Propers & Hymns - Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost - September 2, 2012

This coming Sunday, September 2, 2012, is the Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost, yet another "ordinary" Sunday in the long stretch between Pentecost and Lenten Triodion, with no feast days or commemorations.

Given that the Propers for the week are limited to those proper for Sunday in the tone of the week (Tone 5), we will not be posting propers, hymns and hymn selection (order of worship) for this week, concentrating instead on preparation for next month's feast days.

Epistle - 2nd Corinthians 1:21-2:4
Gospel - Matthew 22:1-14

Tone of the week = Tone 5

We will announce an opening hymn just before the start of the Divine Liturgy.

Have a peaceful and restful Labor Day weekend!

Propers & Hymns - Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost - August 26, 2012

This coming Sunday, August 26, 2012, is the Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost ... and nothing else! So, it's an "ordinary" Sunday in the long stretch between Pentecost and Lenten Triodion, with no feast days or commemorations.

Given that the Propers for the week are limited to those proper for Sunday in the tone of the week (Tone 4), we will not be posting propers, hymns and hymn selection (order of worship) for this week, concentrating instead on preparation for next week's Simple Feast of the Beheading of John the Baptist on Wednesday, August 29th and beyond.

Epistle - 1st Corinthians 16:13-24
Gospel - Matthew 21:33-42

Tone of the week = Tone 4

During the Great Incensation, we will chant the Canticle of the Theotokos (<=link to the previous post, with further links to the music resource files), taken from Sunday Matins.

As a reminder, we have chant group rehearsal from 10:15AM-10:45AM. Hope to see a few new faces along with the faithful group of chanters!

Propers & Hymns - Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost - August 19, 2012

Propers, hymns and hymn selection (order of worship) for the Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost - August 19, 2012 - are available on the For the Faithful resource page.

Sunday is also a Post-festive Day of the Dormition (i.e. falls in the octave of this Great Feast of the Church), so the propers will be carried over from the Feast, as explained below.

Further, we will also be celebrating the joyous occasion of the Christening of Mila Dnyprowsky, with the Rite of Christian Initiation (i.e. the Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism, Chrismation and Holy Eucharist) incorporated into the celebration of Sunday's Divine Liturgy.

Epistle - 1st Corinthians 15:1-11
Gospel - Matthew 19:16-26

Tone of the week = Tone 3

During the Great Incensation, we will sing Rejoice, O Purest Mother (Veselisja, Vo Čistot'i), a well-known  para-liturgical hymn traditionally associated with the Feast of the Dormition. The melodic theme of this hymn will also be embraced throughout the celebration of this Divine Liturgy, with the Cherubic Hymn, Anamnesis Acclamation and Communion Hymn chanted to the same melodic pattern.

As a reminder, for a Sunday in the octave of a Great Feast of the Theotokos:

• the Troparion and Kontakion of the feast are taken in place of the Kontakion for Sunday, immediately after the Troparion for Sunday in the tone of the week (Tone 3);
• the Prokeimenon and Alleluia for the feast are taken together with the Prokeimenon and Alleluia for Sunday in the tone of the week (Tone 3); and,
• the Magnification & Irmos for the feast are chanted instead of It is truly proper (Dostojno jest'). Please note that we will take the Samopodoben melody (on pgs. 353-355) instead of the "simple setting".

However, as we will also be incorporating the Rite of Christian Initiation into the celebration, the Sunday Troparion, as well as the Troparion and Kontakion of the Feast, will be omitted. The Divine Liturgy will continue from the point at which the Trisagion is chanted, after the Chrismation is complete, with All You Who Have Been Baptized taken instead on the occasion of the celebration of the Rite of Christian Initiation.

As always, the reference sheet posted on the For the Faithful resource page can guide you through it. You should be able to print a copy and bring it to the Divine Liturgy, if you wish.

Hope to see you for a special Sunday morning at the Church of the Resurrection!

Propers & Hymns - Feast of the Dormition

Propers, hymns and liturgical hymn selection (order of worship) for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary - Wednesday, August 15, 2012 - are now available for review and reference on the For the Faithful resource page.

During the Great Incensation of the church and faithful - i.e. at the start of the Divine Liturgy - we plan to chant Rejoice, O Purest Mother (Veselisja, Vo Čistot'i), a well-known hymn traditionally associated with this Great Feast of the Church. The melodic theme of this hymn will also be embraced throughout the celebration of this Divine Liturgy and next Sunday.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, herbs and flowers will be blessed as per our tradition.

NOTE: As highlighted in our church calendar and above, this is a Great Feast of the Universal Church. As such, it is a holy day of obligation (day of precept) for Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholics in the United States.

Hope to see you for the Divine Liturgy this Wednesday evening (7PM)!

Propers & Hymns - Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost - August 12, 2012

Propers, hymns and hymn selection (order of worship) for the Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost - August 12, 2012 - are available on the For the Faithful resource page.

Sunday is also a Post-festive Day of the Transfiguration (i.e. falls in the octave of a Solemn Feast of Our Lord), so the propers will be carried over from the Feast, as explained below.

Epistle - 1st Corinthians 9:2-12
Gospel - Matthew 18:23-35

Tone of the week = Tone 2

As a reminder, for a Sunday in the octave of a Feast of Our Lord:

• the special First and Second Antiphons from the Feast Day propers are chanted;
• the Third Antiphon and the Entrance Hymn are the same as Sunday, except that the phrase "risen from the dead" is substituted with a phrase reflective of the feast - "transfigured on the Mount" in this instance;
• the Troparion and Kontakion of the feast are taken in place of the Kontakion for Sunday, immediately after the Troparion for Sunday in the tone of the week (Tone 2);
• the Prokeimenon and Alleluia for the Feast are taken together with the Prokeimenon and Alleluia for Sunday in the tone of the week (Tone 2); and,
• a Magnification & Irmos are chanted instead of It is truly proper (Dostojno jest') - please note that we will take the Samopodoben melody (on pgs. 349-350) instead of the "simple setting".

Also, we will once again sign the para-liturgical hymn, On Mount Tabor (Na Tavori Preobrazivsja), during the Great Incensation before the Divine Liturgy (included with the propers for this Sunday) - just in case you missed it on Monday! ;)

As always, the reference sheet posted on the For the Faithful resource page can guide you through it. You should be able to print a copy and bring it to the Divine Liturgy, if you wish.

Hope to see you Sunday morning!