). The aposticha (L p. 47) is all for the Fifth Tuesday: in Tone 5 Banished from the straight path…(LTS p. 221), the stichos Unto thee have I lifted up mine eyes…(LT p. 90), in Tone 8 I went down from Jerusalem…(LTS p. 221), the stichos Have mercy upon us, O Lord… (LT p. 90), in Tone 8 Thy martyrs, O Lord… (LTS p. 222). Then we begin the chanting in Tone 4 of the twenty-four stichera by Simeon the Translator, beginning with I have wasted all my life…(LT p. 372). The refrain after each of the first twenty-one stichera is Glory to thee, O God, glory to thee. After the twenty-second sticheron O Lamb who takest away my sin (LT p. 376) we chant Glory… and the twenty-third sticheron Ineffable is thy compassion (LT p. 376), then Both now…and the twenty-fourth and final sticheron O condescension past all speech… (LT p. 376). Then we say Lord, now lettest thou thou servant depart in peace… (L p. 48) followed by the Trisagion Prayers (L p. 48). Following the exclamation on the Our Father (L p. 48) we chant the usual Lenten apolytikia (L p. 53) in Tone 5 Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos…, O Baptzier of Christ…, Glory…Intercede for us…, Both now… Beneath thy compassion… Then we say Lord, have mercy (forty times) and the rest of Lenten Daily Vespers (L p. 53), saying Psalm 33 I will bless the Lord at all times… (L p. 55) rather than Psalm 44, and continuing through the dismissal (L p. 56).

 

On the night of
TUESDAY - MARCH 23^rd

We read Little Compline (L p. 57) through the Creed (L p. 61). Then we chant in Tone 6 the Great Canon of Repentance by St Andrew of Crete (LT p. 378) and read the Life of St Mary of Egypt in two parts. After ending the canon with the heirmos of Ode 9 Conception without seed… (LT p. 415), we continue Little Compline by saying It is truly meet…(L p. 62). Following the exclamation on the Our Father (L p. 62) we say the kontakion of the Great Canon O my soul O my soul… (LT p. 399). Then we say Lord, have mercy (forty times) and the rest of Little Compline (L p. 63) , ending with Through the prayers…(L p. 69).

 

On the morning of
WEDNESDAY - MARCH 24th

We serve Lenten Daily Orthros (L p. 171) combining the texts for the Fifth Wednesday (LTS p. 223) with those for the Forefeast of the Annunciation (M p. 650). At the appointed place in Orthros (L p. 180) we begin the 1^st Hour with O come, let us worhsip… (L p. 182, using the Lenten order) and continue through the 3^rd and 6^th Hours, but saying the apolytikion of the Forefeast (M p. 64) and the kontakion of the Forefeast (p. 65) rather than the usual Lenten texts. Immediately following the prayer of the 6^th Hour O God and Lord of hosts… (L p. 194) the dismissal is said (L p. 196).

 

On the evening of
WEDNESDAY - MARCH 24^th

We say 9^th Hour (L p. 182, using the Lenten order), but saying the apolytikion of the Forefeast (M p. 64) and the kontakion of the Forefeast (M p. 65) rather than the usual Lenten texts. Immediately following the prayer of the 9^th Hour O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God… (L p. 195) the dismissal is said (L p. 196). Then we celebrate Great Vespers (L p. 14) for the Great Feast of the Annunciation (FM p. 439). Note, however, that we do not append the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts as the Festal Menaion indicates; instead, following the Old Testament readings (FM p. 441), we continue the usual order of Great Vespers beginning with Let us all say… (L p. 25) through the Prayer at the Bowing of the Heads (L p.28). [Note: If there will be Litia and Artoklasia (L p. 32), we chant the first troparion of the Litia of the patronal feast of the church temple followed by the troparia of the Litia of the Annunciation beginning with In the sixth month the chief of the angelic hosts… (FM p. 442) and ending with Both now… Gabriel today announces (FM p. 444); then the petition Have mercy on us…(L p. 32)is intoned and the service continues through Rich men have turned poor…(L p. 38).] Great Vespers continues with the aposticha (L p. 29) for the Annunciation In the sixth month the Archangel… (FM p. 444). Following the Hymn of Simeon the God-receiver (L p. 29) and the exclamation on the Our Father (L p. 29), we chant the apolytikion of the Annunciation Today is the crown of our salvation… (FM p. 445) three times in succession (without Glory… and Both now…). Then Great Vespers is concluded in one of two ways: (1.) if there was Litia and Artoklasia, say Let us pray to the Lord through the Great Dismissal (L p. 38); (2.) if there was no Litia and Artoklasia, say Wisdom through the Great Dismissal (L p. 30).

 

On the morning of
THURSDAY - MARCH 25^th

We celebrate Festal Orthros (L p. 131) and the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom (L p. 256) incorporating the texts for the Annunciation (FM p. 446 and FM p. 460) following what in the Festal Menaion is termed "Greek usage" or "modern Greek practice."

 

On the evening of
THURSDAY - MARCH 25^th

We celebrate Great Vespers (L p. 14) for the Leavetaking of the Annunciation. Lord, I have cried is chanted in Tone 6 with six stichera: three for the Annunciation in Tone 6 Revealing to thee the pre-eternal counsel… (FM p. 439), Thou dost appear unto me in the form of a man… (FM p. 440) and When God so wishes… (FM p. 440); and three for the Archangel Gabriel in Tone 1 Gabriel, the greatest and most godlike…(FM p. 464), To thee alone, O Gabriel… (FM p. 464) and Thou who art ever filled with light… (FM p. 440). Then Glory… Both now… is chanted in Tone 6 with the doxastikon for the Annunciation Gabriel the Archangel was sent from heaven… (FM p. 440). The entrance is made with the censer and not with the gospel book as the Festal Menaion indicates; O gladsome Light is chanted followed by the daily prokeimenon. The Old Testament readings may be read (though the Typikon makes no mention of them). Then the usual order of Great Vespers continues with the ektenia Let us all say (L p. 25) through the Prayer at the Bowing of the Heads (L p. 29). The aposticha (L p. 29) is all for the Annunciation In the sixth month the Archangel… (FM p. 444). Following the Hymn of Simeon the God-receiver (L p. 29) and the exclamation on the Our Father (L p. 29), we chant the apolytikion of the Annunciation Today is the crown of our salvation… (FM p. 445) three times in succession (without Glory… and Both now…). Then Wisdom (L p. 30) is intoned and Great Vespers concludes as usual.

 

On the night of
THURSDAY - MARCH 25^th

We read Great Compline (L p. 70) and return to the usual Lenten order for divine services.